The Kate | Black Violin | Season 3

♪ From the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, it's The Kate.

Black Violin, here we go!

I went to Dillard Center of the Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the first day of Orchestra class in tenth grade we met, and we both played viola at the time, ♪ and every day second period we would play Bach and Beethoven ♪ but on our way to third period... ♪ Yo!

Put your hands up!

Come on!

♪ We'd be listening to Biggie or Jay-Z or whatever is hot on the radio.

There's no wrong way to do it.

Just have fun with it.

Over time we just kind of learned how to put them together because we studied classical music but we lived hip-hop.

Whether you're extremely classical or you're extremely hip-hop, we feel like we could play a song that both sides could understand.

It wasn't necessarily something we thought of methodically.

We didn't go to sleep and wake up like, "You know it'd be great if we combined hip-hop and classical."

It was very natural and very organic.

Look at ya.

Let me start.

KEV: All music that we listen to now comes from classical music.

We just kind of highlight those things and pull them out so that you can see them.

Even though you listen to a Drake tune or a Rihanna song, there is some classical elements in there.

♪ Hip-hop is truly amazing in the sense that it gives a voice to the voiceless.

It's about expressing yourself.

♪ SPS is like the maestro.

He's the conductor.

You know, he controls the music and he's a, he's a DJ.

He's cutting and he's doing all these tricky, cool, cool things.

KEV: Check, check, check.

WIL: We kind of follow his lead.

He kind of plays the music and we play on top of it.

I mean he's just amazing man.

He's, he's like the best DJ I've ever seen.

KEV: A turntable the way that we all think about it, it's like, you know, it's just like you have your record, right?

He can take this record and he can make the computer play things from this record.

So like, you know, any song that you hear on the radio, he can put it on the computer and once he puts it on it, he can manipulate it in ways that no one's ever seen.

So the reason why we keep, you know, keep a DJ on stage at all times is so that he can help us really manipulate the music in a way that the normal classical listener could never imagine.

The hip-hop listener understands it, you know, but we bring the violins to show them things that they can't imagine.

Now obviously we don't look like the normal violinist.

Two black guys, we're both 6'2", you know, I'm 270, you know.

I should probably be playing, you know, playing football somewhere.

♪ Because we don't look like we play violin, when we do play it it's extremely impactful because people don't expect it.

So then it's almost like taking the stereotype and then flipping it around.

You can't allow people to tell you what you can and cannot do.

Wooo!

(cheering and applause) ♪ Stereotype.

An often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about ... People or things with a particular characteristic are the same.

Stereotype.

An unfair and untrue belief that many people have, have... ♪ Stereotype, stereotype, stereo... (cheering and applause) Yes!

We are Black Violin.

Welcome to the Classical Boom Tour.

Thank you so much for joining us this evening.

Now we know some of you thought you were coming to a quiet violin performance this evening.

Rule number one to a Black Violin show is that this is a party.

You guys want to party with us?

AUDIENCE: Yeah!

Alright!

Rule number two, flash photography is encouraged.

We like it.

Make sure that you tag us at Black Violin and all those beautiful selfies.

Go ahead and follow us at Black Violin right now.

If you like anything going on on the stage at any time, please scream, yell, clap along, sing along.

We love that.

Last rule, it is the most important rule-if you want to get out your seats and dance, nobody will stop you.

This is a party, right?

(cheering and applause) See my side right here, they're really to jam with us.

Are you guys ready to jam with us?

AUDIENCE: Yeah!

If you're ready to jam with Black Violin this evening, we need everyone to put your hands in the air.

Everybody put 'em up, put 'em up, put 'em up!

DJ SPS, let's show 'em how we jam.

♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!

♪ ♪ Ye, ye, yeah!

Ye, ye, yeah!

♪ ♪ One, Two, three, woooo!

♪ ♪ Nod your head to the beat and ♪ ♪ Get up out your seats and ♪ ♪ Put your drinks down get your hands up ♪ ♪ Move your body to the beat!

♪ Ha!

Ha!

Come on!

Wooo!

♪ Yeah!

♪ Wooo!

One, two, three!

♪ Aa-aa-ah!

Put 'em up, put 'em up, come on, come on.

Put 'em up, put 'em up!

Put 'em up, put 'em up, here, here, put 'em up, put 'em up.

Say Black Violin!

(crowd cheers) A, ha, haaa, woooo!

♪ Nod your head to the beat and ♪ ♪ Get up out your seats and ♪ ♪ Put your drinks down get your hands up ♪ ♪ Move your body to the beat!

♪ ♪ Nod your head to the beat and ♪ ♪ Get up out your seats and ♪ ♪ Put your drinks down get your hands up ♪ ♪ Move your body to the beat, and cut!

