matisyahu blog

For a Singer and a Sect: A Rift Amid the Riffs?

2007-12-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

By ALEX MINDLIN

OVER the last three years, the most visible adherent of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect of Hasidic Judaism has been a strapping 20-something reggae singing star named Matisyahu.
After joining the sect around 2001, Matisyahu became a regular guest and performer at Chabad’s outposts around the world. In songs and interviews, he frequently mentioned Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the movement’s revered spiritual leader. “Youth,” the title track of his second studio album, quotes Rabbi Schneerson’s dictum that “youth is the engine of the world.”
Chabad, which is based in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, is unique among Hasidic sects for its emphasis on the recruitment of non-Orthodox Jews, and Matisyahu, who goes by a single name, has come to be a sort of unofficial ambassador.
That is why some observers have been shocked over the past few months to see the singer distancing himself from Chabad in a series of public statements.
In an interview in July with The Miami New Times, an alternative weekly, Matisyahu said that he did not “necessarily identify” with Chabad and that he felt “boxed in” by being labeled an adherent. In October, he told the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz that he was “no longer identified with Chabad.” And late last month, he told The Jewish Week that his affiliation with Chabad “was about becoming part of this machine and feeling like it was taking away from my service of God, not adding to it.”
According to The Jewish Week, Matisyahu has begun praying with the Karlin Hasidic sect, a group based in Israel that screams its prayers to God. Although he still lives in the Lubavitch stronghold Crown Heights, he commutes on many mornings to a synagogue in Borough Park to pray, the newspaper said.
Through his publicist, Matisyahu declined to comment on the matter.
The news of his shifting allegiances has provoked a furious response among some Lubavitch bloggers, who accuse Matisyahu of betraying a movement that nurtured him. But among Lubavitch rabbis in New York, many of whom know Matisyahu personally, reaction has been considerably gentler.
“Some people come to Lubavitch to stay, and some don’t,” said Rabbi Shea Hecht, executive director of a Lubavitch yeshiva in Crown Heights where Matisyahu studied for several years. “We’re happy if we can bring any Jew closer to yiddishkeit,” or Jewishness.
In part, the tempered reaction of Lubavitch leaders reflects a paradox. Though the mainstream public may see Matisyahu as a representative Hasidic Jew, many traditional Lubavitch adherents do not listen to his music, and thus his departure from the sect is not the soul-shaking challenge it might seem.
“I see him in the neighborhood, on the street and in synagogue, and people don’t even know who he is,” Rabbi Hecht said. “He wasn’t really appreciated from the inside of Chabad. He was more of a bridge to the outside.”
Rabbi Jacob Goldstein, the longtime head of Community Board 9, agreed. “No one’s ever called me over in shul and said, ‘Hey, Goldstein, did you hear Matisyahu bailed out?’” he said. “He’s looking elsewhere, and that’s that.”

The fascinating Matisyahu

2007-08-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Last night, my friend Bennett and I went to see Matisyahu play at The Catalyst here in Santa Cruz. The Catalyst is a fairly small club, so it is always fun to go to shows there as you can pretty easily walk up close to the stage even when it is a sold out show like it was last night. The photos here are ones I took last night at the show.

Matisyahu is a member of Chabad-Lubavitch, a chassidic group of Judaism and he wears the clothing and Hasidic look. You could see the prayer tassels he was wearing last night. The music is sort of blend of reggae and pop/rock - mainly reggae. I am not really a reggae fan, but the unusualness of Matisyahu has caused me to like his music and he does some very cool and beautiful vocal arrangements and some beat box sounds as well. He also interests me seeing how popular he is getting and it is such an odd visual and musical mix seeing a Hasidic-dressed fellow singing reggae and dancing around.

Prayer_candle_6 What is even more fascinating to me, is how biblically themed so many of his lyrics are to his songs. It isn't just a gimmick or show, he takes his faith very seriously. He doesn't ever have a concert on the Sabbath. Last night was Saturday night so the Sabbath was ending and he started the show by coming out with a large candle-torch and what looked like a prayer book of sorts and began singing a prayer. He was singing the prayer in Hebrew so I don't know what he was singing, but it felt like it was possibly a prayer about the ending of the Sabbath or something like that.

He then went into a really great set of music and played most of the songs I am familiar with. The place was totally packed and it was sold out. So it was really intriguing having all these people hearing all these lyrics.

Standing_2 Some of the lyrics of a few songs are:

"Jerusalem, if I forget you,
let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do."

"Exaltation, my G-d of salvation
The field and there in will be filled with jubilation
The lord's name will be proclaimed amongst the Nations
We don't have no time for patience."

"Open up my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise
Open up my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise."

"My soul thirsts for you
My flesh longs for you
In a land parched and weary
With no water

So too in the sanctuary
To have beheld you
Your might
And your glory."

Stage_4 It was a very positive environment for a concert, and the whole concert felt very uplifting. I can't imagine people aren't at least a little taking in the seriousness of some of the lyrics being sung. Yet as much as I was fascinated with everyone listening to the lyrics - I believe Matisyahu is still waiting for Messiah - and I so badly wish he would then sing "Jesus" recognized as the Messiah he is waiting for. So as I think of it, I shall pray and at least be glad that people were hearing biblical themes and verses and my prayer is that they will be fulfilled in understanding Jesus as Messiah. But it was quite a concert and I would certainly see him again if he comes back to town. Very fascinating.

leaving Chabad Lubavitch

2007-08-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

And Matisyahu is leaving Chabad Lubavitch. I hate to say it, but he rode the Chassidic pony to stardom. His marginal beatboxing and atonal (at times music) needed some kind of hook. Unfortunately, he's the kind of BT that makes the rest of us BTs look bad. BTs have a tendency, I know I've said it a thousand times, to be more Jewish than Jewish, to make up for lost time, to fit in with the frum-from-birth crowd. Of course, any FFB with misgivings about the sincerity of BTs just had their wariness validated by Matisyahu. In a culture that promulgates fad after fad, Matisyahu fits in with an established tradition of floating from one idea to the next, never wholly committing to any of them. He'd have been better off remaining Mr. Miller from the get-go.I hope Lubavitch critics such as our friends over at FailedMessiah.com recognize this as telling of Matisyahu, not so much Chabad. We've heard the cultish horror stories, but many of us have positive experiences with Chabad. No institution founded by men and maintained by men, even with a rebbe at the helm, can be without blemish. All we can hope is that our groups get it right more than they get it wrong.

Matisyahu to Perform Two Shows in Israel

2007-03-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

11 Nisan 5767, 30 March 07 11:39

by Benyamin Bresky

(IsraelNN.com) “Check for your chometz [leavened products that must be disposed of before Passover –ed.] and then come party.” So says popular singer Matisyahu who will be playing two shows this week in Israel right before the start of Passover. The singer spoke on Israel National Radio’s 'The Beat.'

Click here for an mp3 download of the exclusive audio interview

The singer’s latest release is a CD and DVD combination, which includes seven new songs and concert footage from his first concert series in Israel from December 2005. The singer is looking forward to his return to the stage in Israel and is even in the process of making Israel his permanent home.

His tour continues to other nations after Israel. “In different countries there’s somewhat of a different reaction,” says Matisyahu, “but there’s definitely a universal thing that happens with music probably more than anything else in people, where those lines get crossed and some human thing in them just comes out.”

Born Mathew Miller in New York, Matisyahu first broke onto the scene performing ‘Hasidic reggae.’ His 2004 release Shake off the Dust... Arise contained roots-style Jamaican reggae with lyrics based on the Torah, Hasidic teachings and other Jewish subjects. The novelty led to appearances on national TV shows in the United States where he told the story of his love for reggae and his return to a Jewish traditional lifestyle through the Chabad movement.

The image of the tall, bearded man in a black hat singing rapid-fire rap and reggae made him an underground sensation. His second album, Live at Stubb’s shot up the Top 40 Billboard charts earning him an unprecedented Billboard Top Reggae Artist.

In 2006 Matisyahu released Youth which also topped the Billboard charts and earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Reggae Artist. He lost to Ziggy Markey, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley, however another Jewish group, The Klezmatics won the award for Best Contemporary World Music Album. Before the Matisyahu phenomenon, the only time a Jewish oriented song received mainstream airplay was Tzena Tzena Tzena by The Weavers with Gordon Jenkins in the early 1950s.

Although Matisyahu is seen as a reggae artist, he doesn’t necessarily stick to a strict interpretation of it. “Hopefully my sound is developing,” said Matisyahu in a phone call on the road in Israel. “Hopefully I am able to put together different sounds. The music that I make is not based on any one specific line of music. I love and I hear so many different interesting sounds. That’s what I’ve tried to do in the past and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”

Matisyahu is already writing material for his next album. “There will be sounds ranging from electronic music to African music to reggae to hip hop to rock. So it will be a real combination,” he says.

Matisyahu is also experimenting lyrically and expanding his citations of Jewish philosophy to include other hassidic masters aside from the late Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson. He says future lyrics will include the teaching of the 19th century Hasidic leader Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. Rabbi Nachman is a popular source of inspiration for musicians in Israel due to his focus on music, folk tales and meditation.

“I don’t know if I want to put it out there yet,” says Matisyahu of his future projects. “There was a dream that Rebbe Nachman had and he said that all of his teachings are based on this dream. I have also been particularly interested in The Story of the Seven Beggars since I have been here in Israel.”

Matisyahu also performed briefly this week with Israeli Hadag Nahash whom he met previously in the United States. Hadag Nahash performs a self-described mix of hip-hop, funk and jazz and often uses bitingly sarcastic lyrics from a liberal and secular point of view.

“A couple of years ago they had a show at the Knitting Factory [a prominent concert club in New York],” related Matisyahu. “My manager at the time wanted to bring me there. I asked them if I could get on stage and they were probably like, “who’s this Hasidic guy?” They had never really heard of me before. I got up there with them and it was really cool. It’s was a real powerful moment. And now two years later after my success to come back and collaborate is nice. I like doing that in different countries where I am collaborating with different artists.”

In addition, Matisyahu has also joined international pop star Sting on stage in Israel and participated in an impromptu street performance in Jerusalem with the popular reggae/world-music group Aharit HaYamim.

“I was eating at Big Apple Pizza on Yaffo Street,” recalls Matisyahu. “It sounded really cool. I had a concert that night at [Jerusalem concert club] The Lab.” Minutes after Matisyahu left the microphone, he was surrounded by enthusiastic fans. Today his popularity has only increased.

Other recent projects have been the annual benefit concert for HASC - The Hebrew Academy for Special Children. Although visually, Matisyahu has the same black hat and button-down white shirt as the other performers, his mix of rock guitars and Caribbean rhythm is a stark contrast to the other artists.

“If a Jewish person is making music with some roots and some foundation within Judaism, that’s what I would consider Jewish music,” comments the singer on the subject. “The ideas behind the music and the meaning behind it – that’s what would make it Jewish.”

Joining Matisyahu in concert this week will be Daniel Zamir, an old friend from the New School, a university in New York City attended by Matisyahu and his fellow band members. Zamir’s Jewish jazz, particularly his newly released album Amen is becoming increasingly popular in Israel.

“He was a young guy in music school and known to be this protégé,” says Matisyahu of his friend. “John Zorn, the famous saxophone player [and founder of Tzadik Records] was his mentor. He and I were both doing teshuvah. We started hanging out a little bit. After yeshiva, we came back for the graduation. I look down the hallway and see this fully religious Jew. And he sees me now with a beard and everything. He went through some pretty intense changes. And that, I think, is a good thing. I think it’s a good thing to always be changing.”

