Before sold-out tours, they were just two young boys from Broward County bowing their first strings.
Now, the hip-hop classical duo Black Violin is making its much anticipated return to South Florida for two special performances on Oct. 10 at Glazer Hall in Palm Beach.
Bringing its national "Be Free" tour back to the region where their musical roots were planted, the duo is offering local audiences an intimate look at its evolving sound, said co-founder and violinist Kev Marcus.
For him and his long-time collaborator Will Baptiste, the tour is more than a set of performance dates — it represents a profound artistic homecoming.
The Broward County native explains that the tour's title also reflects a mindset rooted in complete creative liberation and performing unapologetically.
"It's really just Broward Boys coming home full circle," Marcus said. "I'm feeling free right now... And that's the whole spirit and essence of this tour."
"It's being free."
READ MORE: Amendment 3 financial impact on Arts & Culture in Palm Beach County could be 'devastating'
Reaching that state of artistic freedom, he said, required learning to perform for himself rather than carrying the weight of audience expectations.
Marcus noted that stepping onto the stage with total comfort allows him to enter a flow state that keeps audiences fully dialed in.
"I care what the audience thinks tremendously, but at the same time, I really don't," Marcus explained. "And it's that middle that is what attracts people, I think."
"And it's also what gets the best art where you're not tense and not, like, so worried about what the audience is thinking."
Be Free
That unapologetic approach has defined Black Violin since its inception. Marcus and Baptiste first crossed paths in orchestra class at Dillard High School in Broward County, where they spent hours mastering classical technique.
After high school, Marcus attended Florida International University (FIU) while Baptiste attended Florida State University.
It was during their college years, he said, that they began merging classical strings with hip-hop music.
Discovering that playing by ear allowed them to blend the two styles seamlessly, they realized their natural approach matched the rhythm of hip-hop — an easy revelation that became the catalyst for their signature musical sound and identity.
"And then we also had kind of just a feel about us and just sort of how we played," Marcus recalled. "It really felt like it matched hip-hop. It didn't sound like classical and hip-hop colliding. It sounded like classical, hip-hop collaborating."
Through their music and local foundation initiatives, the members of Black Violin continue to inspire young artists to embrace art on their own terms.
That collaborative spirit shines on their latest project, too, which features vocal tracks from Baptiste alongside their instrumental arrangements.
And among the standout songs on the setlist is "Beautiful Day," featuring soulful vocals by legendary Chicago-born singer-songwriter Lalah Hathaway on lyrics written by Baptiste.
That song, which Black Violin plans to perform, illuminates the "be free" mantra, Marcus said.
"That song to me... it feels really almost like gospel a little bit in there, but it just feels like a warm hug," Marcus said. "And that's feeling—that's what art is. When you're able to from thin air create a warm hug feeling, it's amazing."
IF YOU GO:
What: Black Violin - The Be Free Tour
When: October 10; 4pm and 7:30pm
Where: 70 Royal Poinciana Way Ste. P70, Palm Beach, FL 33480
For more information, see here
