Black Violin

Black Violin Releases Music Video For “Impossible Is Possible” New Album New Album New Album New Album New Album Take The Stairs Take The Stairs Take The Stairs Take The Stairs Take The Stairs Out Now! Out Now! Out Now! Out Now! Out Now!

Photo Credit: Mark Clennon

Black Violin, the classical-meetship-hop duo of Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste, released a new video for “Impossible Is Possible.” The song is taken from Black Violin’s new album Take The Stairs, which debuted last year in the top ten across multiple genre charts: #1 in Current Classical, #1 in Classical Crossover, #7 in Heatseekers, and #9 in Current R&B/Hip-Hop. Take The Stairs was praised by The Root, Loudwire, and Billboard, who said the album “celebrates Black Violin’s genreless approach to music, from the futuristic anthem ‘One Step’ to the elaborate ‘Serenade.’” In the last year, Black Violin has performed at the Oscars Governors Ball, on The Today Show, and on Access Daily.

“This video captures the innocence and raw potential that lives inside of our youth,” Black Violin says. “If molded with love and understanding, that young soul can foster hope and achieve the impossible. The little black boy is everyone of us. Running towards an uncertain future, inspired by those who love him most. He ultimately wins the race that no one thought was possible.” merging string arrangements with for over 100,000 students) with the goal modern beats and vocals. Members Kev of challenging stereotypes and preconand Wil first met in orchestra class at ceived notions of what a “classical Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, musician” looks and sounds like. “The becoming classically trained on the violin stereotypes are always there, embedded and viola through their high school and so deep in our culture,” says Wil. “Just college careers. Post-college, they by nature of our existence we challenge reconvened to produce beats for South those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings Florida rappers, and began building an people together who aren’t usually in the audience in local clubs. They later went same room, and in the current climate, on to win Showtime at the Apollo in it’s good to bring people together.” 2005, and eventually sold out headline performances at venues across the Last year, the group launched the country, including a sold out two-night Black Violin Foundation Inc., a non headline run at The Kennedy Center in profit organization dedicated to empow2018. Their unique brand of merging the ering youth by providing access to genre they were listening to (hip hop) quality music programs in their commuwith the world they were studying nity. BVF believes that music and access (classical) was celebrated with collabora- to music programs should not be detertions with Alicia Keys, Wu Tang Clan, 2 mined by race, gender, or socio-economic Chainz and others. NPR took note and status. Black Violin Foundation’s declared “their music will keep classical inaugural program the Musical Innovamusic alive for the next generation.” tion Grant for Continuing Education will UPROXX also featured Black Violin in a provide scholarships to young music mini-documentary as part of their students to attend a program of their “Uncharted” series. liking that fosters musical creativity and Pre-pandemic, Black Violin was private lessons, to summer music camps, playing over 200 shows a year (many of to college courses. Scholarships will be these are performances for young low- awarded bi-annually to up to 20 appliincome students in urban communities - cants per scholarship cycle. in the last year alone, the group played innovation. Programs can range from November 2020 • Rock and Blues International 61