Matisyahu will be performing Saturday night at 9 p.m. on March 31, 2007 at Binyanei HaUmah, the Jerusalem International Convention Center, with opening act Daniel Zamir as well as on Sunday at 10:30 p.m. on April 1, 2007 at Hanger 11 in Tel Aviv with opening acts Tomer Yosef of Balkan Beat Box and DJ Yaron Lidur. For ticket information visit MatisyahuWorld.com

Benyamin Bresky is the host of The Beat on Israel National Radio. He maintains a journal on Jewish and Israeli music at israelbeat.blogspot.com

Arutz 7 - Israel National Radio features daily email news briefs, Torah podcasts, live call-in political talk shows, streaming video and more, broadcasting live from the heartland of Israel. For more information visit IsraelNationalRadio.com
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© Copyright IsraelNationalNews.com

Matisyayu interview 2004

2007-03-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

That's not matzoh balls! Here's the original interview with Hasidic Reggae/Beatbox artist Matisyahu, featuring Matisyahu talking about reggae music, becoming a chasid, and more. Featuring music from the upcoming record and some very special freestylin'.

This interview was recorded in June 2004. We caught up with Matisyahu again in San Francisco in February 2005 -- he's famous now! -- and hope to post that soon.

Matisyahu’s music makes men crazy…

2007-02-05T18:27:00.000-08:00

…or at least it makes Jared Leto crazy (or maybe he was crazy to begin with). According to the New York Post, the Hassidic Reggae star performed at Harry O’s Tao in Park City (if you’re counting, that’s the third party sighting of the White Plains-bred singer, after Riverhouse Café and the Heineken Party). Leto was in the audience and “stirred things up,” flirting with the girlfriend of Chris Robinson and “bumping into people in the crowded venue as he headed back to his table.”

Reggae's holy spirit

2007-01-05T07:24:00.000-08:00

CD/DVD | Matisyahu explores the collision of religion and popular music in his new release, "No Place to Be."

By Ricardo Baca
Denver Post Pop Music Critic

DenverPost.com

Were Matisyahu just any old reggae-obsessed MC, he would not play to the crowds and acclaim that he enjoys. So in a way, his Hasidic Jewish religion is both his reason for living and his musical shtick.

Not to cheapen the nu-reggae star's faith or accomplishments, but his religion is obviously the most interesting facet of his short yet productive career. And his new release, "No Place to Be" (released Dec. 26 on Epic), tackles it all head-on with a CD version of the new single "Jerusalem (Out of Darkness Comes Light)" and a companion DVD titled "Live in Israel."

When Matis talked with The Post three months ago, there were contradicting reports in the press about his desire to move his family from New York to Israel. When a reporter asked about his plans, one could practically hear the cogs working against one another inside his head.

"I really still do want to move there, but who knows when it's going to be," he said in September. "Who knows what's going to happen. I don't know. For me right now, the music is my place. That's what I do.

"I'm not a soldier. I'm not a Zionist trying to get everyone to move to Israel. I'm just tying to move people together in a way of giving praise to the most high and putting out there a message with meaning behind it, a message of transcendence."

Matis, born Matthew Miller in 1979, is more of a musician than many have given him credit for. His music, as evidenced by the insane release and touring schedule he's upheld since 2004's "Shake Off the Dust ... Arise," is basic but solid reggae. It's smartly produced, and his authoritative voice and presence make him a natural star with potential far beyond any niche or religion.

But Matis is also less of a teacher than many have credited him for. He's a holy man, but he's not a Holy Man - a distinction he makes on the DVD portion of "No Place to Be" in fascinating interviews set amid sandy Israeli streets.

"The world that I come from is a world of music and Phish concerts and raves and hip-hop shows and music and art and all that stuff," he says in a mini-documentary. "It's a part of me, especially when you've been in these intense music experiences, that stuff all leaves its mark on you."

He goes on to mention that his decision to immerse himself in a religious world was deliberate, but he has no interest in being the "ultimate Hasid."

"That's not the lifestyle that I live," he says, noting that he enjoys the music of his old life and the texts of his new life, regardless of their butting heads. "To me, the two go together pretty well."

This collection is mostly about the DVD because of that juxtaposition and struggle. While the CD gets top billing, it plays second fiddle to the fascinating DVD. Still, the CD will be popular with fans and nonfans alike because of Matis' inspired remake of The Police's "Message in a Bottle." At times it's a pitch-perfect cover. Elsewhere Matis makes the track his own, new lyrics and all.

The CD also includes the popular "Chop 'Em Down" and the brand new banger "Jerusalem (Out of Darkness Comes Light)." Neither track is the next "King Without a Crown," but they're surprisingly potent, given that Matis has released four solid CDs (including one live effort, "Live at Stubb's") the past two years.

Pop music critic Ricardo Baca can be reached at 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com.

Matisyahu's Israel visit released on DVD

2007-01-05T07:21:00.000-08:00

Just in time to miss the Christmas shopping rush in his native US, Hassidic reggae star Matisyahu has released a DVD documenting his tour stop in Israel in December 2005.

Featuring songs including "Jerusalem" and "Late Night in Zion," No Place to Be also shares offstage footage from the 27-year-old performer's week-long visit, including behind-the-scenes interviews and street performances in Jerusalem. The disc went on sale in the United States on December 26 and is now also available in Israel.

Born Matthew Miller in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Matisyahu became an unexpected commercial hit with Live at Stubbs, which sold over 500,000 copies in the US and earned the artist a flood of mainstream media attention. His most recent album, Youth, debuted at number four last March on the Billboard album chart. Just six previous reggae artists have seen their albums debut in the Billboard top 10, among them Bob Marley, UB40 and current Jamaican dance hall king Sean Paul.

No Place to Be

2007-01-05T07:19:00.000-08:00

Epic

EDEN MUNRO / eden@vueweekly.com

Matisyahu knows the true power of music. This knowledge is not something new, and he doesn’t claim to have created it, borrowing a well-worn page from a well-worn songbook that has been used by everyone from Bob Dylan to Bob Marley, as well as plenty of others both before and after.

Matisyahu is a Hasidic Jew, who sings about Judaism. Not exactly commercial material, and yet it’s as catchy as anything out there on the charts. See, what Matisyahu knows is that you can sing about most anything as long as the music gets under the listener’s skin and inside the head. Here, that means that Matisyahu has wrapped his lyrics up into the rhythms of reggae, creating songs that force listeners to feel the undertow of the groove.

This set is made up of a seven-song EP and a longer live DVD. The EP isn’t exactly a definitive piece of work from Matisyahu, though. While there are some powerful lyrics to be heard, they are somewhat dulled by the slick production that dominates. Likewise, a cover of the Police’s “Message in a Bottle” is fun, but does not particularly work as a rallying cry, again because of the glossy sheen it is given by producers Sly & Robbie (although the remixed Dub version fares a little better).

The accompanying live DVD is where Matisyahu really shines. He and his band take their time during the concert, building songs from ghostly sounds up into full-on heavy reggae grooves, and they aren’t burdened by clumsy production. The sound is raw and left that way, with the songs rising and falling in the moment.

2006-12-31T00:41:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu beat box AMAZING sound

Matisyahu performance at Pomona college Feb 18

youtube video

2006-12-31T00:40:00.000-08:00

matisyahu, atpi music video

made by haza m. and brock c.
the film was made for an atpi music video contest.
association for texas photography instructors.
the music video contest started at 4 pm on Feb 17th, and ended at 9 am on Feb 18th

youtube video

2006-12-31T00:38:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu - Beat Box

Matisyahu beat boxing at the Birmimgham Academy on the 23rd August 2006. youtube video

2006-12-31T00:37:00.000-08:00

matisyahu at the raggamuffins

matisyahu beat boxin at the bill grahm center
youtube video

2006-12-31T00:35:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu bobfest

matisyahu at bobfest

2006-12-31T00:32:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu and Roots Tonic-Aish Tamid Part 1-Funk Box

Matisyahu and Roots Tonic play Aish Tamid on April 7,2005 at the Funk Box in Baltimore Maryland. Part 1 of 2

2006-12-31T00:31:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu - Aish Tamid

Matisyahu preforming Aish Tamid live at Hammerstein Ballroom NYC 3/7/06 - video isnt great but the sound is fine

2006-12-31T00:30:00.001-08:00

Matisyahu - Jerusalem

Matisyahu preforming Jerusalem live at Hammerstein Ballroom NYC 3/7/06 - video isnt great but the sound is fine ... (more)

2006-12-31T00:30:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu Beat Box - NYC 12/19/06

Matisyahu beat-boxing at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. Sound quality is not great, but he is awesome. ... (more)

2006-12-31T00:29:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu Hammerstein Ballroom NYC 12.17.06

Matisyahu Hammerstein Ballroom NYC 12.17.06

2006-12-31T00:28:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu & Mom lighting menorah Part 1

Matisyahu & Mom lighting menorah Part 1

Matisyahu Live! Exciting New Concert CD/DVD Set to Be Released Dec. 26 on Epic

2006-12-27T08:14:00.000-08:00

Posted on : Tue, 28 Nov 2006
Author : Sony Epic Records
News Category : PressRelease

NEW YORK, Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans of Matisyahu know what a dynamic performer he is when he takes the stage. Now that enigmatic live concert energy has been captured on a new CD NO PLACE TO BE and bonus concert DVD LIVE IN ISRAEL, to be released Dec. 26 on Epic.

The new CD features 7 new songs including "Jerusalem (Out Of Darkness Comes Light)"and "Message In A Bottle" recorded with hot reggae production team of Sly & Robbie. Additional remixes were produced by AdRock, and Bill Laswell, who produced Matisyahu's acclaimed CD YOUTH (Epic/Or). The bonus DVD, Live In Israel, was shot in Israel in December 2005, and is intercut with interviews and street performances from Jerusalem during the same time period. The DVD also includes the new music video for his single "Jerusalem."

Matisyahu is also kicking off his first annual 'Festival of Light' Hanukkah concerts this year with three headlining nights at Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC 12/16, 12/17 and 12/19. Matisyahu has also added several cities to the festival, so fans can now celebrate the holiday with live shows in Washington, DC (Dec. 13), Philadelphia (Dec. 14), Boston (Dec. 20), and Providence, RI (Dec. 21).

NO PLACE TO BE CD track listing 1. "Jerusalem (Out Of Darkness Comes Light)" -- studio version recorded with Sly & Robbie 2. "Chop 'Em Down" -- studio version produced by Bill Laswell 3. "Warrior" -- studio version produced by Bill Laswell 4. "Message In A Bottle" -- studio version recorded with Sly & Robbie 5. "Jerusalem" (Swisha House Mix) 6. "Youth" (Small Stars Remix) (remix is by Adrock) 7. "Message In A Bottle" (Dub Version by Bill Laswell) LIVE IN ISRAEL DVD Track listing 1. "Rastaman Chant" (Bob Marley cover) 2. "Lord Raise Me Up" 3. "Dispatch The Troops" 4. "Close My Eyes" 5. "Warrior" 6. "Exaltation" 7. "Chop 'Em Down" 8. "Late Night In Zion" 9. "Ancient Lullaby" 10. "King Without A Crown" 11. "Heights" 12. "What I'm Fighting For" *Bonus Video -- Jerusalem (Out Of Darkness Comes Light)

For more information, contact:

Sony Epic Records

Copyright © 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.

A very reggae Hanukkah

2006-12-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

NOTHING says Hanukkah — not dreidels nor gelt, menorahs nor potato pancakes — quite like reggae. At least that seems to be the thinking behind Sirius Satellite Radio's choice of Matisyahu, a devout Lubavitch Hasidic Jew and gold-selling reggae toaster, as host of the station's Festival of Lights radio show.

