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Miri Ben-Ari
Miri Ben-Ari with Violin 47b.jpeg
Ben-Ari in 2011
Background information
Also known as
  • United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Music
  • The Hip Hop Violinist
Born (1978-12-04) 4 December 1978 (age 46)
Tel Aviv District, Israel
Origin Fort Lee, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Violinist
  • singer-songwriter
  • record producer
  • composer
Instruments Violin
Years active 1999–present
Labels
  • Universal
  • Mirimode Productions
Children 1
Miri Ben-Ari
Ben-Ari performing in 2005
Miri Ben-Ari by David Shankbone
Ben-Ari in 2004

Miri Ben-Ari (Hebrew: מירי בן-ארי) was born on December 4, 1978. She is an Israeli-American violinist, singer, and music producer. Many people know her as "the hip-hop violinist" because she blends classical violin with hip-hop music. She is also involved in humanitarian work.

Life and Music Journey

Early Life and Classical Training

Miri Ben-Ari grew up in Tel Aviv District, Israel. She started playing classical music at a very young age, beginning her training at just five years old. When she was 12, a famous violinist named Isaac Stern gave her a special violin.

During her time in the Israeli military, which is mandatory for young adults in Israel, she played in the Israel Defense Forces Orchestra. This is where she discovered jazz music. She heard an album by Charlie Parker and immediately loved it, saying her "soul was sold" to jazz.

Moving to New York and Hip-Hop

After her military service, Miri moved from Israel to New York City. She wanted to use her classical music skills in new ways. She studied jazz at The New School. However, she often missed classes because she was busy playing gigs to earn money for rent.

In 1999, she released her first solo music album, called Sahara.

Rising to Fame

Miri's hard work paid off when she appeared on BET's show 106 & Park. Viewers loved her performance, and she was invited back. Her unique style caught the attention of famous rapper Jay-Z. He asked her to perform at Hot 97's Summer Jam concert in 2001, where she received a standing ovation.

Around the same time, she met Wyclef Jean, another well-known musician. He invited her to perform with him at Carnegie Hall. This was a big deal because it was the first time a hip-hop artist performed there.

In 2003, she released her second album, Temple of Beautiful. The next year, she released a live album called Live at the Blue Note.

Grammy Award and Hip-Hop Success

Miri Ben-Ari won a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Rap Song. She was one of the writers for Kanye West's hit song "Jesus Walks".

In 2005, she released her fourth album, The Hip-Hop Violinist. This album was her first to focus on hip-hop music. To promote the album, she was part of Reebok's "I Am What I Am" advertising campaign. Reebok also appeared in the music video for her first single from the album, "We Gonna Win".

Humanitarian Work and Recognition

In 2006, Miri Ben-Ari helped start an organization called Gedenk. Gedenk means "remember" in Yiddish. This group works to teach people in the United States about the Holocaust.

She has received many awards for her work and influence:

  • In 2007, she received the International Jewish Woman To Watch Award.
  • In 2008, she received the "2008 Israel Film Festival Visionary Award." She also got awards from "The Jewish Federation" and "the American Society for Yad Vashem."
  • In 2009, she released "Symphony of Brotherhood." This instrumental song featured parts of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Because of this song, she received the first Martin Luther King Jr. Israeli Award in 2008. The President of Israel, Shimon Peres, hosted the ceremony.

Performances and Global Impact

Miri Ben-Ari has performed for many important people and at major events:

  • In March 2011, Michelle Obama invited her to the White House. She performed and was honored as a "remarkable Woman" during Women's History Month.
  • In July 2011, she performed at the 2011 Miss Universe China pageant.
  • In October 2011, she performed at the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Presidential memorial in Washington, D.C.
  • In 2012, she was invited to perform for U.S. President Barack Obama.
  • In 2013, she was named "Goodwill Ambassador of Music" by the United Nations Association-Brazil.
  • In 2013, she was featured on the trance song Intense by DJ Armin Van Buuren. This song was chosen as the "Tune of the Year" for 2013.

Miri Ben-Ari also works with the Harman Kardon brand. She is a "Beautiful Sound artist" and helps promote their products globally.

In 2014, she received the "Aviv Award" at The America-Israel Cultural Foundation's 75th Anniversary Gala. The famous violinist Itzhak Perlman hosted the event.

She has also been a featured blogger for the Huffington Post. Israeli news media like Mako and Ynet named her one of the top ten most influential Israelis living in the United States.

Recent Projects and Collaborations

Miri Ben-Ari continues her work with "The Gedenk Award For Tolerance" campaign. This campaign partners with the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. In 2015, she received the first-ever "Girl Up Advocate Award" from the United Nations Foundation. She also received the 2015 Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

In 2018, she released the song "Quiet Storm." She was also featured on the song "Baila" by Tanzanian artist Diamond Platnumz. "Baila" won the "Best Collaboration Award" at the African Entertainment Awards USA in 2019.

In 2019, Miri produced and released "Watcha Gonna Do" with her son Dorel. That year, she started working with Nigerian producer Young D. "The Beat Boss" on a project called "Afrostringz." They released a holiday song called "Afro Christmas."

In 2020, Miri Ben-Ari and Young D. officially launched their music group "Afrostringz." Their first single and music video was "She Don't Know." New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy appointed Miri to the New Jersey-Israel commission. In 2021, she became a TED speaker, giving talks on creativity and diversity.

In 2022, Miri Ben-Ari released "Symphony of Brotherhood Rise." This song featured rapper Flo Rida and Erik E. "Smooth" Hicks, along with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. It was released for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and was added to Spotify's official MLK playlist.

In 2023, Miri produced a special concert for Black History Month. This event was hosted by the New Jersey-Israel Commission and the COGIC. Many government officials and community leaders attended. Miri was also the main performer at "The 110 First Lady's Luncheon," which honored First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

Music Albums

  • 1999: Sahara
  • 2000: Song of the Promised Land
  • 2003: Temple of Beautiful
  • 2004: Live at the Blue Note
  • 2005: The Hip-Hop Violinist

Songs and Collaborations

Miri Ben-Ari has released her own singles and has been featured on many songs by other artists.

Singles

Year Single Album
2005 "Run This City" (Clinton Sparks feat. P. Diddy & Miri Ben-Ari) The Pulling Strings Mixtape
2005 "Sunshine to the Rain" (feat. Scarface and Anthony Hamilton) The Hip-Hop Violinist
2005 "We Gonna Win" (feat. Styles P) The Hip-Hop Violinist
2006 "Symphony of Brotherhood" —

Featured On Other Artists' Songs

Other Songs and Remixes

Awards and Nominations

Grammy Awards

Year Award Nominated work Result
2005 Grammy Award for Song of the Year "Jesus Walks" Nominated
Grammy Award for Best Rap Song Won

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Miri Ben-Ari para niños

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