We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ken Lewis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ken, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My animated series on TikTok/IG/YouTube has been my most meaningful project to date.

I grew up in the 80s in the urban middle America town of Gary, Indiana located just outside of Chicago. This
was before social media, cable television, and all the things to distract us today. The best part about growing
up in the 80s is that we got to experience the birth of a genre of music which was once considered a “fad”
that would ultimately end up one of the top selling music genres.

“Gangsta Island” is a FULLY ANIMATED podcast dedicated to the “Golden Age of Hip-Hop”, focusing on the 80s and 90s. I felt making it an animation would add to the innovation of it all as well as make it more visually pleasing with all the old school props (e.g., boom box, vinyl record player, etc.). I often feel like the essence of hip-hop in the 80s have been lost in the commercialized world that we live in. “Gangsta Island” has already amassed over 115K TikTok followers and over 50K Instagram followers in just under 6 months from inception.

The purpose of “Gangsta Island” is to show love and immortalize some of the founding fathers/mothers of
the genre and give them their credit on a bigger platform, while keeping it fun and visually pleasing.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Chicago-based filmmaker Ken Lewis of UrbanLenz believes that sometimes, the person is merely a prop in the overall image. With the tagline “finding the most stunning beauty in the most urban of places,” Ken masterfully uses natural environments to capture stunning backdrops for photo and video compositions. Starting out as a photographer, Ken quickly became fascinated with the video capabilities of his DSLR camera and began creating video compositions for local artists.

After posting a 7-minute, dialogue-free passion project titled “Jean” (a story about addiction and depression), Ken was encouraged to enter the film festival circuit. To his surprise, “Jean” was accepted and screened at the Cinema New York Film Festival and was a semi-finalist in both the London and Washington International Film Festivals. This success motivated Ken to take filmmaking more seriously. He wrote several screenplays, trying to decide which one would become his next film. The chosen one was “The Final Interrogation.”

“The Final Interrogation” explores the consequences of sacrificing one’s well-being for others who may be undeserving. The film was critically acclaimed for its twist, where the viewer believes the lead character is being interrogated by a police officer about a murder he committed, only to discover it was he who was murdered, and the “interrogation officer” was his deceased mother speaking to him from purgatory. This film was screened at seven film festivals and won an “Award of Merit” from the Indie FilmFest.

Ken then expanded his reach into comedy with his third film, “Miss Represent.” As he was about to venture into TV series, the COVID-19 pandemic halted live filmmaking. Not wanting to wait it out, Ken ventured into animation, creating from the comforts of his studio. The project that emerged was “Gangsta Island: Animated Series.”

Set in 1988 in Gary, Indiana, “Gangsta Island” tells the story of Kenny, a 15-year-old navigating life in a loving yet dysfunctional family. The series captures the essence of pre-social media nostalgia with kids playing outside, boomboxes, the Golden Era of Hip-Hop, handwritten love letters, and grade school bullies.

Released in late 2021 on Amazon Prime, “Gangsta Island: Animated Series” was a success. Ken also created an animated podcast focusing on throwback urban and hip-hop culture, which won the 2023 Webby Award for “Social Experimental and Innovation.” Later, it won the American Black Film Festival National Podcast Award and three Signal Awards in the Experimental and Innovation category. Most recently, Ken received an Honorable Mention Webby Award in the same categories.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it brought many industries to a standstill, including filmmaking. Just as I was gearing up to break into the world of TV series, live filmmaking came to an abrupt halt. Faced with the uncertainty of when it would be possible to resume normal operations, I found myself at a crossroads. I realized I needed to pivot to continue creating content while adhering to quarantine rules.

I decided to dive into a realm I had never explored before: animation. This transition allowed me to continue creating from the safety of my studio, without the need for a live film set. Animation opened up a new world of possibilities for me, enabling me to tell stories in fresh and innovative ways.

The project that emerged from this pivot was “Gangsta Island: Animated Series.” Set in 1988 in Gary, Indiana, it follows the life of a 15-year-old named Kenny, navigating the challenges of urban living. The series captures the nostalgia of the pre-social media era and brings back the essence of a simpler time.

Learning animation was a steep learning curve, but it was incredibly rewarding. “Gangsta Island” was released on Amazon Prime in late 2021 and was well received. This success led to the creation of an animated podcast focusing on throwback urban and hip-hop culture, which won several awards, including the prestigious Webby Award in 2023.

Pivoting to animation not only kept me productive during the pandemic but also expanded my creative horizons. It taught me the importance of adaptability and the endless possibilities that come with stepping out of your comfort zone.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building my social media audience began with a strong foundation: consistency and uniformity. I ensured all my posts had a consistent color scheme and titles, making my content instantly recognizable. This visual uniformity helped establish a brand identity that my audience could easily connect with.

Consistency was crucial. I made it a point to post content five days a week at the same time. This regular schedule kept my audience engaged and coming back for more, building a sense of anticipation and reliability. In the first six months, this strategy helped me gain 90% of my followers—2K on YouTube, 116K on TikTok, and 52K on Instagram.

What truly set my content apart was the unique angle of using an animated character to perform short-form content focused on throwback culture. There weren’t, and still aren’t, many creators doing this, which gave me a niche to dominate. The nostalgic themes resonated with my audience, combining humor and relatability with high-quality animation.

For those just starting, my advice is to focus on visual uniformity and consistency. Post regularly and at the same time each week to build a loyal audience. Also, find your unique angle—something that differentiates you from others and fills a niche that isn’t oversaturated. This approach not only helps you stand out but also keeps your content fresh and engaging.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gangstaislandtv.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GangstaIslandTV
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gangstaislandtv/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GangstaIslandTV
• Other: TikTok: tiktok.com/@gangstaislandtv