Beginning at sundown Friday and airing several times a day for the eight-day duration of Hanukkah (until Dec. 23), Matisyahu will present historical background and share his thoughts about the meaning of the holy day between commercial-free blocks of reggae music on Sirius reggae channel 32.

Matisyahu CD/DVD To Reach Stores In Time For Boxing Day Sales

2006-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hasidic reggae-rap artist Matisyahu wants you to have a happy Hannukah, as long as part of those celebrations include his forthcoming No Place To Be CD/DVD.

The CD portion of the set, due on Boxing Day from Epic, will feature seven songs. It includes two versions of The Police's "Message In A Bottle," a studio version recorded with producers and reggae rhythm section masters Sly & Robbie, and a dub version produced by Bill Laswell. Sly & Robbie also produced the single/video "Jerusalem (Out Of Darkness Comes Light)," which also comes in an alternate mix. Laswell produced "Chop 'Em Down" and "Warrior." The disc is rounded out with the Small Stars remix of "Youth."

The accompanying 90-minute Live In Israel DVD features a Matisyahu concert shot in Tel Aviv, Israel last December, as well as performances and interviews taped on the streets of Jerusalem.

Matisyahu (real name Matthew Miller) was first perceived as a novelty act, as he dresses in traditional Jewish garb and includes numerous Judaic references in his lyrics, but the 27-year-old Brooklyn, New York artist's sound quickly caught on with a broad range of music fans. His Youth album debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 sales chart in the U.S. in March while his Live At Stubb's LP was at #36, making him the only artist to have two albums in the top 40.

Matisyahu is expected to tour extensively in the new year.

Here are the tracks on the Live In Israel DVD:

* "Rastaman Chant"
* "Lord Raise Me Up"
* "Dispatch The Troops"
* "Close My Eyes"
* "Warrior"
* "Exaltation"
* "Chop 'Em Down"
* "Late Night In Zion"
* "Ancient Lullaby"
* "King Without A Crown"
* "Heights"
* "What I'm Fighting For

Rapper Matisyahu set to release holiday treat

2006-11-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:35 AM ET

By Jonathan Cohen

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Hasidic reggae rapper Matisyahu will offer fans a holiday treat with the CD/DVD set "No Place To Be," due December 26 via Epic.

The CD sports seven tracks, among them two versions of the Police's "Message in a Bottle" -- a studio version recorded with the legendary Sly & Robbie and a dub version produced by Bill Laswell.

Also featured are the Laswell-produced studio cuts "Chop 'Em Down" and "Warrior," the Sly & Robbie-helmed single "Jerusalem (Out of Darkness Comes Light)" and alternate mixes of the latter cut plus "Youth."

A video for "Jerusalem" was recently crafted by Motion Theory, the company behind Beck's "Girl" and the Jay-Z/Pharrell Williams commercials for Hewlett Packard.

The DVD chronicles a Matisyahu concert in Tel Aviv, Israel, in December 2005, enriched with spontaneous performances on the streets of Jerusalem and interviews.

Matisyahu is expected to tour extensively in 2007, but for now, the only shows on his schedule are a December 13 gig in Washington, D.C., and Hanukkah run in his New York homebase on December 16-17 and 19 at Hammerstein Ballroom.

Reuters/Billboard

DVD: Matisyahu rocks the Holy Land

2006-11-15T08:54:00.000-08:00

New DVD by rapper member of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hassidic community to hit stores worldwide

Or Barnea

A new DVD by Matisyahu, the Hebrew and stage name of Matthew Paul Miller, a popular American Jewish reggae artist, will be available at stores internationally commencing December 26th.

The DVD was filmed at the Israeli Barbie night club in December of last year when Matisyahu came to Israel to perform in front of Israeli audiences both at the Barbie Club and at the Ma'abada club in Jerusalem.

In June of this year Matisyahu visited Israel again to give the opening act for Sting and another unforgettable performance at the Barbie Club.

The DVD titled Live in Israel includes the Tel Aviv performance along with interviews, street performances filmed in Jerusalem and a disk of Matisyahu's remixes. The majority of remixes were produced by Sly and Robbie and the veteran musician Bill Laswell, who also produced Matisyahu's last album Youth.

Rising star

The DVD includes 12 songs performed live including Chop 'Em Down, Close my Eyes, King without a Crown, and a cover version for the song Rastaman Chant by Bob Marley.

For the past two years Matisyahu has taken the music world by storm. His last album Youth captured the hearts of the American public and quickly spread to the rest of the world.

His first Album Shake off the Dust… Arise was recorded in 2004, when he also recorded an album of his live show called Live at Stubb's.

Show proves it's possible to embrace differences

2006-10-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Thursday, October 19, 2006
By Mark Bialczak

Staff writer

With the looks of an Orthodox Jew, moves of a reggae singer and voice of a true believer, Matisyahu thoroughly entertained the Syracuse University summit crowd Wednesday night at the Landmark Theatre.
The theme for the daylong event held by SU was "Small World/Big Divide: Building Bridges in an Age of Extremes."
Headliner Matisyahu and the other two acts on the stage, opener State Radio and second-up Kenny Muhammad, drove home the concept that differences can be embraced with music.
Born in West Chester, Pa., as Matthew Miller and raised in White Plains before becoming a devotee of jam band Phish, Matisyahu showed why he's become a welcome visionary in the worlds of Judaism and reggae music.
He took the stage dressed in a black suit topped by a black hat. He wore a long beard, and when the top hat came off, a yarmulke sat underneath.
He owned the stage with an imposing physical presence. Sometimes he moved side to side with the slinky tension of a tiger.
Sometimes he skipped with the unbridled joy of a man unburdening his heart as his words rose from his soul.
With the help of his very sweet five-piece band, the sound was pure and golden reggae.
The crowd was split between SU students and members of the community. Some men also wore yarmulkes.
Together, they sang along to the passionate songs from Matisyahu's latest disc, "Youth."
The title cut drove home his point as he sang with fire in his voice, "Young man, you've got the freedom to choose. You better make the right move."
Amid the throbbing song "Indestructible," he told of a dying father who gave his son this advice: "In this world, fear nothing. Have no fear." In "Chop 'em Down," he sang, "March through the desert one step at a time."
The fans this night seemed to believe the first statement and appeared ready to follow Matisyahu in his march.
Kenny Muhammad, known as the Human Orchestra, made more cool noise with just his mouth than any DJ with a turntable.
The Muslim got into the theme of the night. "We represent one God. We represent unity worldwide," he said of himself and Matisyahu.
State Radio, a three-man band from the Boston area, kept the attention of the small number of early arrivers with a hip sound that encompassed reggae and jam rock.
Lead singer Charlie Stokes got into the passionate mood early with "Camilo," singing, "and now red oil is spillin' down on the street. . . . Will you not refuse this currency, or is blood money just money to you?"
Mark Bialczak can be reached at mbialczak@syracuse.com or 470-2175. His blog "Listen Up" is at www.syracuse.com/blogs/listenup
.
© 2006 The Post-Standard. Used with permission.
Copyright 2006 syracuse.com. All Rights Reserved

Reggae jammin' on for a new generation

2006-10-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

By Michael Senft

The Arizona Republic

Walk through any mall, and you'll see stores filled with racks of clothes in the red, green and gold of Jamaica. Stroll through any college campus, and you may hear the sounds of Bob Marley's "Legend" drifting from the dorms. Even Southern California diva Gwen Stefani is modeling the logo of her L.A.M.B. clothing line after the Lion of Judah, a symbol of Rastafarianism.
Reggae "resonates at the core of the human soul. The message, the sound, the beat of reggae, it vibrates the spirit," says Marley's son Ziggy, who has a new album out, "Love Is My Religion," and who is currently on tour.
Reggae never really went away. But 25 years after Marley's death, it's cool again in America, thanks to a new generation of performers who are using Marley's rasta rhythms and "one love" philosophy as a springboard for fresh sounds.
"I realized reggae was hot again when I started noticing [reggae label] Studio One recordings from the '60s being used in commercials," says Chris Wilson, vice president of A&R for Heartbeat Records, a reggae-reissue label.
No reggae musician has matched Marley's influence, but Ziggy has picked up his father's musical mantle, recording such roots-reggae tunes as "Tomorrow People" and "Conscious Party" with his siblings' band the Melody Makers. His second solo album, "Love Is My Religion," blends reggae with acoustic and world-beat touches.
Also riding the crest of the U.S. reggae resurgence is Matisyahu, a self-styled "Hasidic reggae superstar" whose smash albums "Live at Stubb's" and "Youth," which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 album chart in March, have led to a nonstop tour schedule, videos in regular rotation on MTV and performances on "The Late Show With David Letterman" and other mainstream shows.
"It always seems like there was some reggae singer who was scoring hits, UB40 or Shaggy or someone," says Matisyahu.
He uses the dancehall sound, a hip-hop-reggae hybrid, for the basis of Hebrew rhymes, rapping over a faster, bass-heavy reggae beat, called toasting.
Since Marley's death, reggae hits have generally been from dancehall stars, rather than roots-reggae singers like Marley.
"I used to listen to [dancehall star] Sizzla when I was younger," Matisyahu says. "He was singing about Rastafarianism, black supremacy, Emperor Selassie being God — these are things that I have absolutely no connection with. But still I found a connection with the music, it still spoke to me and inspired my sound."
Shabba Ranks was the first dancehall star to cross over in the United States, scoring numerous hits in the early '90s, including "Mr. Loverman." Since then Shaggy and Sean Paul have topped the charts with their dancehall beats.
"The kids listening to this music don't always realize that it's reggae," says Wilson of Heartbeat Records. "My neighbors were talking about this great rapper named Sean Paul, but his sound is clearly reggae."
Bob Marley's son Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, who is currently on tour with Ben Harper, has enjoyed crossover success as well. His hit "Welcome to Jamrock" earned Grammys in both the reggae and R&B categories.
"[Damian] is at the forefront of reggae today," Wilson says. "That hit, it's really just a reworking of "Welcome to Jamtown," just him rapping over the original song.
"There's an incredible cross-pollination between Jamaican musicians and American rappers now. If you look at many straight-ahead rap guys, they have dreadlocks and they're rapping like Jamaican dancehall stars."
Although dancehall and its Latin cousin, reggaeton, are popular nationally, new bands are inspired by traditional reggae.
"There is a desire for authenticity in new groups," Wilson says. "I just worked with a band from L.A. called the Aggrolites, who are playing music like some of the earliest reggae sounds.
"They aren't ska and they aren't roots reggae like Marley, but they are playing that music that was popular from about 1968 to '69 in Jamaica."

Awake Zion

2006-10-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

Of interest in the latter category is Monica Haim's first-person documentary "Awake Zion," an adventurously fun exploration of the "unsuspecting kinship" — historically and culturally — between reggae and Judaism. (It's not just the extreme hair and rhythmic chanting, and it has origins in slave histories and geographical readings of the Old Testament.) The journey takes Haim, herself a roots reggae-loving, Miami-born Jewish girl, from Rasta outposts in Jamaica to the dancehall scene in Tel Aviv to the Crown Heights, Brooklyn, popularity of Orthodox Jewish reggae star Matisyahu, and, as you might suspect, is set to a propulsive, infectious soundtrack. What shimmers, though, is the hopefulness of those who embrace similarities, who view spirituality in terms of commonality instead of apartness.