♪ Wooo!

(cheering and applause) WIL: Thank you, thank you.

This next song is called Dirty Orchestra.

Here we go!

♪ Ladies and gentlemen, this is Wil Baptiste!

Make some noise for him!

(cheering and applause) ♪ And this is Kev Marcus.

Give it up for Kev Marcus.

(cheering and applause) DJ SPS!

Nat Stokes!

And we are Black Violin.

Here we go!

♪ (cheering and applause) KEV: Thank you very much!

You guys like what you hear so far?

AUDIENCE: Yeah!

Nice!

Well, this one is called A-Flat.

♪ Uh, yeah Uh, yeah ♪ Get ready!

♪ Get ready!

♪ (cheering) ♪ Get, get, get, get, get, get, g-g-get, get ♪ (cheering and applause) I want to introduce somebody really special and dear to my heart.

She's real special, okay?

She pays all my bills, y'all.

(audience laughter) (Wooo!)

(laughs) He's like, "wooo!"

Say hello to Tiffany.

(cheering and applause) I know what you're thinking.

How'd I land this beautiful, dark skinned specimen?

(audience laughter) It wain't hard - it wasn't hard.

It was his first but, uh, you've got to treat 'em right fellas.

Somebody like me just gonna come along and just scoop her away.

Just look at her.

My car note and everything.

Mm.

Look at'cha.

Let me start.

(rhythmic finger snapping) ♪ ♪ When your legs don't work like they used to before ♪ ♪ And I can't sweep you off of your feet ♪ ♪ Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?

♪ ♪ Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?

♪ ♪ Now darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70 ♪ ♪ Well darling my heart could still fall as hard at 23 ♪ ♪ I'm thinking 'bout how ♪ ♪ People fall in love in mysterious ways ♪ ♪ Maybe it's the touch of a hand ♪ ♪ Well me I fall in love with you every single night Uh ♪ ♪ I just wanna tell you I am ♪ ♪ Now darlin' I ♪ ♪ Take me into your loving arms baby ♪ ♪ Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars ♪ ♪ Oh darling, rest your head on my beating heart ♪ ♪ I'm thinking out loud baby ♪ ♪ We found love right where we are ♪ ♪ I've been really tryin', baby ♪ ♪ Tryin' to hold back these feelings for so long ♪ ♪ And if you feel like I feel, baby ♪ ♪ C'mon, you ready, baby?

♪ You guys ready?

(cheers) ♪ Let's get it on ♪ ♪ Ah, let's get it on ♪ ♪ Let's love, baby ♪ ♪ Let's get it on, sugar ♪ ♪ Let's get it on ♪ ♪ Well people fall in love in mysterious ways ♪ ♪ Maybe it's the touch of a hand ♪ ♪ Well, me I fall in love with you every single night ♪ ♪ I just wanna tell you I am ♪ ♪ Now darlin' I ♪ ♪ Take me into your loving arms, baby ♪ ♪ Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars ♪ ♪ Oh darling, rest your head on my beating heart ♪ ♪ I'm thinking out loud ♪ ♪ Baby, we found love right where we are ♪ ♪ Said we found love (right where we are) ♪ Last time.

♪ Said we found love right where we are ♪ (cheering and applause) Thank you.

(cheering and applause) I need everybody to do me a favor and stand up.

Can you do that for me?

You guys are so beautiful.

You guys ready?

Hands up.

Put your hands up, c'mon!

Hey, Hey!

♪ I'm a virtuoso ♪ There's no wrong way to do it, just have fun with it.

♪ I'm a virtuoso ♪ ♪ ♪ A virtuoso ♪ ♪ So, so ♪ Kev Marcus, talk to 'em!

Wooo!

Yee!

♪ Get it!

♪ Nat Stokes!

Hit me!

♪ One more time!

♪ Last time, hey!

♪ ♪ And don't you forget it, hey ♪ ♪ ♪ Everybody here's a, a virtuoso ♪ Put 'em up, put your hands up!

♪ A virtuoso ♪ ♪ Listen.

♪ You're a virtuoso ♪ ♪ That's right ♪ ♪ And don't you forget it ♪ ♪ So, so ♪ ♪ So they watching you ♪ You guys having a good time so far tonight?

(cheers) ♪ Get it!

♪ Make some noise for Kev Marcus, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!

(cheering and applause) Pluckin' them strings!

♪ ♪ Mmmm ♪ ♪ La-pum ♪ ♪ Everybody put your hands up!

C'mon!

Put 'em up, put 'em up, put 'em up!

Up si-, hey!

♪ A virtuoso, hey!

