Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert William Lewis Sr..
Hi Robert William, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The love of music and the arts began at an early age. There was always music playing in my house from either my brother’s or sisters’ rooms. My father sang, played guitar and my mother also sang. I sang my first song, “You Make Me Feel Brand New” by the Stylistics, in front of class in 7th grade. My school’s music teacher, in Dover, Delaware, asked me to be a part of the Dover Central Middle School’s talent show, but I was too shy. A friend of mine participated and played guitar. After being inspired by him, I knew I wanted to be a musician. High school sports were the main interest of the students. I was an All-American linebacker, winter track school record holder in the shot put, but got injured my senior year on the basketball court. I started writing songs and poetry in the 10th grade. The teachers loved it, so I kept a journal. I got a track scholarship to Delaware State College (Delaware State University now). I could no longer play football due to my injury. So again, I immersed myself in music.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Growing up in Dover and being bullied about my skin color by my own race throughout my entire school years, by older kids, made my life hard. I turned to jokes, comedy (I was the class clown), sports, music and the arts to cope with the situation. Unfortunately, injuries and some health issues, in my latter years, pulled me away from the arts for a long while.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I went to Delaware State where I met my wife, Marshelliese Best, with whom I now share two sons, Robert W. Lewis II and Ronald W. Lewis. I majored in arts and music. I took a multitude of piano and guitar classes and played guitar in college ensemble, and I was part of several art shows too. I started making mixed tapes for students. This was the start of the DJ Robby Robb nickname. While doing music, my interest in computers started growing. I learned many computer programming languages and graduated to building and repairing computers. I became a computer engineer for Xerox Corporation and eventually became a manager. I still loved the arts, and I joined a local band as the sound man, lighting tech, and the rapper of the group. This would be the first time one of my original rap songs was performed live. I started DJing during some of the band breaks.
While working at Xerox, I joined The Alive Arts Writers Guild, which allowed me to get some of my poems in the National Library of Poetry. My poem “Are You Better Than Me” was recorded on their “Best Top Ten Poems” cassette tape in 1996. Using my past arts background, I became an editorial cartoonist for the New Journal and Guide newspaper. I was a boom operator for Spike Lee’s former producer, Monty Ross, on his production of “Nu School,” which allowed me to work with many prominent actors and actresses.
I became a big brother to the Allentown Elementary School’s Boys & Girls Club in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I taught them how to draw cartoons. At that time, I developed the “No Black on Black” crime button and T-shirt symbol, which was sold during the Southeastern Virginia Arts Association’s African American Festivals around the 2000s. I was also a member and produced their monthly newsletter.
My wife and I began writing stage plays and joined the oldest black guild in America, at the time, The Players Guild of Norfolk. We mostly wrote comedies, and we won the NAACP ACTSO playwright award in Virginia. In 2002, we won a playwriting contest, out of 100-plus submissions, for the Generic Theater’s “Dog Days of Summer Festival” in Norfolk, Virginia. My wife and I were featured on the cover of Portfolio magazine. At the same time, I kept writing songs and poetry.
After leaving Xerox, I joined a local church and began playing bass guitar and singing with the choir. I was also the sound engineer. This was where I began mixing electronic music with live vocals and other instruments. I also started a gospel internet radio station, “Connect Live Radio” with host Robby Robb. It lasted for about a year. After moving to Richmond, Virginia for a new technician job in 2014, I started writing more and more.
After the job moved me back home to Norfolk, VA, I decided it was time to do more with my music. I started The Blacklitez Band, an electronic band that uses real playing and vocals, which I mix with electronic samples and beats to create mostly electronic dance music (EDM). I produced several songs and my very first one, “Computers in Control,” was heard by Bentley Records out of New York (shout out to the Bentley Gang), and they offered me representation. I released 30-plus EDM songs, with over 200 streaming services per song with them for about two years. I designed all the song’s covers. I was going strong until medical problems made me take a step back and take a break from music.
After a long recovery and 5 years later, here I am restarting Blacklitez and have released several brand new electronic, R&B, Pop and Rock songs. I love writing songs. I have shifted from performing to concentrating on song writing. I’m currently working with a few artists in collaboration with my original lyrics. My goal is to have my name as a credit on the back of a Grammy winners’s song or album.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the creative outlets that are all around, including live bands, shows, and a variety of museums. These are all designed to enlighten your senses. Another great aspect are all of the parks and recreation sites is that they encourage you to do various outdoor activities. The only negative thing is that traffic can be brutal at times. You must schedule around it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Blacklitezva
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blacklitezva
- Twitter: https://x.com/Blacklitezva
- Youtube: UCu71CxC6CpwadpZ10klnr0g
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/74kLZMYvDfiANv2X49ABV8
