Kwame T. Robinson

Kwame T. Robinson, lovingly known as Kwa, was born July 15, 1991, to Leon "Big Eon" Robinson and Lisa Fletcher. The second of their children, Kwame was full of personality from the beginning—funny, creative, thoughtful, protective, generous, and always unmistakably himself.

Kwame grew up between Schenectady, New York, and Long Island City, Queens. If you asked him where he was from, however, he would proudly tell you Queensbridge—and probably remind you that Nas was from there too. Meeting Nas as a child only made that connection more special.

As a boy, Kwame enjoyed playing and watching basketball, but music remained one of his great loves. His older sister, Yawne, introduced him to the violin, and before long he was writing rhymes and creating songs of his own. Kwa could make a song about almost anything. Give him a topic, a beat, or a little time, and somehow a rhyme was coming.

While living in Long Island City, he also spent time with his Uncle Sam, known as Harkim, tapping further into the music scene. In 2009, Kwame returned to New York City, completed his education, and continued developing his creative voice as a writer and producer.

His love of music eventually brought him deeper into the world of battle rap. In 2023, Kwame launched his YouTube channel, FYTB TV, where his humor, opinions, personality, and love of the culture had room to shine. He became involved as a host, commentator, supporter, and event producer, building relationships throughout the battle rap community.

But as much as Kwame loved music, family was at the center of his life.

He enjoyed researching family history and discovering how relatives and generations connected, often sharing those discoveries with his sister Yawne. He loved family cookouts, reunions, and gatherings, where you could count on Kwa to arrive with jokes, smiles, commentary, and a story somebody would repeat later.

His sense of humor was one of his trademarks. He loved comedies and action movies and could quote Martin or Friday at exactly the right moment. His impersonations of family members were also legendary—and sometimes a little too accurate. He and Yawne spent many late nights binge-watching shows and movies together, laughing and talking long after everyone else had gone to sleep.

Kwame shared an especially close bond with his brother Leon "Little Eon" Robinson. For years, people thought of them almost as twins. They dressed alike, moved together, and rarely saw one without the other. That closeness continued into adulthood, and beautifully, their children—who are the same age—have grown close as well.

Kwame became a father in 2012 and loved his sons, Little Kwame and Kwa'sear, unconditionally. He also deeply loved his niece and nephews. Giving gifts to the children was one of the ways he showed affection, and he and Leon created regular time to hang out with the kids and continue that family bond into the next generation.

If Kwa loved you, you knew it. He was loyal to the core, protective of his people, generous with what he had, and willing to tell you the truth—even when the truth was not dressed up pretty.

Kwame departed this life on August 25, 2026.

He leaves to cherish his memory his father, Leon "Big Eon" Robinson; his sons, Little Kwame and Kwa'sear; his longtime partner, Jamesha; his siblings, Yawne Robinson, Leon Robinson, Edward Robinson, Sheon Robinson, Mary Robinson, Sharese Robinson, Safiya Knight, and Karen Robinson; brother-in-law Dunamis, sister-in-law Iszyarish; his beloved niece and nephews; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and members of the music and battle rap communities.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Lisa Fletcher; his brother, Edward "Ricky" Robinson; his grandmother, Patricia Fletcher, and his great-grandmother, Lillian Hawkins; and Uncle Thomas Hawkins.

Kwame was a son, father, brother, uncle, partner, artist, host, protector, giver, and loyal friend.

We will remember him quoting the movie before anyone finished the line, turning something random into a rhyme, making the family laugh with an impersonation, talking music and battle rap, researching another branch of the family tree, or showing up with something for one of the kids.

That was Kwa. And when Kwa loved you, he loved you for real.