♪ ♪ Hey, you're a virtuoso ♪ ♪ That's right ♪ ♪ And don't you forget it ♪ ♪ Everybody all across the world, put your hands up.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Nat Stokes.

SPS.

♪ Here!

♪ Thank you guys!

We love you!

(cheering and applause) (rhythmic clapping) ♪ (cheering and applause) So every night, you know, since we play so many shows, we want to keep it fresh for ourselves and we want to give our audience sort of like a, a glimpse at how we're creating this music.

So this the part of the show we just make up something.

(audience laughter) So serious.

We're going to make up something right here on the spot.

Every single night we do this it is different.

So this is a YouTube moment people, pull your cameras out.

You never know what's gonna happen.

Any energy that you give us, we are throwing it right back at you.

Are you ready?

(cheers and applause) ♪ (cheers) ♪ (cheering) ♪ (cheering) ♪ (cheering) ♪ (cheering) (DJ SPS plays:) Thank you very much (cheering) Oh, you're too nice Thank you very much Great, it's great, great to be here.

We're gonna have some fun here tonight.

Yea, yea, yea, yea (DJ SPS scratching) (cheering) Yea, yea, yea, yea ♪ (cheering) ♪ (cheering) ♪ (cheering) ♪ (cheering and applause) ♪ ♪ I've been on this road like a thousand times ♪ ♪ Feel the rays on my face ♪ ♪ Thought I was living ♪ ♪ But now I'm winning ♪ ♪ I was numb but I chose to feel ♪ ♪ It's like magic ♪ ♪ I thought I lost what I desired ♪ ♪ It's like magic ♪ ♪ There's always hope to fuel the fire ♪ ♪ When my world was once divided ♪ ♪ Now I'm feeling so alive ♪ ♪ Yes, it's magic, and so are you ♪ ♪ Some men never lift their load ♪ ♪ Too much to hold ♪ ♪ Never letting go ♪ ♪ Thought I was nothing ♪ ♪ Turns out I'm something ♪ ♪ I was numb but I chose to feel ♪ ♪ It's like magic ♪ ♪ I thought I lost what I desired ♪ ♪ It's like magic ♪ ♪ There's always hope to fuel the fire ♪ ♪ When my world was once divided ♪ ♪ Now I'm feeling so alive ♪ ♪ Yes, it's magic, and so are you ♪ ♪ ♪ It's like magic ♪ ♪ I thought I lost what I desired ♪ ♪ It's like magic ♪ ♪ There's always hope to fuel the fire ♪ ♪ When my world was once divided ♪ ♪ Now I'm feeling so alive ♪ ♪ Yes, it's magic, and so are you ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ It's like magic ♪ ♪ I thought I lost what I desired ♪ ♪ It's like magic ♪ ♪ There's always hope to fuel the fire ♪ ♪ When my world was once divided ♪ ♪ Now I'm feeling so alive ♪ ♪ Yes, it's magic, and so are you ♪ ♪ ♪ It's like magic, and so are you, whoo ♪ (cheering and applause) WIL: We're such a huge advocate of the arts in the schools.

It allows a kid to express themselves, to figure out who they are.

They may not be artists or musicians in the future but that beginning in just playing an instrument or singing or dancing gives them an opportunity to just be free and open, and next thing you know they might be a scientist or a mathematician.

KEV: Our message to kids isn't necessarily like, you know, go be the best violinist in the world, or you know, do, do everything you can with your music or with your instrument.

Ultimately we want every kid to be a forward thinker.

We want everyone to think about things outside of the box.

Don't think that "hey, this is a violin" "it must be pretty boring."

Like, well, what can I do with this violin that no one else has ever done?

What can I do with science or math or basketball or skateboarding that no one's ever done?

Because that is what we need more of, is more people that are thinking differently.

WIL: Kids are amazing.

I feel like this is what we're meant to do, you know what I'm saying, to kind of pass these things that we know along to the, to the next generation.

KEV: I remember when we wrote Brandenburg and we were in Wil's bedroom, way back.

Right.

Like in, you know, you lived with your sister.

And it was on our first album.

It's the first song of our first album, and it is Bach's Brandenburg Concerto Number 3 , except we add turntables and, you know, a hard-hitting.. - Right beat to it, you know?

So, you know, it is definitely kind of the definition of what we are, you know, and the way we perform it tonight, we're doing it Bach and we're mashing it up with Notorious B.I.G.

WIL: Right.

So it's like Bach meets Biggie.

So it's just, it's us all day, and it's one of the oldest songs, one of Black Violin's first records ever, so.

♪ (cheering and applause) ♪ (DJ SPS scratching) ♪ (cheering and applause) Thank you.

You know, when we have this kind of platform, we feel like we have to use it.