Matisyahu uses his music to bridge extremes

2006-10-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 13, 2006

By Mark Bialczak Staff writer

Nicci Brown knew immediately that she wanted to include a concert to help drive home the message of the daylong Syracuse University summit "Small World/Big Divide: Building Bridges in an Age of Extremes."
"I think we recognize that people perceive and process information in many ways," says Brown, associate vice president at SU, who organized the event that starts at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Schine Student Center's Goldstein Auditorium and concludes at 7:30 p.m. with a Landmark Theatre concert featuring Matisyahu, Kenny Muhammad the Human Orchestra and State Radio.
"That's why (the summit) will involve panel discussions and end with music. Music can reach people in a deep way that maybe words cannot reach them," Brown says.
The lyrics that accompany the blend of reggae and hip-hop musical styles of Matisyahu have been reaching a diverse audience since his 2004 debut disc, "Shake Off the Dust . . . Arise."
Matisyahu was born in West Chester, Pa., as Matthew Miller. He was raised in White Plains before following the jam band Phish on the road and living in
Colorado and Oregon. But it was a trip to Israel that led to his position as Orthodox Judaic singer-songwriter Matisyahu, which is the Hebrew version of his first name.
The 2005 single of a live performance of his song "King Without a Crown" and this March's CD "Youth" have helped propel Matisyahu into the national spotlight. His performance at the Raga Muffins Festival in Los Angeles in March earned a stellar review with the headline "A new testament for the reggae world Matisyahu enraptures Ragga Muffins Festival with his message and ebullient presence."
His message, driven home by the lyrics of the title cut from "Youth," is: Think hard and do something about your world.
"Young man, control in your hands," he sings to the reggae lilt. "Slam your fist on the table and make your demands. Take a stand, fan the fire for the flame of youth. Got the freedom to choose, better make the right move."
Matisyahu will share the night with Kenny Muhammad the Human Orchestra, a Muslim from Queens who's known for his one-man-band performance, and State Radio, a Massachusetts-based band noted for its progressive politics and blend of funk and rock.
"We wanted something this diverse," Brown says. "(The artists) have been informed about what this day is about. Matisyahu was scheduled to perform, I believe, in another part of the country for this day. When we posed the idea for him to be part of the daylong expression, he agreed."

Mark Bialczak can be reached at mbialczak@syracuse.com or 470-2175. His blog "Listen Up" is at www.syracuse.com/blogs/listenup.

Jewish Teens Follow A Reggae Rapper

2006-10-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

Matisyahu Observes The Orthodox Lifestyle, Even When He's On The Road

By FRANCES GRANDY TAYLOR

Courant Staff Writer

October 24 2006

He lives in Crown Heights, the heart of the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, but Matisyahu is a rapper. He sings reggae-style and raps about his faith and the world from an Orthodox Jewish perspective. But he's not just talk. On the road, he travels with his wife and child and observes on a daily basis the fundamentals of his faith. While there are often logistics to work out, Matisyahu said he does not view the sometimes-strict requirements of his faith as an obstacle as the first Orthodox Jewish reggae rapper."Journeys are an essential part of Judaism- it's at the core of Judaism,'` he said in a recent interview. "Being on the road is instrumental to my service to God. It's part of who I am and what I do." Matisyahu will appear tonight at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut. The singer prays three times a day, and each evening after a performance he makes a minyon - a prayer group that according to Jewish law requires a certain number of participants. To observe Sukkot, a harvest holiday in Judaism, the singer had a portable pop-up tent backstage where his family and some crew members ate all their meals. The singer grew up in White Plains, and though the family was devout, he came to his Orthodox lifestyle after attending an Orthodox Jewish high school. Since then, he said, he has chosen to immerse himself in his faith. His lyrics have proved a draw to teens and college-age students, talking about Judaism and promoting peace and unity. Matisyahu said he often relies on help from Chabad, a Jewish organization whose mission is to provide a place for Jews to observe their faith and customs no matter where they are in the world. "I try to connect with local rabbis, so they can be a part," he said. Rabbi Shlomo Hecht, who leads the Chabad center at UConn, met Matisyahu during the singer's previous trip through the state last year. Hecht, who grew up in Crown Heights, attends the same Brooklyn synagogue as Matisyahu. "It's amazing to see him, an Orthodox Jew, out there doing what he does, talking about Judaism," Hecht said. "And the Jewish kids really love it."While the singer has fans from all faiths, he has become a phenomenon among Jewish youth. Three busloads of Jewish teens are coming to the performance, sponsored by UConn Hillel, the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and the Jewish Community Center. His first album, "Shake Off the Dust ... Arise," was released in 2004. His latest album, "Youth," was released in March. "Matisyahu makes it cool to be a Jew," said Josh Cohen, teen director at the Jewish Community Center, who says he has also become a fan. "He's been able to mix Jewish spirituality with hip-hop. When you listen, you hear him talking about Jewish history and prayers, but he does it all in reggae style. It's all in the music."Curtis Pitegoff, 16, first heard Matisyahu a year ago and often downloaded live performances from the Internet to listen to the rapper. "He's upbeat, but his lyrics talk about the serious ideals of Judaism," said Pitegoff, a West Hartford resident who will attend the show. "At the same time he's going for the mainstream. He is the first to really do that."
Copyright 2006, Hartford Courant

Matisyahu To Headline Festival Of Light

2006-10-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Get out yer yarmulkes, it’s time for Hannukah…except with Hasidic reggae artist Matisyahu and not Adam Sandler. Those wanting to see Matisyahu and his band Roots Tonic perform on Dec. 16-19 can roll right over to Hammerstein Ballroom in New York to witness the first Festival of Light concert series, with the treat of a different special opening act each night.
Fan members can buy tickets now through www.matisyahuworld.com; fans can join “The Bridge,” the official fan club, and get exclusive access to tickets before public sale.

Unlikely reggae star rocks armory

2006-10-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

By MICHAEL LISI, Special to the Times Union
First published: Wednesday, October 18, 2006

ALBANY -- Matisyahu is arguably the most popular reggae artist in America. He's also one of reggae's most unlikely superstars. He's a Hasidic singer and rapper who embraces Jewish spirituality in his music, at times singing in Hebrew and taking lyrics from the Torah.

Musically, Matisyahu serves up an amalgam of dance-hall reggae, hip-hop, rock and even ska-flavored punk, sung with a slight Jamaican accent -- even though he's a one-time Phish fan from White Plains.

Matisyahu was mesmerizing Tuesday night at the Washington Avenue Armory, playing 90 minutes of intense, infectious reggae and hip-hop that had fans screaming, swaying, dancing and taking cellphone photos from start to end.

The crowd of about 1,500 was mostly college-aged, although there were more than a few teens, like 13-year-old Josh Fisher, who saw Matisyahu for the first time. And yarmulkes were the order of the night for a noticeable number of fans, although few were as outward with their faith as Matisyahu.

Dressed in a black overcoat, sporting a bushy beard and a kipa, Matisyahu looked downright odd fronting a searing five-piece band that pulsed bass-heavy reggae beats and grinding, guitar-fueled rock. But somehow it all fit together, punctuated by Matisyahu as he jumped, skipped and swirled around the stage, moving to the beat during pounding readings of "Chop 'Em Down" and "Fire of Heaven/Altar of Faith," and the slow reggae groove of "Exaltation."

And watching Matisyahu and an identically dressed male dancer do a take on a traditional Jewish dance called the Hora during a wild version of "Youth" was, well, different to say the least. Different but impossible not to watch, and in context and done sincerely.

Matisyahu's sincerity and spirituality elevates him from novelty act status. Hearing his strong, soaring tenor sing "We're all children in the eyes of God" during "Close Your Eyes," you just wanted to close your eyes and believe it. Matisyahu isn't the first to meld reggae and spirituality -- Bob Marley did it years before Matisyahu was born. But Matisyahu does it in a way no one else ever has, and it worked well in Albany on Tuesday night.

State Radio, a hard-hitting Boston-based reggae/ska-punk act, offered up a solid 30-minute performance that sounded somewhat like a hyped-up cross between The Police, Pearl Jam and 1980 ska act Bad Manners. The power trio was intriguing but loud -- obnoxiously loud. Just because your amp goes to 11 doesn't mean you have to play at 11.

Moshav, a five-piece jam-band act from Israel, won some new fans with a 30-minute set that echoed Pearl Jam at times. Led by singer Yehuda Solomon, Moshav mixed it up, injecting reggae and Middle Eastern rhythms into their rock, giving it an edgy ethnic sound that was hard to resist.

Michael Lisi is a freelance music critic from Clifton Park and a frequent contributor to the Times Union.

MUSIC REVIEW

MATISYAHU with State Radio and Moshav

When: 7:45 p.m. Tuesday

Where: The Washington Avenue Armory, Washington Avenue, Albany

Length: Matisyahu, 90 minutes; State Radio, 30 minutes; Moshav, 30 minutes

Crowd: A predominantly Jewish, college-aged crowd of about 1,500, out to dance and soak up the hip-hop reggae sounds of Hasidic reggae star Matisyahu.

Highlights: "Time of Your Song, "Youth," "Exaltation."

Matisyahu: from white suburban teenager to Chassidic reggae star

2006-10-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

By Laura Rheinheimer and
Tomer Altman

Matthew Miller, a self-described “white suburban teenager,” grew up in White Plains, New York, to Reconstructionist Jewish parents. He describes his teenage years as being filled with drugs and treif, (non-kosher food) and listening to hip-hop and reggae.

Today, Matthew Miller is Matisyahu Miller, an observant Chassidic Jew and top-selling artist on the Sony-BMG label. He performs across the country to Jews and non-Jews alike. His most popular song, “King Without a Crown,” made it to number seven in the Billboard charts.
In early September, the artist walked onto stage at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in a black coat and fedora, singing to more than 2,000 fans of all ages and backgrounds. Some teenagers showed up just to hear good music and have a turn in the mosh pit. Others felt more connected to Matisyahu’s connection with G-d.

Elisa Becerra, who was raised Christian, says Matisyahu’s music moved her to seek a deeper connection with G-d, through Orthodoxy. “You feel like the music is speaking directly to you,” Becerra says. “He just has a way of making people feel good.”

Devorah Witt, an Orthodox Jew visiting from Jerusalem, says Matisyahu’s music goes beyond good tunes and inspiration. “I think his music is actively bringing Moshiach,” she says.

Eli Altschuler, a Modern Orthodox Jew from Los Angeles, disagrees. The music is sincere, Altschuler says, but it doesn’t further his own religious convictions.

“He has given the Lubavitch a lot of strength,” adds Avi Blumenstein. “As a person, he’s very inspirational to people worldwide.”

In the Bay Area, however, Matisyahu may be strengthening the religiosity of young Jews. The mere presence of the reggae superstar, whose songs fill teenagers’ MySpace pages and mainstream radio stations, has inspired impressionable youths to show their Jewish pride.
David Linder, a 16-year-old from Saratoga, dons a kippah “for respect” and proudly announces that he skateboards to Matisyahu’s music on his iPod.

“He’s like a role model to me,” Linder says. “You never see a Jewish guy getting up there and doing reggae.”

Linder and a group of friends buy Matisyahu T-shirts to wear at the show, and argue over who gets the title of “biggest fan.” Thirty young adults attended the show together with the Silicon Valley Young Adults Division, a group of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley.

Matisyhau’s San Jose performace included his hit “King Without a Crown” and “Jerusalem.” Many of the words are difficult to understand because of the reggae style of singing, but some of the messages come across loud and clear.

Matisyahu performs “Youth,” a song without strong religious undertones that calls for young men to “make their demands.” Longtime friend and fellow Yeshiva student, Zalman Shimon Wircberg, who is accompanying the Millers on tour, jumps onstage and does Chasidic-style dancing with Matisyahu. The crowd demands two encore songs, and the concert ends well past midnight.

