The Noir Event – Benefit For The Foundation For Fresno Unified Schools

Black Violin on Tour

The wait is over. Grammy-nominated hip-hop duo Black Violin have announced more than 55 dates for their 2022 tour. Off the heels of their successful 2019 album Take the Stairs, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, the classically trained duo are eager to showcase their original style on the big stage. Audience members fawn over the raw talent displayed by the hip-hop group for their amazing performances that infuse classical arrangements from the violin and viola with modern 808’s, high-hats and other genre-bending elements. “The concert had the audience clapping, waving, light shining, dancing and smiling,” one audience member wrote in a review of their concert on Ticketmaster. Experience a diverse performance that features both original compositions from the group like the hit single “Stereotypes” from the album of the same name.

Black Violin Live in Concert

High school friends Kevin Sylvester (Kev Marcus) and Wilner Baptiste (Wil B) met in a Fort Lauderdale performing arts program as teens. While Sylvester plays the violin, Baptiste plays the viola and together they create a distinct sound that rocked the hip-hop community. Despite attending different colleges, the two gravitated back toward one another and decided to try their hand at music full-time. Their first taste of stardom came when they performed alongside Grammy winner Alicia Keys at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards. The duo used this momentum to provide musical support on tour for artists such as Wu-Tang Clan and Kanye West. Baptiste also has musical credits on studio albums for hip-hop sensations Lupe Fiasco, B.o.B and Lil Wayne. In 2007, the duo released their self-titled debut album, and the follow-up, Classically Trained, a few years later. Their 2019 album Take the Stairs was nominated for a Grammy, the duo’s first recognition. Most recently, Black Violin released their own spin on a Christmas album titled Give Thanks. In 2019, Sylvester, Baptiste and Phil Beaudreau founded their own label titled Di Versatile Music Group to promote the release of Take the Stairs, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Classical and Classical Crossover charts, and cracked the Top 10 on the Top New Artists chart and Hip Hop and R&B Chart.