What do you think of when you hear the words “violin” and “hip-hop”? The two aren’t combined very often, since the violin is usually viewed as a classical instrument, or a fiddle.

Well, from now on, you should think “Paul Dateh” when you hear those two words. He is another link to add onto the hip-hop/pop violinist chain consisting of Miri Ben-Ari, Black Violin, Nuttin’ But Stringz, Vanessa Mae, etc.

Dateh is an Asian-American singer, songwriter, and of course, a violinist. Beginning his musical talent at age four by picking up the violin, he later discovered his gift of being a wonderful violinist and attended the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music and majored in Violin Performance.

Sure, Dateh enjoyed classical music, but he wanted to expand his musical expertise. Paul Dateh then dropped his major of Violin Performance and took Jazz Studies instead. Incorporating jazz, violin, and his songwriting skills, he became an award-winning musician and a huge inspiration to many. He has worked with many underground and mainstream artists in the hip-hop world, such as Inka One, Cypress Hill, and Thes One. He can be seen performing with his band called “The Live Movement”.

Paul is a busy performer and has even recently returned from a trip to Berlin. One of his most recent performances was at the International Secret Agents performance with Wong Fu Productions and Far*East Movement in California, which turned out to be a huuuuge event. He also has recently performed at some Hollywood hotspots. In his latest vlog, he has announced that he had his very first guest appearance in a music video that was shot in New York, which you can check out on MTV Tres. He is also currently recording an album, which you should all check out once it drops.

Written by: Sophia (solong2010)

VIdeos:
Hip-Hop Violin ft. Inka One

Hip-Hop Violin Caprice

“Just Friends” Cover ft. Ken Belcher

Other Links:
Official Website: www.pauldateh.com
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/pauldateh
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/pauldateh