Shabbos
In the days preceding the show, Matisyahu spends Shabbos as any other devout Orthodox Jew, quietly finishing his prayers at the house of Berkeley Chabad Rabbi Yehuda Ferris, while dozens of loud Jewish fraternity members drink wine. During the meal, Matisyahu receives praise after praise about his music, and he accepts each compliment with a “thank you.” It’s hard to imagine this quiet, humble Chasid getting onstage and singing his heart out to thousands of fans.

On tour with Matisyahu is his wife Tahlia, who is due with their second child in November, and son Laivy Yitzhak, 1. The family travels with him when they can, and Tahlia has her own thing going on—she teaches a class on intimacy to young Jews. The Miller family travels from Chabad house to Chabad house while on tour, taking every effort to be observant. “It’s not hard; you just have to know what to look out for,” Matisyahu says.

“When you have your mind made up to do something, you can do it,” he says.

But Matisyahu wasn’t always so directed. For much of his teenage years, he pursued music under the alias “MC Truth” with the group MC Mystic’s Soulfari Band in the New York area. After years of listening to reggae, indulging in marijuana and following the band Phish, he was left feeling soulless and wanted to get out of a life that was “limiting.”

“I started thinking about the world in a different perspective,” Matisyahu says, and he started a gradual process of becoming more religious, which stemmed from a “yearning to go back and communicate with HaShem.”

It was a hard decision for Matisyahu, but he credits the friendly and funny Chabad emissaries for making the transition to being an observant Jew easier. His family took it hard, he says, and they thought it was just another youthful indiscretion.

“My mom was going through a mental breakdown—‘he used to be into drugs, now he’s religious. I don’t know which is worse,’” Matisyahu recalls.

Matisyahu took Halacha (Jewish law) head-on in 2001, and left music behind for a while.

“I made a break from everything in my past,” he says. He thought music would play a role in his life like any other Orthodox Jew, through traditional Jewish music.

“I soon stopped lying to myself and realized that Jewish music sucks basically,” Matisyahu says. “And if I wanted to hear Jewish music, I was going to have to create my own.”

He says his music is based on genres he knew from the past—hip-hop and reggae—but with some of the Jewish ideas and concepts, and found inspiration in Chasidic songs and Sephardic melodies. He says he heard hip-hop beats behind the traditional niggunim (melodies).

Some of the same phrases cross over from reggae. Lyrics such as “fire descends from on high in the shape of a lion/ burn the sacrifice of pride and ride on to Mount Zion” can easily be compared to Bob Marley’s words.

Perhaps it is the timeless themes, or the novelty of a man in a black coat, tzittzit (fringes) and a fedorah twirling onstage, but whatever the reason, Matisyahu quickly went from performing in coffee shops in New York to selling out shows in world capitals.

Two years ago, as he was building a following and grabbing some media attention, he met Tahlia, a New York University student who contacted him to do a video. He kept bumping into her around town, and was intrigued. He recalls skating to mincha together, and was impressed by her spunk dodging in and out of traffic.

“I never saw a girl rollerblade like that,” Matisyahu says. “After two or three dates, I said, ‘This’ll work.’”

While his popularity grows, and he continues to inspire and touch fans from all walks of life, Matisyahu says even though the crowd he attracts isn’t your typical shul-going bunch, his music is an outlet for his own expression; making tunes is something he felt he needed to do.

“I like being out there and saying, ‘This is who I am,’” Matisyahu says.

Music

2006-10-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

I chose to listen and respond to the Matisyahu, "Youth" album. I remember the very first time I heard of Matisyahu, I was so suprised. I actually remember it perfectly, I went to go visit my cousins at OSU and when I went to their dorms, in the lobby on the bulletin there was a picture of a religious man holding a microphone. On the paper it said, "Chabad presents, Matisyahu in Concert at OSU". I was shocked. I called the number on the paper and actually went to go see that concert. This was probably around 2-3 years ago, and now I sign on to American Online and what's the first thing I see, "Matisyahu". I can't believe how well he has been doing, he really made a name for himself. I really enjoyed listening to his "Youth" album, personally I love reggae. Matisyahu uses good beats, along with Jewish related words. Not only is he promoting good music, he is also promoting Judaism. He is proof that one can be religious and still have a life in the "secular" world. I usually don't choose favorites, but if I had to choose one song off of the Youth album, it would be King Without A Crown. I love how it crescendos throughout the whole song, it makes you feel real good. No one has ever really seen a man like this before, it really is unbelieveable if you think about it. He was able to connect to people through his music, many can relate to the type of music and enjoy it. I don't know Matisyahu personally, however maybe Judiasm and Hip-Hop/Reggae are both extremely important in his life and he is able to express both, Judiasm through the words and Hip-Hop/Reggae through the beats and melodies. Lastly, I even saw the Matisyahu cd at starbucks. That may not sound amazing, however I always look at the starbucks cds and they only pick and choose which cds they would like to sell. It just so happens that out of all the cds, Matisyahu was one of them. That has to say something.

Matisyahu uses his music to bridge extremes

2006-10-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 13, 2006
By Mark Bialczak
Staff writer

Nicci Brown knew immediately that she wanted to include a concert to help drive home the message of the daylong Syracuse University summit "Small World/Big Divide: Building Bridges in an Age of Extremes."

"I think we recognize that people perceive and process information in many ways," says Brown, associate vice president at SU, who organized the event that starts at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Schine Student Center's Goldstein Auditorium and concludes at 7:30 p.m. with a Landmark Theatre concert featuring Matisyahu, Kenny Muhammad the Human Orchestra and State Radio.

"That's why (the summit) will involve panel discussions and end with music. Music can reach people in a deep way that maybe words cannot reach them," Brown says.

The lyrics that accompany the blend of reggae and hip-hop musical styles of Matisyahu have been reaching a diverse audience since his 2004 debut disc, "Shake Off the Dust . . . Arise."

Matisyahu was born in West Chester, Pa., as Matthew Miller. He was raised in White Plains before following the jam band Phish on the road and living in

Colorado and Oregon. But it was a trip to Israel that led to his position as Orthodox Judaic singer-songwriter Matisyahu, which is the Hebrew version of his first name.

The 2005 single of a live performance of his song "King Without a Crown" and this March's CD "Youth" have helped propel Matisyahu into the national spotlight. His performance at the Raga Muffins Festival in Los Angeles in March earned a stellar review with the headline "A new testament for the reggae world Matisyahu enraptures Ragga Muffins Festival with his message and ebullient presence."

His message, driven home by the lyrics of the title cut from "Youth," is: Think hard and do something about your world.

"Young man, control in your hands," he sings to the reggae lilt. "Slam your fist on the table and make your demands. Take a stand, fan the fire for the flame of youth. Got the freedom to choose, better make the right move."

Matisyahu will share the night with Kenny Muhammad the Human Orchestra, a Muslim from Queens who's known for his one-man-band performance, and State Radio, a Massachusetts-based band noted for its progressive politics and blend of funk and rock.

"We wanted something this diverse," Brown says. "(The artists) have been informed about what this day is about. Matisyahu was scheduled to perform, I believe, in another part of the country for this day. When we posed the idea for him to be part of the daylong expression, he agreed."

Mark Bialczak can be reached at mbialczak@syracuse.com or 470-2175. His blog "Listen Up" is at www.syracuse.com/blogs/listenup.
© 2006 The Post-Standard. Used with permission.

Copyright 2006 syracuse.com. All Rights Reserved.

Unorthodox, but kosher

2006-10-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

Contemporary Jewish music communicates Judaism through varied styles

By MICHAEL LISI, Special to the Times Union
First published: Thursday, October 12, 2006

Matisyahu matters to Sheera Tanzman.

Rapping spiritual lyrics -- some taken directly from the Torah -- with a Jamaican accent over reggae-tinged hip-hop beats, the bearded singer with the wide-brimmed hat resonates with the 19-year-old sophomore at the University at Albany.

The Hasidic rapper expresses his yearnings for the Promised Land, his desire to follow Hashem (Hebrew for God) and his love of the Jewish culture and religion. And Tanzman, who returned from a 10-month stay in Israel in August, relates.

"What he says hits home for me," said Tanzman, who saw Matisyahu perform in Israel. "His song 'Return to Zion' makes me cry. You feel what he's saying."

She's not alone. Even before his single "King Without a Crown" broke through last year, Jewish teens and 20somethings have embraced Matisyahu, whose debut studio album "Youth" has sold around a half-million copies. The 27-year-old rapper, who plays the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany on Tuesday, has appeared on MTV and played Lollapalloza.

His success has brought attention to other members of the contemporary Jewish music scene, a diverse mix of musicians who communicate their Judaism through varied musical styles, attracting fans even as they raise the eyebrows among skeptical traditionalists and a few rabbis.

Balkan Beat Box is a mash-up of electronica, Eastern European sounds, rock and hip-hop, with horns, DJs and belly dancers. Hip Hop Hoodios is a Latino-Jewish hybrid that plays Latin funk and klezmer. Joshua Nelson melds soul and Jewish liturgical music -- a blend he calls "Kosher-Gospel."

Klezmer pioneers The Klezmatics, who play The Egg in Albany on Sunday, and Jewish funk-rockers Blue Fringe were two of more than 60 performers at last month's Oy!hoo Festival, a weeklong contemporary Jewish music celebration in Manhattan.

"One of the unique things about Matisyahu, and in their own way, Phish, is that they find ways of injecting Jewish DNA into their music," said Seth Rogovoy, a longtime music critic and Jewish music authority, Who wrote "The Essential Klezmer" in 2000.

"At its best, it's really effective and people respond. That's what Bob Marley tapped into 30 years ago."

Sacred and secular

For young people like Tanzman, contemporary Jewish music offers an alternate way to embrace their faith and culture -- secular-sounding music with a spiritual side. It's similar to what Christian rock is for young Christians -- although the subject matter can be less than orthodox.

"I've seen that happen, especially when The Beastie Boys are rapping about matzo and Manischewitz wine," said Rogovoy. "That's something a 14-year-old boy can feel proud of."

For Moshav, a Jewish rock/jam band opening for Matisyahu at the Armory, the opposition between sacred and secular doesn't apply. "I don't think there's a point where Judaism ends and rock music begins," said vocalist and guitarist Duvid Swirsky, speaking from Israel. "It's all mixed together. We're Jews, we all love music, and it's impossible to separate one from the other."

The recent boom has its roots in the klezmer revival of the late 1970s, a musical renaissance in which Jewish musicians fused traditional music with jazz, blues and folk influences. The often wild result was something of a revelation for traditional Jews raised on the "Yiddish swing" of the 1930s and '40s, a subgenre made famous by the Andrews Sisters' smash "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen."

"The fact was that klezmer music was Jewish; you could hear it was Jewish," said Frank London, the Klezmatics' trumpet player, founder and leader. "It was really good and funky and interesting. We laid the groundwork for something that people could reject."

Matisyahu and other contemporary Jewish artists who embrace reggae and hip hop, then, are the next step in the process: It's music that middle-aged klezmer fans might view as too wild.

New labels needed

London suggests the genre has grown wide enough to need a new label, or several.

"If the band has something that makes them identify as Jewish, it's Jewish contemporary music," he said. "It can draw directly from traditional Jewish music sources, Jewish texts or mean singing in Hebrew. There's a lot going on."

That's no surprise coming from London, whose band plays no klezmer on their latest record "Wonder Wheel," an album of folk music set to Woody Guthrie's lyrics.

Still, it's hard not to wonder if music made by Matisyahu and his contemporaries can stand the test of time. And while the music's message is essentially Jewish, it may be a mixed blessing, London said.

"Anytime you're a minority -- less than 1 percent of the world is Jewish -- and doing something that positively embraces that, it's a good thing," he said.

