Black Violin (members Wilner “Wil B” Baptiste on viola and Kevin “Kev” Marcus Sylvester on violin) enlist Melanie Fiona and The Roots’ Black Thought for “Send Me A Sign,” a track from their latest album Stereotypes.
Over their smooth strings and hip-hop beat, Fiona sings “I don’t have anywhere to be tonight / Think about it, it could just be you and I / Cause’ you’re the only thing that’s worth more than time / So send me a sign,” Fiona sings before Black Thought unleashes his barrage of flow.
Also, catch the visual for the title track Stereotypes (below), which takes them head on. In the clip, Wil B and Kev challenge societal expectations norms, example, themselves: two young, tall black men who play the viola and violin in a world where they are feared: they tell the story about getting on an elevator and sensing the other riders' apprehension. They also shine light on shattering the stereotypes of others: a woman chemist and kickboxer, black doctor, etc.
Stereotypes also features other appearances by Robert Glasper, Kandace Springs and Pharoahe Monch,
Peep the clip and purchase the LP above.