Photo: Missing Piece Group
Today, the classical-meets-hip-hop duo Black Violin released their video for “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” taken from their debut holiday album Give Thanks.
Produced by Phil Beaudreau, the album was released on November 20, 2020. “Give Thanks employs playful storytelling, whimsical strings, and hard-hitting rhythms to highlight the unifying pillars of the holiday season: Giving back to others and being wholeheartedly thankful,” Black Violin says of the full-length.
Watch “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” here.
Listen to Give Thanks here.
Last week, Black Violin earned their first GRAMMY nomination for Take The Stairs in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category. Released November, 1 2019, Take The Stairs was praised by Loudwire, The Root, and Billboard, who said the album “celebrates Black Violin’s genre-less approach to music, from the futuristic anthem ‘One Step’ to the elaborate ‘Serenade.’” In the last year, the duo has performed at the Oscars Governors Ball, on The Today Show, and on Access Daily.
Listen to Take The Stairs here.
For 17 years, Black Violin has been merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals. Members Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste first met in orchestra class at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, becoming classically trained on the violin and viola through their high school and college careers.
Post-college, they reconvened to produce beats for South Florida rappers, and began building an audience in local clubs. They later went on to win Showtime at the Apollo in 2005, and eventually sold out headline performances at venues across the country, including a sold out two-night headline run at The Kennedy Center in 2018.
Their unique brand of merging the genre they were listening to (hip hop) with the world they were studying (classical) was celebrated with collaborations with Alicia Keys, Wu Tang Clan, 2 Chainz and others.
Pre-pandemic, Black Violin was playing over 200 shows a year with the goal of challenging stereotypes and preconceived notions of what a “classical musician” looks and sounds like. “The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture,” says Wil. “Just by nature of our existence we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together.”
Last year, the group launched the Black Violin Foundation Inc., a non profit organization dedicated to empowering youth by providing access to quality music programs in their community. BVF believes that music and access to music programs should not be determined by race, gender, or socio-economic status.
Black Violin Foundation’s inaugural program the Musical Innovation Grant for Continuing Education will provide scholarships to young music students to attend a program of their liking that fosters musical creativity and innovation. Programs can range from private lessons, to summer music camps, to college courses. Scholarships will be awarded bi-annually to up to 20 applicants per scholarship cycle.
More info at: http://www.blackviolinfoundation.org
Tracklisting:
1. Give Thanks
2. Christmastime
3. Joy to the World
4. Celebra (feat. De La Ghetto)
5. Toy Soldiers
6. Sugar Plum Fairy
7. We Wish You
8. Carol of the Bells
9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
10. God Rest Ye
11. Noel
