MUSIC

Black Violin will give hip-hop a classical spin in Dec. 9 show in Providence

Rob Duguay
Special to The Journal

The violin was mainly associated with classical, folk and bluegrass music until the Fort Lauderdale duo of Kev Marcus and Wil B. broke new ground by incorporating hip-hop elements when they formed Black Violin in 2004.

Their artistic innovation has garnered them a Grammy nomination, two sold-out shows with the National Symphony Orchestra at Washington, D.C.'s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and numerous other collaborations. On Dec. 9, the duo will take the stage at the Vets auditorium as part of their "Give Thanks" tour.

The catalyst for Black Violin's unique sound came from the duo's classical music education while attending the Dillard Center for the Arts in their hometown, with violist Wil Baptiste going on to attend Florida State University and violinist Kev Marcus attending Florida International University, both on full scholarships. But the hip-hop music scene they grew up with also shaped their approach.

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“There definitely wasn’t any particular influence from anyone,” Baptiste says. ”I think a lot of it had to do with our environment. We grew up in the hood with a lot of hip-hop, and hip-hop is about expressing yourself no matter what. We just happened to play these instruments, and it was very natural for us to take them and make them speak the language we wanted them to speak.

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"For us, we didn’t think anything of it, because it was fun just playing classical music, but when it was time to put on a beat and freestyle on top of that, it became even more fun.”

Baptiste says the pair sees the creativity and improvisation of hip-hop as a counterbalance to the strictness of classical music.

“It’s something that really happened organically over time,'' he says. “I give credit to hip-hop for just how we grew up, because while playing classical music there’s very little room to experiment, improvise and do what you want to do. When you get a piece in front of you, you've got to play it a certain way, so I think through what hip-hop has given us we have this free will, this pass to just do whatever it is we want to do.”

The duo has gotten to work with the likes of Wu-Tang Clan, Tom Petty, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Aerosmith, among others. Two artists in particular stand out as major influences.

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“I would probably say Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park or even Alicia Keys, to a certain degree,” Baptiste says. “A lot of it has to do with the way they just embraced us, and they taught us a lot from being on the road with them and seeing how they carry themselves. It really showed us that this is the way we want to behave and how we want to treat our fans.”

Looking ahead to 2022, Black Violin hopes to finish the tour that was interrupted by the pandemic in 2020, and possibly head back to the recording studio next summer to work on some new albums.

“We’re doing an 80-city tour during the first half of the year," says Baptiste, "so we’re going to be hitting the road running.”

If you go ...

What: Black Violin

When: Dec. 9, 7 p.m.

Where: The Vets, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence

Tickets: $29-$59

COVID safety: Patrons must show proof of full vaccination or negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of performance; masks must be worn at all times unless actively eating or drinking.

Information: thevetsri.com, (401) 421-2787