The episode opens with a cold‑open monologue where Willa May lays out the stakes: the lines between human and AI are blurring, and the show intends to explore that head‑onrss.com. As the beat kicks in, she asks the key question: “Did U Come 2 Play?” — a challenge and an invitation rolled into one.

A key part of this episode is the detailed breakdown of Warner Music Group’s game-changing partnership with Suno AI — a landmark shift that lets artists opt in to AI usage (and finally get paid for it). Willa walks us through what this means for sync licensing, music ownership, metadata, and ethical creation.

There are weeks where nothing much seems to happen.
Then there are weeks like this one.

On paper, the bullet points look simple enough: an AI country artist tops a Billboard chart, an AI R&B avatar continues making industry headlines, WDMN MEDIA races a distribution deadline for IF I WAS YOUR PRODUCER – Volume 4, and a heart decides to flirt with 203 beats per minute just to keep things interesting.

In most careers, that would read like chaos.
In the WDMN universe, it reads like context.

Ten new stories. One focused vision.
If I Was Your Producer — Volume 4 is ThinkTimm’s monthly masterclass in independent music-making—written, produced, arranged, and mixed under the WDMN MEDIA umbrella. This chapter moves from social reflection to late-night tenderness to funk-forward affirmation, proving you can be prolific and precise.

I grew up on a block full of personalities. Future comedians, unlicensed philosophers, DJs without parties, quiet geniuses, loud geniuses, and a corner store that knew your order before you did. That block was a university, a dojo, a church, and a label deal all in one. I wouldn’t trade an hour of it.

Hitting episode 50 of Why Make Music feels like a real milestone. Halfway to 100 episodes isn’t just a number — it’s a marker of consistency, growth, and progress. And that’s exactly the theme of this episode: taking stock of where things are, where they’ve been, and where they’re headed.

This one’s a little different. Willa May takes the mic solo from start to finish — no co-hosts, just a straight-up reflection on music, business, and culture. The result? A relaxed but packed listen that shows just how far the Why Make Music project has come.

When Michael Jordan returned to basketball after retirement, he didn’t reclaim his iconic number 23 right away. He came back with number 45 on his jersey—a move that sparked curiosity, metaphors, and lyrics for decades to come. In hip-hop, in vinyl culture, in symbolic storytelling, “Wearing the Four Five” is about re-emergence, reinvention, and reclaiming your purpose with a new mindset. That’s the spirit behind Episode 045 of Why Make Music…

Embracing Yoda’s Wisdom in Creativity: DJ Warm Cookies uses Yoda’s advice as a springboard to talk about mindset. The message to creatives is clear: don’t half-step your passion. If you say you’ll “try” to make music, you might give yourself an out — but if you decide you will make music, you’re far more likely to get it done. Willa May illustrates how this all-in attitude has helped ThinkTimm push through barriers and complete project after project. It’s a call to be fearless and decisive in creating art, much like a Jedi committing fully to the Force. The takeaway: approach your creative goals with commitment, not hesitation.

College radio is one of the last places in the music world where human taste still dictates the soundtrack. And if you’re an independent artist wondering how to be heard, really heard—not just played—college radio may be more vital now than it’s ever been.

This week on Why Make Music…, DJ Warm Cookies takes the wheel, steering us into the sometimes forgotten world of college radio. What we find is not only rich in history but bursting with relevance for modern musicians—especially those of us walking the independent path.