And there's so many kids in our audience, we feel like we have to stop the show to talk to you guys, right?

So for the, for the kids in the audience, you probably already play the violin and your parents really want you to play the violin.

This instrument's been great.

We got full scholarships to college with this instrument parents.

(cheering and applause) We got a chance to travel all over the world with, you know, Linkin Park, Alicia Keyes, all of these amazing artists.

We also performed at President Obama's inauguration with this instrument.

(cheering and applause) So we highly recommend this instrument, you know?

But the point of this show wasn't just about the violin.

The point of this show is really about thinking outside the box and breaking stereotypes.

That is the point of this show.

(cheering and applause) So if you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, a scientist, you want to be the next LaBron James, whatever, just think about it from a different perspective and try to do it in a way that nobody else has ever done it.

That is the point of this show.

(applause) It is also about breaking stereotypes, and we don't look like the typical violinists up here, you know, and we use that as fuel, you know?

So you know, no matter what you love to do, just make sure you do it over and over and over.

Never let anybody tell you that you can't do it and do it in a way that nobody else has thought about, and then you'll have people like screaming for you at your show.

(cheering) So that is the point.

We wanted to make a song for anyone who felt like their, their voices weren't being heard or their demonstrations were being ignored.

And to that we say that you are not invisible.

This is Invisible , off our album Stereotypes .

♪ Let's go ♪ (SPS scratching) (Black Violin) ♪ Let's go ♪ I'm not invisible ♪ ♪ I'm not invisible oh ♪ ♪ I'm not invisible ♪ ♪ It's not my fault you don't understand ♪ ♪ You can pretend not to care ♪ ♪ That won't make me disappear ♪ ♪ As I rise it's clear ♪ ♪ Here I stand ♪ ♪ Here I am ♪ ♪ We are at the precipice of a point that it pivotal ♪ ♪ A criminal society of sick individuals ♪ ♪ That murder is part of a ritual ♪ ♪ Unconventional analogue man in the digital world ♪ ♪ where there's no one to listen to ♪ ♪ Where they kill us and show us the visuals ♪ ♪ Images so unforgettable ♪ ♪ Infidels give us the minimal amount while ♪ ♪ they're feeding us poisonous chemicals ♪ ♪ We are not identical (no) ♪ ♪ But I am not invisible (no) ♪ ♪ You want me to vanish--it's pitiful ♪ ♪ And I don't understand your subliminal messages ♪ ♪ Separatist, sentinels, criminals, ♪ ♪ I'm not invisible I'm not invisible ♪ ♪ I'm not invisible ♪ ♪ It's not my fault you don't understand ♪ ♪ You can pretend not to care ♪ ♪ That won't make me disappear ♪ ♪ As I rise it's clear ♪ ♪ Here I stand ♪ ♪ Here I am ♪ ♪ I'm not invisible.

I'm not invisible ♪ ♪ I'm not invisible ♪ ♪ It's not my fault you don't understand ♪ ♪ You can pretend not to care ♪ ♪ That won't make me disappear ♪ ♪ As I rise it's clear ♪ ♪ Here I stand ♪ I need you guys to help me out.

♪ I'm not invisible ♪ Put your hands together like this, c'mon.

♪ I'm not invisible ♪ ♪ I'm not invisible, it's not my fault you don't understand ♪ ♪ You can pretend not to care ♪ ♪ That won't make me disappear ♪ ♪ As I rise it's clear ♪ ♪ Here I stand ♪ ♪ Here I am ♪ Wooo!

(cheering and applause) ♪ (cheering and applause) (DJ SPS plays Imagine Dragons - Thunder) ♪ Just a young gun with a quick fuse ♪ ♪ I was uptight, wanna let loose ♪ ♪ I was dreaming of bigger things ♪ ♪ And wanna leave my own life behind ♪ ♪ Not a yes sir, not a follower ♪ ♪ Fit the box, fit the mold ♪ ♪ Have a seat in the foyer, take a number ♪ ♪ I was lightning before the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, thun', thun', thunder ♪ ♪ Thun-thun-thunder, thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, thun', thunder ♪ ♪ Thun-thun-thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder, thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ lightning and the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ ♪ Lightning and the thunder, thunder ♪ ♪ Thunder, feel the thunder ♪ (cheering and applause) Thank you so much ladies and gentlemen for being here tonight.

Once again, we are Black Violin.

(cheering and applause) Thank you.

We love every single one of you guys.

Appreciate your love and energy.

Peace!

♪ (cheering and applause) ♪ (cheering and applause) Funding for this program was provided by Whelen Engineering Company.

Whelen is a proud sponsor of The Kate and wishes to voice its ongoing support for Connecticut Public Television, the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, and the Michael J.

Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

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