"On the other hand, we're all humans -- and part of me wishes there would be more focus on humanity. When can we just get over it and realize we're all the same?"

Michael Lisi is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to the Times Union.

Music taps into a spiritual side

By SOLVEJ SCHOU

Associated Press

Matisyahu, aka Matthew Miller, has gone from underground curiosity to mainstream star in the course of a year.

The 29-year-old ultraconservative Orthodox Jew, who grew up nonreligious in White Plains, followed up the hit "Live at Stubb's" with his major-label debut "Youth." He also became a father -- welcoming the birth of his son, Laivy, now a year old.

In May, the 6-foot-3 singer -- wearing the traditional long beard, white shirt and black pants of Hasidic men, plus a pair of hip Puma sneakers -- discussed spirituality, parenthood and fame, and balancing being Orthodox within the mostly secular world of music.

Q: A sociologist once said that "music is the kids' religion." How do you reflect on that?

A: In terms of the idea of music being like religion, the two are obviously bound up with each other. From a Jewish perspective, music was used in the temple. The temple was the place where the revelation of God was actually present. ... In every religion and culture, music has been used for the purpose of opening people up in order to sense the spiritual, to sense something which transcends this world.

Q: When you perform ... in front of thousands of people, is it spiritual?

A: There's a spirituality whether you're on stage in front of 25,000 people, or whether you're in a living room with your friend playing guitar. ... People come to a music festival ... to look for some kind of break out of the mundane. That's what music is supposed to offer to people. That's my goal.

Q: What has the last year been like for you?

A: A year ago, I think we were touring, maybe playing some college shows. Basically, "Live at Stubb's" had come out. It was just starting to get radio play. We were going through the summer touring festivals and playing shows. The record started taking off, doing well. A lot has changed.

Q: How do you balance a child, a young son, with playing music?

A: It's a balancing act, but everyone has a balancing act. Having a child, there's absolutely nothing like it in the entire world. Not performing a concert, not owning any car, not being successful at anything, no amount of fame or money. There's nothing like the reward of having a child. You realize how much your parents loved you.

Q: Do you play your music for your son?

A: Yeah, I do sometimes. At first, when he was a really small baby, he would cry. And I would turn the music on pretty loud. That would get him to stop crying. I don't really play it for him that much now. Maybe in the car. I dance with him sometimes, if he's in a bad mood, or if he's kvetchy. I'll pick him up and I'll do some song and dance with him. He loves that.

Q: How do you feel about the secular music community embracing your albums?

A: It was never a question. ... I grew up listening to secular music, going to see concerts and shows. ... I guess growing up, I knew I was a Jewish person, but I didn't relate to my experience. My experience isn't what you would call a Jewish experience. But from the time I was little, I imagined myself making music, playing music. The fact that the audience that likes the music is not necessarily Jewish does not come as a surprise.

Q: There are Orthodox tenets you're supposed to follow, like not performing with nonreligious women in public. Does that apply today, performing on the same stage as female-fronted bands such the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Sleater-Kinney?

A: I probably wouldn't go see them. Unfortunately, there are some really wonderful female singers I wouldn't see. ... The law is that a man is only supposed to hear his wife singing. The idea being that the female voice is a very holy thing. ... I adhere by that pretty much.

Q: But do you fully agree with that law?

A: No, I don't necessarily agree with it. To me, I don't consider the female voice to be that sexual. It can be, but in a lot of cases I don't think it is. For example, I was on an airplane watching TV, and Natasha Bedingfeld was on. I watched it, and I was intrigued by it, from a professional standpoint. She was performing her hit song, but with an acoustic guitar player and three back-up gospel singers. It was amazing. The thought of sexuality didn't cross my mind at all. So I don't necessarily agree with it all the time.

I guess part of the law is creating a fence. It doesn't always make that much sense in the moment, but it might protect you from falling into the wrong places. In general, that's part of the Jewish religion, or adhering to any religion, in an Orthodox way. You adapt yourself to it, and you take it into yourself as well. Mostly when people go through the world they adapt everything to themselves instead of submitting to the greater thing.

Jewish entertainment

Jewish music fans will have a lot to cheer about this week, with The Klezmatics and Matisyahu coming to town on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively.

The Klezmatics with Susan McKeown and Boo Reiners

When: 7 p.m. Sunday

Where: The Egg, Empire State Plaza, Albany

Tickets: $24

Info: 473-1845

Matisyahu

with Moshav and State Radio

When: 8 p.m. on Tuesday

Where: Washington Avenue Armory Sports and Convention Arena, 195 Washington Ave., Albany

Tickets: $30; available in advance at the Armory box office or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com

Info: 694-7160

The following is a quick-hit list of contemporary Jewish music artists and resources worth checking out online:

Artists:

Balkan Beat Box: http://www.balkanbeatbox.com

Hip Hop Hoodios: http://www.hoodios.com

The Klezmatics: http://www.klezmatics.com

Matisyahu: http://www.matisyahu.org

Moshav: http://www.moshavband.com

Joshua Nelson: http://www.joshuanelson.com

Resources:

Oy!hoo: http://www.oyhoo.com

Seth Rogovoy: http://www.rogovoy.com

Jdub Records (contemporary Jewish record label): http://www.jdubrecords.org

Tzadik Records (contemporary Jewish record label): http://www.tzadik.com

All Times Union materials copyright 1996-2006, Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation, Albany, N.Y.

Music review Matisyahu rewards the faithful

2006-09-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 11, 2006
LEE WILLIAMS
The Oregonian

Natan Brownstein, 17, and buddy Gabe Herbs, 14, thought they'd hopped on the wrong bus to Edgefield on Thursday evening. The two friends made a bit of worried noise while riding the No. 77 bus from Portland to Troutdale, their goal being Edgefield's spacious concert lawn.

But, like the performer they had tickets to see, Hasidic reggae-rapper Matisyahu (pronounced something like Modest-yahoo), the boys kept the faith. That hourlong ride on TriMet from their homes in Southwest Portland dropped them off right in front of the historic manor, in fact.

Why did the Brooklyn-born Matisyahu attract these two to Troutdale? "Who's the last Jewish rapper who made it big?" asked Brownstein. "The Beastie Boys? This guy is from Brooklyn, but he represents all of us. And he makes us proud."

The boys were joined by about 2,500 other fans of the 27-year-old artist (real name: Matthew Paul Miller) for the all-age outdoor concert, which drew in Jews, gentiles, hippies and the chosen few still working at Intel as well.

Two summers ago, Matisyahu gained national attention after a set on Carson Daly's late-night show. This spring, a live version of his single "King Without a Crown" broke Billboard's Top 40, achieving the rare feat of bringing faith onto a mostly secular pop chart.

True faith is what divides Matisyahu from a novelty act: There's no doubt, as proven under the concert's harvest moon, that he feels every joyful rhyme he lays out. Backed by two guitars, keyboards, two drum kits and a light show to rival any indoor rock offering, his inspiring words also got the lawn hopping: "Moonlight enlighten my way at twilight from the heights of my roof/ I send praise then poof/ I'm looking up at the night and ask for help to get up and get up and get it right!"

This is more exhilaration than evangelism. And Matisyahu even managed to invoke some humor and faith into the theme from "Rocky" ("Gonna Fly Now"), sputtering out a string of sounds into Bill Conti's famous 1970s instrumental.

When he launched into "King Without a Crown," the grounds of the Edgefield shook from 5,000 thumping, jumping feet. Folks seemed to be reaching for that glowing moon while simultaneously being steered back inward. Led by one voice, the night was a journey of joy, certainly worth the wait -- and the tiny burden of a bus transfer.

Free song

2006-09-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

Matisyahu has recorded a new version of his song "Jerusalem" with legendary production duo Sly & Robbie. The track will be available Sept. 19 from digital retailers but can be accessed for free by fans who have already purchased Matisyahu's album, "Youth," on which the original appears.

The artist is in the midst of a fall tour with Gomez and the Polyphonic Spree, which rolls into San Diego tonight (Sept. 12)

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

World peace summit to feature speakers, musical artist Matisyahu

2006-09-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Eddie Jacovino
Posted: 9/18/06

Syracuse University will host a world peace summit with diplomats and international affairs experts from around the world, also featuring a concert by Matisyahu in October, said Nicole Brown, associate vice president of SU.

The attendees of the summit will include a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

"This is SU saying, okay, we really need to come up with solutions here that can work in the real world," Brown said.

The event, titled, "Small Word/Big Divides: Building Bridges in an Age of Extremes," will be held Oct. 18 in Goldstein Auditorium. The day will feature two or three panels that will include guests such as Richard Holbrooke, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and Dennis Ross, author and diplomat, Brown said. The discussions will be free and open for students to easily come and go.

While the prompts for the panel discussions may be about the Middle East, she said, the issues are similar in nature to those in other parts of the world.

"We're drawing all these folks together," Brown said. "These are not the type of conversations that are talked about and then everybody forgets what was said."

Panelists will be exploring which solutions for peace work and which do not, she said.

The concert will be held the night of Oct. 18 at the Landmark Theater featuring Matisyahu, Kenny Muhammad, the Human Orchestra, and State Radio, Brown said. Tickets for the concert are currently available to students at the Schine box office and go on sale to the public Tuesday morning.

"The concert, in some ways, mimics the theme of what's being talked about," Brown said.

SU asked University Union Concerts to help with putting on the concert portion of the summit, said Helen Koutsourades, UU Concerts public relations director. By asking the students to help, SU is fulfilling Chancellor Nancy Cantor's scholarship in action campaign.

© Copyright 2006 The Daily Orange

Want to spend Shabbat with Matisyahu?

2006-08-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

Did I stutter? I don't think so. If you want to spend Shabbat Chabad-style with Chassidic reggae superstar Matisyahu on Friday and Saturday, September 8-9, click here for details (and if spending Shabbat with Matisyahu isn't enough, the whole Chein family will be there as well!). The shabbaton is free for UCSC students; don't thank me, thank the Chabad Student Center. And don't forget to RSVP.

In other Matisyahu-related news, a new Matisyahu website (MatisyahuWorld.com) was recently launched, but is not yet fully functional. So far, there is a nice d'var Torah from Matis and a new remix of Jerusalem.

This past Shabbos I think I met one of Matisyahu's biggest fans. He related how at Purimpalooza, he waited outside without a ticket because he heard that even though it was sold out, they were still going to sell a few tickets; but they didn't. So he just waited for like six hours. He also got a parking violation, and he said that he ended up losing about $500 throughout the night, which I hope was an exaggeration. But, it was maybe worth it, because "I actually saw The Man walk into the building; Matisyahu." Gevalt, gevalt! I told this guy to keep an eye on the JewniProj if he wants updates on The Man. Hopefully he took my advice.

MATISYAHU Youth

2006-08-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

There was a time when music fitted neatly into categories like "Rock", "Reggae" and "Gangsta Rap". And then came Matisyahu.

This most unlikely of musical sensations to come out of the States in the last year cuts an unlikely figure in the plastic world of pop music with his full-length beard and fedora. His sound is heavily reggae-influenced, but draws on elements of dub, ska, and some lickety-split vocal sampling that can only be described as beatboxing.

Born Matthew Paul Miller, he turned to Orthodox Judaism in 2001, and took the name Matisyahu (a Hebrew derivation of Matthew). He reportedly won’t do concerts on a Friday, or share the stage with a woman.

'Youth', his first full-length release comes on the heels of a live recording — 'Live at Stubbs' — that went gold on a minimum of marketing.

While that album was bursting with energy and the raw sound of a four piece on stage, 'Youth' is tighter on the production, and draws more on the effects and samples.

The result is an album that manages the difficult feat of being instantly accessible while remaining intriguing and thoroughly listenable over the long term.

