Ashanti Floyd
"The Mad Violinist"
Pioneer of the Violin
MUSICIAN x PRODUCER x ARRANGER X EDUCATOR
6 x Grammy Nominated
"Wow! This young man is shredding the blues on a violin."
-BB King
"A thriving talent in the music industry"
XXL Magazine
My favorite violinist, and musician I admire"
-Nicki Minaj
News & Events
The Mad Violinist performs his 10th Atlanta Hawks game, as he has been featured at Kobe Bryant's last game at State Farm Arena, the opening game of the season, as well as featured with the Ying Yang Twins during game 4 of the 2022 playoffs. Ashanti is a staple of Atlanta.
Student workshops with Ashanti Floyd
For 19 years, Ashanti has developed his own cirriculum called, The M.A.D. System (Modern, Artistic, & Dynamic), which shows young people how to use their classical training to express themselves.
Bring "The Mad Violinist" to your school, or event, as a speaker, or workshop instructor.
About
Six-time Grammy Nominated Ashanti Floyd, known as The Mad Violinist, is one of the top producers, violinists, string arrangers, and performers in the world. He picked up his first violin at the age of three with strong inspiration from his mother. Floyd is now musically accomplished in over thirty instruments. He is highly established in the music industry as a producer and recording artist for over 30 albums. He is credited on platinum hits including “The Show Goes On” by Lupe Fiasco, Nicki Minaj’s “I’m the Best,” and Lil Wayne feat Drake “Right Above It” and many others. His most current mainsream success is with Will I Am on Nicki Minaj album “The Pink Print” as Nicki personally flew him being one of her favorite musicians.
As an artist, Ashanti's first professional experience was live with B.B. King at age 19. Years later, he went on to tour with Lupe Fiasco, Cyhi Da Prynce, Yelawolf and many more. Floyd has performed on the BET Awards, Ellen Degeneres, MTV Video Music Awards, Monique Show and on BET’s 106 and Park.
The broad range of genres mastered and blended by Floyd attract a broad audience inspired by Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Jazz and Alternative Music. Floyd, originally from Tallahassee, Florida has a top flight musical education. His auditioned performances as a young teen earned placement in prestigious music camps. At Interlochen, Michigan, he placed into the advanced string quartet and played with both The Turtle Island and Pacifica String Quartets. At Luzerne in New York, he studied and performed with renowned composer and conductor, Michael Kamen. He also became the first American violinist chosen for the the Credenza Symphony Orchestra Camp in London, England.
After high school, Floyd planned on audition on viola for Juilliard School for Performing Arts. He chose to audition and attend Berklee College of Music as a contemporary violinist. Floyd excelled quickly, testing out of courses within two years and was quickly recruited to tour and guest appearances with the likes of B.B. King and more. Floyd’s involvement in musical education is continual.
He has taught for the Summer Stars Foundation, and was Musical Director/ Instructor of the Britney Spears camp at the age of 19. This led to him becoming a teacher and mentor at The American Idol Kids Camp, Fifty Cent’s G-Unity Foundation, and The Jonas Brothers Foundation. Currently, Ashanti has been called upon by the Atlanta Symphony to encourage youth apart of their outreach programs and to help with new innovative ideas to bridge the arts in the Metro area. Ashanti has also personally given away over 100 violins to deserving youth across the country with his very own “The Floyd Foundation”.