Black Violin blends classical music, hip-hop for 'inspiring' performance at Chicago's House of Blues

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus were in the same high school music class.

Wil started with strings, and branched out to other instruments and vocals.

Black Violin is what they've done with their talent and enterprise! They're classically trained, but hip-hop is in their DNA.

"Absolutely, we were hip-hop before we were classical," Wil said. "Hip-hop is like that rebel, the defiant kid on the corner. We were just regular kids, after second period listening to Tupac, Biggie. We just happen to have these classes in high school playing Mozart, Beethoven."

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Wil described their sound as "classical boom."

"It's beautiful strings, and a hard hitting beat, and that's a classic Black Violin sound," he said. "You see us on stage, two Black guys playing the violin, and we are challenging the viewers to listen, and see the instrument a different way, and also to see Black men a different way."

Wil said he never imagined playing with Alicia Keys, and having this much success.

"I grew up like any other Black kid in the hood, going to school, I just happened to have this class. I had a really great teacher who told me, 'You can go to college. You can get a scholarship.' And, it made a difference, and I didn't imagine this," Wil said.

Black Violin has a foundation to give young artists opportunities.

"If you can love what you do, and, at the same time ,inspire the next generation, it's a beautiful thing," Wil said. "You want to hear something fresh and different, this is definitely the show for you. It's a rock concert. Instead of guitars, you've got violins. It's high energy, but also, it's inspiring. That's the experience, the Black Violin Experience. Just come out. You won't regret it."

You can see Black Violin on Saturday night, April 1, at the House of Blues in River North.