Stand out songs include the title track, a muscular call to arms that has troubled charts on both sides of the Atlantic. 'Time of Your Song', meanwhile, is pure pop perfection with its earnest lyrics, skippity rolling beat and subtle classical melodies.

The compelling 'King Without A Crown' is perhaps Matisyahu's signature song, the only track to feature on both albums; the studio version is undeniably weaker.

But that's probably because a musician like Matisyahu has to be seen to be believed — a reggae poet with a beard and a fedora who's set to become a superstar. Believe it.

Hasidic Jew makes kosher reggae for the masses

2006-08-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

Rapper, singer Matisyahu infuses his faith into uplifting lyrics
Monday, August 21, 2006
BY JEFF DIAMANT
Star-Ledger Staff

Moshe Herson seemed perplexed. Never before had the 72-year-old Orthodox rabbi in Morristown been asked to listen to reggae to see if he could hear Talmudic overtones.

Of course, until three months ago no Hasidic Jew had ever been crowned Best New Entertainer at the International Reggae and World Music Awards.

So one recent morning in his office, Herson, dean of the Rabbinical College of America, listened on a borrowed iPod to Matisyahu, the 27-year-old Hasidic music sensation whose mix of reggae, rap and rock has won gold status for two recent albums, "Live at Stubb's" and "Youth."

Orthodox youth generally avoid pop music, but since 2004, Matisyahu's religious-themed reggae has become familiar to many young people across the Orthodox world, which includes the leafy campus of the rabbinical college.

Matisyahu is part of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement of Judaism. He wears black religious garb while performing. And his songs, which have sold more than a million albums, draw lyrics from prayers, psalms and Jewish themes on God, messianism and nationhood.

Until last month Herson had never heard the music. But as Matisyahu's popularity has surged, Herson -- like most Lubavitch Jews -- has come to know who the singer is.

"He seems to have transcended the Jewish community," Herson said.

Herson chuckled at a few lyrics, set to reggae beats, with themes he recognized from Jewish teachings collected in the Talmud. And he later found it simple to connect those lyrics to specific prayers and psalms.

For example, he mentioned the Matisyahu line "Without you / there is no me" -- which comes from "King Without a Crown," a song about striving to be close to God.

"That's from a concept elucidated by Hasidic philosophy," Herson said. "We are totally and constantly dependent on 'the being,' on the source of energy coming from above, so, 'without you, there's no me.'"

He identified a line from the same song -- "You're like water for my soul / when it gets thirsty" -- as coming from Psalms 63:2: "God ... my soul thirsts for you."

And he noted that the line "Jerusalem, if I forget you / let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do," from the song "Jerusalem," comes straight from Psalms 137:5, which reads, "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither."

He stressed that while he felt Matisyahu's message is positive, he didn't endorse his music. Many Lubavitchers don't want their children listening to Matisyahu, fearing the line is too thin between his and other popular music.

And clearly, while Matisyahu doesn't sing about sex or drugs, some of his lyrics, at least taken in isolation, can seem better suited for a 1960s protest chant than for the iPods and CD players of Hasidic teens. For example, there's the chorus to "Youth": "Young man, the power's in your hands. Slam your fist on the table and make your demands."

But as several Orthodox fans noted in interviews, the song is meant to encourage young people, urging them to overcome their vanities, to "focus ... energy into a laser beam." Youth, Matisyahu sings, is "the engine of the world."

That message is why Chana Solomon of Morristown, a Lubavitcher whose 9-year-old daughter attends the rabbinical college's summer camp, said she lets her children listen.

"In this day and age, there's too many occasions of kids that want to do right but are afraid to get up and stand up there," she said. "A lot of songs teach what's wrong. Here's a song saying, 'Don't! Stand up and be strong!'... 'Slam your first down and say, I'm gonna do what's right.'"

Several students and counselors at the summer camp noted Matisyahu has wide followings among non-Jews, adding his approach fits well with the Lubavitch emphasis on outreach. While that outreach is usually directed to less-religious Jews, they said Matisyahu helps spread the spirit of Hasidism worldwide.

"He promotes godliness and pride for spirituality," said Yaacov Leaf, 23, a recent graduate of the rabbinical college. "We believe you shouldn't be intimidated by the world, that we should go out to the world and make the world a better place. Especially these days when we face so many challenges, Jew and non-Jew alike."

Many Lubavitchers clearly enjoy watching one of their own make a dent in popular culture while keeping his religious identity. Matisyahu declined to be interviewed for this article, but he has said on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" that he wouldn't perform on the Sabbath, even for millions of dollars; has performed his "human beat-box" on CNN; and has said on Portuguese TV that the deceased Lubavitch leader, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, inspired "Youth."

"It makes me happy to know the broader world is being affected by his good work. He's an emissary in his own right," said Levi Lipskar, 20, a graduate of the college, using the term Lubavitch Jews use to describe those among them who open synagogues around the world and encourage less-religious Jews there to become more observant.

Matisyahu is far from the first musician, Jewish or otherwise, to write songs with religious themes. Born Matthew Miller in 1977, the lanky native of White Plains, N.Y., grew up in a non-Orthodox Jewish home, listened to reggae in high school, and became Orthodox in 2001. His first album was "Shake off the Dust ... Arise."

Now living in Brooklyn with a wife and son, he has cited an eclectic mix of influences for his music: Schneerson, Bob Marley, the deceased Orthodox rabbi/musician Shlomo Carlebach, the band Phish and his growing knowledge of the Torah, ancient writings that provide the basis for Jewish law.

"It is interesting what he's doing," Herson said. "It's interesting that, from those concepts he has absorbed through his learning ... of Torah, he extracted certain items which serve now as the foundation for the songs."

Jeff Diamant covers religion. He may be reached at jdiamant@starledger.com or (973) 392-1547.

Matisyahu's devout reggae makes deep connection

2006-08-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

By Craig Rosen

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It happened toward the end of Matisyahu's 90-minute set. While performing his signature hit "King Without a Crown," the Hasidic Jewish reggae singer knelt down at the lip of the stage and shook hands with a Mohawk-sporting punk. That one moment effectively illustrated the universal appeal of pop music's most unlikely star.

The devoutly religious Jew has managed to take authentic reggae into the mainstream and garner a diverse following whose loyalty runs deeper than radio-driven fandom. That was made clear by Matisyahu's show Wednesday at the Greek.

It's been more than a year since the White Plains, N.Y.-based singer emerged seemingly from nowhere with his independently released "Live at Stubbs," which subsequently was upstreamed to Sony BMG's Epic label and spawned the top 10 modern rock hit "King Without a Crown." His follow-up major-label debut, "Youth," debuted in the top five of the nation's sales charts in March, but since then the industry buzz surrounding Matisyahu has subsided. Yet fans at the Greek were on their feet for most of Matisyahu's set, strongly suggesting that the former Phish-head born Matthew Miller will maintain a healthy cult following long after the novelty has worn off.

Wearing the traditional Hasid garb of a dark suit, tallit, a white shirt and a broad-brimmed black hat, the lanky, bespectacled and bearded singer commanded the stage with charisma to burn. At times, he stood nearly motionless, punctuating his vocals with a single hand movement. At others, he bounded around the stage like a light-footed prizefighter.

Backed by the three-piece Roots Tonic plus an auxiliary keyboardist and percussionist, Matisyahu and company dug deep reggae grooves that had much of the crowd dancing in the aisles. The trio of guitarist Aaron Dugan, bassist Josh Werner and drummer Jonah David was particularly tight, bringing to mind the instrumental prowess of the premiere reggae crossover act, the Police.

Matisyahu's brand of reggae is more authentic than the version that the Sting-led trio rode to the top of the charts in the '80s, but so far his two hits are only as memorable as some of the Police's album tracks, not close to the trio's indelible smashes.

Perhaps to make up for the lack of standout material, Matisyahu employed a few tricks to keep the set interesting. A rapper guested during one number, and a dancer made an appearance during another. At other points, Matis perched on an amplifier and showed off his skills as a human beatbox.

More important than the gimmicks, however, was a deep-seated passion and spirituality that flowed from his music. It was moving -- even if you didn't know exactly what Matisyahu was singing about -- and transcended religious and ethnic boundaries.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Lord raise me up - Matisyahu in Paris

2006-08-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

Pop culture pulls religion straight from the synagogues, launching a cultural shift

2006-08-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

Pop culture pulls religion straight from the synagogues, launching a cultural shift
It's hip to be Jewish

By Jessica Wanke
Gannett News Service

Although the trend is rooted in Los Angeles and New York, Judaism as pop culture is spreading to places in the nation where people have traditionally been unfamiliar with Judaism, even intolerant of it.

For instance, in Arizona only about 82,000 people, or 1.6 percent of the population, are Jewish by religion or ethnicity. Yet Matisyahu, a recording artist billed as the "Hasidic Reggae Superstar," sold out a show this year in Phoenix.

The 26-year-old Hasidic Jew from the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., gave a high-energy performance for screaming fans.

Although Judaism is one of the oldest religious traditions practiced today, it is new to many of the non-Jews encountering Matisyahu's music.

Matisyahu's latest album, "Youth," peaked at the No. 4 spot on Billboard magazine's chart of the top 200 albums in March, the month it was released, and has since been a favorite on MTV and pop radio stations.

"People are looking for something that's eternal and something that's solid in a world of chaos," the soft-spoken singer said backstage after his Phoenix show. "So they're turning toward their roots and their culture and looking toward religion and to God."

Semetic celebration

Traces of Judaism in pop culture can be found on many TV channels: On MTV, Gwen Stefani's video "Rich Girl," is a take on a "Fiddler on the Roof" song; Comedy Central celebrates "Heroes of Jewish Comedy"; and the VH1 program "So Jewtastic!" recognizes the hipness in things Jewish.

T-shirts with such slogans as "W.W.B.D. (What Would Barbra Do?)," "Jewcy" and "Moses Is My Homeboy" have found their way into urban style.

Items such as these can be found for sale on the pages of Heeb magazine, an edgy, progressive chronicle of Jewish-related politics, culture and entertainment that derives its name from a long-held slur against Jewish people.

"For us, it was the reclaiming of this age-old badge of shame being turned into a badge of honor," explains Joshua Neuman, Heeb's publisher and editor in chief.

The magazine has taken off since it was founded in 2002 and has been somewhat of a catalyst driving the trend.

Growing phenomenon

"We went from being this tiny, saddle-stitched, black-and-white, 60-something-page magazine being made out of the basement of a Lower East Side New York synagogue, to this four-color, 80-page, perfect-bound magazine, which is now looked at as the voice of young Jews today," Neuman says.

In four years, the magazine's circulation has increased and though it is primarily targeted at 20- and 30-something Jews, the larger audience is starting to pay attention. Heeb can be found in bookstores and getting nods in the mainstream, in Playboy and on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart."

Cross-cultural dialogue

Whether this trend will leave a lasting impression on American culture is debated.

Like previous ethnicity- inspired trends - hip-hop, Latin salsa - Neuman predicts the commercial craze will die down.

"I see the celebrity worship that's happening around the Kabbalah centers as part of a general trend that happens in Hollywood, with new New Age formulas coming into vogue and then going out of vogue," he says. "The moment will pass."

For the time being, though, the trend is fueling cross- cultural dialogue. Matisyahu's show brought together people, such as Hasidic Jews and Mexican Catholics, who normally would never cross paths.

Rene Portillo, 33, of Sonora, Mexico, drove to Phoenix for the show after becoming familiar with the artist's music. Explaining what it is about Matisyahu that appeals to him, Portillo lifted a gold cross on his neck and said, "He's Jewish."

