Hip Hop Violinist NYC — Live Violin Over Hip-Hop & House

Bookings from $2,200, all five boroughs. Julie Schatz is a NYC hip hop violinist — an electric violinist who performs live over hip-hop, R&B, house, and afro house DJ sets. Real strings on top of a Kendrick track. Melodic lead lines over an amapiano drop. Vocal-style violin phrasing on an R&B ballad instead of recording playback. This is a distinctive niche in NYC's live-music scene: most violinists play weddings; most DJs press play. Julie does both at once — she's a producer who plays her own instrument live over the tracks. Her Soul Shades project (with DJ DX) has been featured by British electronic label Ninja Tune, with the viral Nimino × Sting mashup accumulating over 10 million combined views across TikTok and Instagram.

What "hip hop violinist" actually means here

Not a classical player who occasionally plays a pop hit. Julie leads with hip-hop, R&B, and house as her core repertoire — the sample-catalog-and-production side of her practice, not the wedding-ceremony side. Electric violin (usually a Bridge Aquila or a custom 5-string), through effects, over a DJ mix. Genres she performs live over most often: hip-hop and rap instrumentals, contemporary R&B, afro house, deep house, garage, UK bass, and neo-soul. The songs on her Spotify (like "Beyond Your Mind," a UK garage single) come from this side of her practice.

When couples and event planners hire this specifically

Wedding receptions where the couple wants a DJ set but also wants a live performance moment. Private events (birthdays, engagement parties, milestone anniversaries) where the host wants elevated, distinctive music instead of a standard DJ. Corporate galas and brand activations where "live violinist" alone reads too formal and "just a DJ" reads too generic — the hybrid splits the difference. Julie has performed at the Bayzara Festival (Keansburg, NJ) and in December 2025 shared a bill with house music pioneer Crystal Waters at a private corporate event hosted by tech executive Charles Phillips.

NYC-specific logistics

Load-in is a single vehicle run: DJ controller, portable full-range PA with subwoofer, electric violin, in-ear monitors, wireless mics. Setup 45–60 minutes. Set formats: 3-hour Essential (from $2,200), 4-hour Reception, 5-hour Reception + Afterparty. Custom song arrangements (learning a specific track and playing violin over it) are +$200 per song and take at least 2 weeks lead time. Every five boroughs plus Hoboken/Jersey City included in NYC zone; travel-inclusive.

Common questions about hip hop violinist bookings

How much does a NYC wedding DJ cost?

Julie's hybrid DJ + live violin reception experience starts at $2,200 for a 3-hour Essential set (best for smaller receptions or reception-only bookings). Longer receptions and afterparties are at zone-based per-hour add-on rates. Full-day coverage (solo violin ceremony + jazz piano cocktail hour + hybrid DJ + violin reception) is available as a single-artist package for couples who want the entire music day handled by one performer. All five boroughs plus Hoboken and Jersey City are in the NYC zone with travel included. See full pricing →

What genres can the DJ set cover?

House, hip-hop, R&B, afro house, pop, jazz, indie, and dance-floor classics. Julie is a producer as well as a performer — her Soul Shades project (with DJ DX) has been featured by Ninja Tune with over 10 million cross-platform views. The DJ side of her practice isn't rented equipment and stock playlists — it's a real production catalog. Couples send a playlist reference or a Spotify shortlist during the booking process, and the set is arranged around that specific taste, with the live violin layered in on moments that fit.

What's the difference between "DJ with live violin" and just a regular DJ?

A regular DJ mixes tracks. The live-violin-over-tracks hybrid adds a real performance layer on top: melody lines played live by memory over the vocal, improvised riffs on drops, and vocal-style lead parts on ballads and first dances. Guests see a musician performing in real time, not just a DJ pressing play. It's the kind of moment couples want photos and video of — different from a standard reception because it's actually a performance, not just a playlist. Julie has been running this hybrid format since forming Soul Shades with producer DJ DX.

Can one artist DJ the reception and play violin for the ceremony?

Yes — the most efficient booking pattern for NYC weddings. Solo violin for the ceremony (prelude, processional, recessional). Switch to jazz piano for cocktail hour at the same venue. Then load in the DJ rig and run the hybrid DJ + live violin set for the reception. One artist, one point of contact for the coordinator, one invoice instead of three separate ensembles. Full-day single-artist pricing is quoted directly at the time of inquiry.

Do you bring your own PA and DJ equipment?

Yes. Every NYC hybrid DJ booking includes the full rig: professional DJ controller and monitor, portable full-range PA with subwoofer for reception dance floors, wireless mics for toasts and speeches, electric violin with in-ear monitoring, and a wired XLR backline for venues that need to feed into a house system. The whole setup fits in a single Uber XL load-in run, which matters for Manhattan venues with shared service entrances and elevator-only access. Setup is 45–60 minutes from arrival to first track ready.

Can you learn our first dance song and play violin over the DJ track?

Yes — this is one of the most-booked custom moments. Julie learns the couple's first-dance song and performs the vocal-line melody live on violin over the DJ playback (either the original recording or a custom instrumental version prepared in advance). The result is a first dance that's part live performance and part original recording — the emotional weight of a real performance without giving up the version of the song the couple actually chose. Custom first-dance arrangements are +$200 per song and are set up during the booking process.

Is this the same as the DJ DX × Julie duo booking?

Related but not identical. DJ DX × Julie is the duo booking where DJ DX runs the DJ set while Julie performs live violin (and sometimes keyboard) on top — a two-person unit. The hybrid DJ + live violin booking on this page is Julie handling both the DJ role and the live violin role herself as a single artist. Duo bookings are music-forward with more dynamic range; solo hybrid bookings are lighter on rider and cost.