Urban Pulse Direct Black Violin Aug. 2018 | Page 17
THE NEW
BLACK
RENAISANCE
Continued
the kids, it’s very impactful. Obviously, it’s impactful for
the kids and they’re going to be transformed from it but
for the community, the one’s making the decisions and
policy makers seeing us together on stage really makes
an impact and hopefully that can translate into contin-
ued or increased funding for the arts.
Stacey – So much of what our kids and even us in the
case of reality tv, are being presented with things that
are said to be real but are actually just the opposite. So,
I’m glad you brought that up.
Wil B – I think a lot of it has to do (lol) with just ig-
norance to what was being presented to us. Whatever
the criticism was, we knew. Even from the genesis of us
picking up these instruments I would go into a bathroom
and just play what I feel. I think, for us being patient and
understanding how important it is to be yourself. Com-
ing up, there was nothing like us. There was nothing to
compare us. All we knew was classical music, Hip-Hop,
and I knew that whenever I picked up this viola and you
put on a beat and I start freestyling, man, that gave me
life, that’s all I knew. So, for me, if you had something
negative to say about it; I didn’t care because me being
me made me feel a certain way. So, us being ourselves
and doing what we love really connected with people. So,
I think, as someone who’s looking to start anything new
in life, I think the main thing to remember is be you, do
you. There are going to be moments when you fall, there
are going to be moments when you get knocked down
but you’ll get back up so fast because this thing you do is
natural, versus you literally creating something someone
else is doing. Being someone else takes a lot more energy
than just being true to yourself. At the end of the day,
that’s what people gravitate to. As toxic as Cardi B may
be and I don’t think she’s conducive to our young girls, I
think there’s this rawness about her and I think, maybe in
10 years after she’s made all this money, she’ll realize you
know, this place I was trying to reach, it’s not even worth
it. Maybe I can start pealing back this onion to reveal
who I really want to be you know, who I should be and
then that can be something little girls can really aspire
to. Maybe that’s the case, maybe that’s not the case but
again it’s that realness that appeals to people. Regardless
of what it is you be honest about it. Approach it in a way
that’s real.
Stacey – I’m glad you mentioned that because our
platform encourages people to think outside the box
and be creators of opportunity and we believe that
it’s imperative that we use our god given skills to cre-
We Tell Stories
ate opportunities for others as a good business practice,
which is something you and Kev have done. You’ve taken
something that you love and that you’re passionate about
and turned it into a bona-fide business even though ev-
erything around you suggested this was not the way it’s
done. We find that most people have the hardest time
taking that first step. How did you and Kev have the con-
fidence to say, ‘this will work and this is how we’re going
to do it’ ?
Wil B – That’s why we try to engage with our community.
I’ll be real, I would have loved to see a few more colorful
faces? But I didn’t plan it, that’s just real. The idea of Black
Violin, when kids see us, we don’t even have to play a note.
You see this Black guy that could be your dad or brother,
depending on how old you are and you see this violin being
played and I am who I am. You know what I’m saying? It is
what it is – you see me play, you hear me speak, there’s an
instant connection. Now, I don’t have to tell you that this is
an option, you see it. Honestly, the fact that classical music
and that instrument is not in our community is on purpose.
Classical music, in general is like yea, we don’t need you
guys, we’re good. You know what I’m say’n, it is what it is.
It’s not good, it’s unfortunate but that’s just the reality of it.
It’s just like Baseball. Baseball isn’t big in our community
because they’d rather us bang our heads against each other.
It’s about economics. I definitely want to be able to (as a
matter of fact, my wife and I were talking about it) just try...
to figure out ways to connect with our community. At the
end of the day, once a little black boy, eight years old sees...
of Business Owners Making Big Business Moves!
Find more Black Violin
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U R B A N PULSE DIRECT PAGE 17