Today we’d like to introduce you to Antonio Hewlett.
Antonio, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Working in Higher Education as College Instructor and pursuing my passion as a Musical Artist began long ago, even before I moved to Atlanta in August 2015. Initially, I believe much of what has manifested in my life is because God gifted me with Vision and Teaching. When you put those two gifts together along with a strong faith and a prayer life, it unveils the formula to success. And you can also add in patience through perseverance.
At the close of my ten-year high school reunion, I set out on a journey to find the next phase of my life. At that time, the last few years sent me to Los Angeles to be turned down for two reality TV Shows, a couple modeling gigs here and there and I’d taught at two colleges around my hometown of Memphis, TN. More than most, I was still content with where God had me in life because it’s a trusting relationship. But even within that, I’d always felt like any plans that I had, needed to be practical in thought. For example, I got this great idea that even though I was working at ITT Technical Institute as a College Instructor, I could transfer from Memphis, TN to an Atlanta campus as an Admissions Rep to cement my space in Atlanta. I literally thought I could get the job, would get the job and boom – be in Atlanta thriving. This was certainly not the case, as I ran into several obstacles that shaped me today. Long story short, I did get the job at ITT-Atlanta; however, the admissions office managers did not clear the position with HR. So the start date given wasn’t official and I had no way of knowing it and I don’t even think they knew. So here I was two weeks into Atlanta with – $250.00 in my checking account, sleeping on one of my old college friend’s floor.
Two weeks prior to moving to Atlanta, the local community college back home deposited $1,000.00 into my bank account for teaching two summer courses but two days before I left for Atlanta reversed the deposit, deeming it as a mistake. As I’d been preparing my car and purchasing small miscellaneous items for the move, I found out at Auto Zone that my account was declined and overdrawn. Turns out, the cashier’s office overpaid me and blamed me for not catching the overpay and took the money back without even calling. This was devastating to me and I’d refuse to leave my hometown with little to no money and a plan. It took the love of my mentors, close friends and parents telling me to ‘STILL GO.’ I could not believe that these people who claimed to love me would push me to do something with no root under it. Looking back now, I realized that they believed in me and knew I would prevail someway, somehow.
By the time I straightened out my work condition with ITT-Tech Atlanta and found a place to stay, it was Mid-September 2015. Amid moving to Atlanta, I needed a place to stay and none of my relatives that lived in Atlanta would take me in. The living arrangements with my college friend subsided and I was pretty much at the tail end of homelessness. Fortunately for me, I had a previous thought back home to google rooms and hostels in Atlanta. At that time, I came in contact with someone who rented rooms for $600.00 a month but I couldn’t even afford that. When the Admissions Rep position at ITT-Atlanta fell through, they offered to hire me under my previous position, College Instructor. The problem was that part-time adjunct instructor don’t make enough. The only rooms I could afford was $300.00 a month, so I ended up in a rooming house with nine other strangers. These people were ex-cons, ex-drug addicts, domestic abusers and felons. Not to mention, once the police came to rooming house and I told me that the neighborhood was high-level for car theft. My room had a small twin bed, a box fan and a square TV but I knew it was the perfect spot for me. It was a humbling experience because even though I’d lived with criminals and ex-somethings, I told myself my sins are no greater than theirs.
Well, anyway, time passed by and things slowly started to come together. My sleep returned comfortably. I wasn’t paying that much in rent so I could save more and I flexed my resume around on Craigslist and got a few job offers. None of which would’ve been possible if it were not for my keeping my prayer life. It was difficult for me to pray in the fervent style I was use to back home because I was in a house with nine other people. So on weekends, I would go to my car and pray. I would pray so hard I fogged the windows up.
Seven months after I moved into the rooming house, I was finally able to move out and into my first apartment. I was so nervous because this was the first time I would truly be on my own and with new responsibilities. I remember being in the shower, talking to God and a Spirit of Serenity came over me. At that point, I was game. On my day to move-out, I did it on my own like Incredible Hulk. August 2016 came and I was offered a teaching position at Clayton State University. At one time, I was teaching at four colleges around the Metro Atlanta area and driving from North to South daily. I never complained I was just grateful. Then one day, I was singing around one of the colleges where I taught English As A Second Language and a guitarist, who was also an Instructor, heard me and I liked my sound. He told me he had a few friends who were musicians and played in Jam sessions both with studios. After inviting me to jam out, everyone else took a liking to what we were doing, singing and playing. It brought me back to that passion I’d put on the back burner and tried to cover up because of the lack of confidence and becoming this academic person.
Out of nowhere, this passion grew massively and so quickly. Here I was at crossroads with following my dreams or following my reality. I was either going to start recording music or go to Howard University for my PhD. At that very moment, I changed my trajectory and I saw myself as that little kid back home performing Michael Jackson at nine years old in Elementary School and auditioning for Blues Camps. I realized that I didn’t want to look back 20 years from now and not have given myself the chance to follow my passion, the thing that was bigger than my reality. And more than that, I believed that I had God with me to forward the dream.
By February 2020, I’d spent countless of months, days, hours and seconds in the studio recording, mixing and mastering my own songs. On some days, I would spend at least 14 hours on the studio board trying to perfect sound, starting at 12 noon and ending at 4 am in the morning. I’ve felt every type of emotion that comes with the Art. And with some of my beginning music, I’ve not been content but this journey, along with God, has been perfectly designed. The gift of teaching not only allowed me to teach myself the science behind crafting songs but the gift of vision keeps me moving forward to my end result. Each time I release new music or create a layout for market my music, it makes it all worth it. My biggest prayer is that none of this in vain and I will arise to the occasion. So here I am in May 2020 following my dreams while living in my reality.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road hasn’t been smooth but as they say, ‘Jesus Take The Wheel!’ I’ve dealt with financial woes under repossessions and evictions. I’ve lost a total of three jobs in the last three years, which really hit hard. And at one point, my finances were so bad, the police had my car towed off the highway and I had to walk home. But one thing I can say, I lived another day to fight and pray. I did not die. Losing the jobs hit hard because it really challenged me mentally and my academic achievements and abilities to acquire the jobs.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
A long time ago, someone asked me was I a businessman or would I ever consider being one. At that time, I said no, not really unless I owned a record label.
I soon learned that being an Artist is a business. For what I do, I approach my music, market and branding from a business perspective. I am always researching the latest and greatest. I need to know what the trends for the future of music will be. This is how I approach my next projects, the style and fashion that goes into my photoshoots and how I will market my music product. I also study my algorithms each time I release music. I’ve always said, the only way I could have a manager is if they thought about my brand and music more than me. And I am always thinking about it, even when I’m on my 9 to 5 or when I am in the classroom.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I plan to keep it funky with the music and go more toward what lives in me as an Artist. I am away from doing music to please pretty much what is on the radio airwaves. I want to create music that lives in me, in hopes of taping into the new transition of where music is going. Or at least creating the lane.
Whether I am waiting to hear back from a television network or in the writing process for the music, I am always a couple of steps ahead in my plans. Currently, I am working on my EP for a Fall 2020 release. It’s funny because I’ve released about seven songs and I’ve never opened myself up to an EP style of release because I wanted to focus on one song at a time. But all of a sudden, I’m ready.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 470-219-8597
- Email: AntonioHewlett@yahoo.com
- Instagram: @TonioTheMayor
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5gK6EZtP_skaBeuzPWsU3Q
Image Credit:
Andrew Daley, Raven Wiseman and Kauvon Jamison
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