"We're humans, we're brothers. Todos somos iguales."

We're all the same.

Copyright 2006 Lansing State Journal

Commentary

2006-08-07T08:31:00.000-07:00

As for the appeal of Judaism, I think a big part of it is that there is a degree of authenticity to what Jews do and how Jews live. They don't go out violently conquering and converting people. They don't make outrageously false claims at persecution like many Christians do (think Bill O'Reilly). Jews actually have been slaughtered and persecuted by the millions. And yet they still go on. And I think there's something very compelling about that. Plus there is the sense of community. Christianity is a very outward-looking religion, focused on making disciples of everyone else. Modern Christianity does not seem to bear much interest in the well-being of its followers once they've been 'saved.' They just move on to the next heathens and go at them. Judaism is primarily concerned with its own followers. Not to mention, Judaism is viewed as the parent of the religions that dominate the world today, which lends it an air of precedence.

Another appeal of Judaism that it shares with the 'New Age' religions is that it comes in so many different incarnations. You can believe almost anything and still refer to yourself as a Jew. From Kabbalists to secular Gnostics to Orthodox Jews, there is a flavor for nearly everyone.

Funky Philosophical ... Thoughts

2006-08-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Anyway, the other day, my mom gave me an article about the Hassidic Reggae Superstar, Matisyahu. It was in the local newspaper -The Herald Dispatch- under the section where they cover new musicians and arts and stuff like that. However, before she gave it to me, she had talked to me about it a bit and I thought she was talking about Etan G, the Jewish rapper I raved about last night. I got some of his songs and ... they were good. But I still hadn't read the article.

Later that evening, when we were having family time, she gave me the article, which I later found online. Most of it was very ... normal and not really all that interesting ... but there was one quote by the artist in question that I thought was quite ... interesting ... and tied into something that my pastor had been talking about as well. The quote follows:

"People are looking for something that's eternal and something that's solid in a world of chaos. So they're turning toward their roots and their culture and looking toward religion and to God."
-Matisyahu, to the Gannett News Service[1]

The part that I'm going to pull out of that quote is that first sentence. The part about people looking for something eternal and solid in a world of chaos. My pastor said something quite along those lines not a few months ago - people are looking for something that is genuine now. Something that they can feel and experience and know. But the real thing that they're looking for is something genuine. It's something that is quite lacking in the post-modern world that most of you are living in.[2]

This, to me, partially explains the explosion of what I'm going to call Pop Judaism in the last few years.[3] In the song "Be Good, Be Cool, Be Jewish," it states that "Judaism has been around for thousands of years" and "have made more of an impact than anyone."[4] These are earmarks of something genuine. And this is very attractive, especially to the disillusioned Gen-Xers. They're able to attach themselves to something strong, something enduring, something bigger than themselves in Judaism and that's what they are crying for.

whoa, lollapalooza

2006-08-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

my roommate dragged me to watch matisyahu and i'm glad that she did! we sat down in the grass and just chilled out to his music.

Brooklyn becoming new celebrity locale

2006-08-06T23:31:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK, Aug. 6 (UPI) --

Celebrities, including film actors Heath Ledger and Jennifer Connelly, are flocking to live in the New York borough of Brooklyn, a report says.

The New York Post said Brooklyn, with its brownstone buildings and its noticeable distance from the public spotlight, is increasing its celebrity population as more stars seek a low-profile residence.

Famed musicians such as Mos Def and Busta Rhymes have recently come to call the borough home, as have the members of the quirky rock band They Might Be Giants.

Many of the area's celebrities are set to be featured in author Anthony LaSala and photographer Seth Kushner's new book "The Brooklynites," which will focus on area residents in familiar locales, the newspaper said.

The Post said among those celebrities to be featured in the new book will be actor Steve Buscemi, rapper Matisyahu, and "The Ice Storm" author Rick Moody.

2006-08-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

The last few bands have been revealed for this years' V Festival.

Pure Reason Revolution and Mute Math have been added today, as well as The Pipettes (Weston Park Only, Saturday 19th August) and Matisyahu (Hylands Park Only, Saturday 19th August) to replace The Concretes and The Dodgems (Weston Park, Saturday 19th August, Hylands Park Sunday 20th August) to replace Love Bites.

Festival Director, Bob Angus comments: "With just under three weeks until the festival, we are delighted to add the final touches to the line-up. Our vision at the beginning was
to deliver a first class line-up that would suit all music tastes. The fans will let us know if we have delivered, but we are confident that we have!"

Eclectic crowd treated to Chassidic 'spectacle'

2006-07-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

THERE was an odd blend of people at Surry Hills’ Gaelic Club on Monday night. An eclectic mix of kippa-wearing Jews, bogans and the funky underground beanie-wearers who generally frequent the venue.

The sell-out audience were there for Matisyahu, a Chassidic reggae artist, who is currently in the midst of his first whirlwind Australian tour. The performance, which will be followed by shows in Melbourne and Auckland, is hot on the heels of the singer’s acclaimed set at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in Byron Bay on Sunday.

Despite the hype, the Sydney concert had a slow start, with the Australian audience taking a while to adjust to the bearded, 1.9-metre-tall reggae artist singing about “the Lord” with a Jamaican accent and a deadpan expression.
One audience member commented, “If it was anyone else but a Chassidic Jew singing this kind of thing I wouldn’t be that impressed. It seems like a bit of a gimmick.”

But by the time the 27-year-old singer, born Matthew Paul Miller, got to his hit song, King Without a Crown, he had won his audience over. The masses were bopping in time to reggae beats, nodding their heads as if in agreement to Matisyahu’s refrain, “I want Moshiach now” (even if they didn’t know what it meant), while the singer danced like Tevye after too many vodkas.

Some Jewish audience members had heard very little of his music and were at the concert simply for the spectacle, others sang along to his every word, a difficult task due to a combination of the pace at which he sang and the acoustics of the venue.

Some non-Jewish audience members said they had heard his music on Triple J and barely seemed to notice when he threw the occasional Hebrew prayer into his repertoire.

Towards the end of the concert, Matisyahu reached out to the audience, telling them that Jews believe in the importance of prayer, especially in groups.

“If you look at what is happening in the Middle East, they really need our prayers,” he said. The crowd, which included Israeli artist Old Man River, let out a unanimous roar.

“It’s amazing that he puts on a yarmulke and gets out there,” remarked a fan after the show.

“He’s a good ambassador for our people, he shows there is a spectrum within Judaism. He makes a lot of Jews proud to be Jewish,” said another.

Matisyahu was raised in New York in a liberal Jewish family and became a ba’al t’shuva (a Jew who has returned to Orthodoxy) at the age of 22. He released his first album, Shake off the Dust ... Arise in 2004 and his next album, Live at Stubb’s, has sold more than 500,000 copies to date. His latest album, Youth, reached number four on the American Billboard Charts. Matisyahu cites influences as diverse as Bob Marley, Phish and Outkast.

Matisyahu’s Youth is available now through Red Label/Sony BMG.

Jumping Jew flash; Matisyahu's a gas

2006-07-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

WHERE would you find a world-famous reggae star just half an hour before their sold-out overseas show?

In shul of course, davvening Maariv and listing to a shiur about the nine days between rosh chodesh Av and Tisha b'Av; a mourning period during which the singer is ironically scheduled to play shows.

Matisyahu, the Chassidic pop sensation, was reportedly spotted at the Yeshivah Centre, before taking the stage before a throng of screaming Melbourne fans at St Kilda’s Prince of Wales on Tuesday night (July 25).

The Orthodox singer is an odd site: 1.9-metres tall, clad in traditional Orthodox garb -- a white shirt tucked neatly under a black suit -- with a black hat tipped, like Michael Jackson, to the side.

He jumps and bounces like an African Masai Warrior with flying tzitzit, and dances across the stage backwards with his arms raised in the air. Meanwhile, the crowd of largely 18 year olds to 50-somethings are barely able to contain themselves.

With their fists in the air, Jews and non-Jews alike join in one voice shouting, "building beit hamikdash", and "we want Moshiach now!".

But it wasn't only religious-tinged topics that the quietly-spoken New Yorker sang about. Matisyahu's music also explores universal themes including pollution and deforestation. He also treated his audience to a five-minute-long beat-box set.

Matisyahu performs with a contagious energy, but when it comes to addressing the crowd, he is soft spoken and reserved. His words, however, still resonate.
"Lets channel our positive thoughts to the Middle East," he said. "Our brothers and sisters are sleeping in bomb shelters tonight."

After just one encore, Matisyahu returned to close the show with a timely version of Psalm 137: "Jerusalem if I forget you, let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do."

Even after Matisyahu left the stage and the house lights were back on, hundreds remained fixed in their spots, wondering whether they will have the opportunity to see a jumping Chassidic reggae star bust rhymes about Judaism again.

We can only hope (and pray)

Reggae, already

2006-07-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

LUCY CARNE
16jul06

WITH your eyes shut, Matisyahu makes sense.

Infectious dancehall reggae and a Jamaican accent singing Old Testament themes of Babylon and Zion. Nothing new there.

But then you have the singer. A white, lanky, 196cm tall New Yorker, who also happens to be an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jew.

Introducing Matisyahu, the world's first Jewish reggae star who is storming up the US charts.

Sporting full Hasidic dress, even on stage, complete with yarmulke, beard, thick glasses and wide hat, the 26-year-old may seem like a bad Ali G joke – more rabbi than rasta.

"I guess to a lot of people a Jewish reggae star seems insane, but to me it doesn't seem insane," the softly-spoken singer says, as he plays with his son in a London park.

"It's just real life, this is my life."

Jewish newspaper Daily Forward named him one of the top five most influential Jews in America, whereas Esquire magazine awarded him Most Lovable Oddball.

He is, perhaps, the first musician to credit rabbis on his CD sleeves. Drugs and working on the Sabbath are outlawed, as is stage diving – as he is forbidden to touch any woman who is not related. He even turned down dinner with Madonna as his beliefs don't permit women to perform.

But despite his eyebrow-raising restrictions, Matisyahu's booming record sales quickly dismiss any hints of gimmick.

His breakthrough album Live At Stubb's, which hit Australia last week, has sold more than half a million copies in America and the UK.

His follow up album Youth went to number four on the US Billboard charts and he sells out concerts across the world.

"It doesn't concern me," Matisyahu says, dismissing the novelty accusations.

"I would say nothing to those people, I would have nothing to say.

"If I feel that I'm doing what's true to me, then it doesn't matter if someone else thinks it's not true.

"If you're just sitting in your lawn chair and having a lemonade and that is what you do, then you won't care if someone walks by and says that's not really lemonade, it's iced tea.

"That's the constant struggle for myself – to do what's real for me, to try and find the real thing for me."

With lyrics including: "Torah food for my brain, let it rain till I drown, Thunder! Let the blessings come down," Matisyahu's spirituality has struck a chord and uncovered a previously untapped and clearly profitable market.

"Maybe it touches upon something human in people, whether that's a spiritual thirst or whatever it is," he says.

"It doesn't matter if it's 100 people in a club or 500,000 people listening to the music on the radio on their way to work. If people are responding to the music, then they've responded."

Born Matthew Miller and raised by a non-observant Jewish family, Matisyahu's first gig was a Grateful Dead concert as a toddler.

He spent his teenage years devouring Bob Marley, OutKast and the Roots.

He rebelled with dreadlocks, beatboxing at the back of the classroom, dabbling in drugs and following jam-band Phish across America.

But his spiritual awakening unfolded when he bumped into a rabbi in Washington Square Park and was introduced to the Lubavitch organisation.

Surprisingly, Matisyahu's love of reggae and skull-cap rap continued to flourish under the constrictions of the strict sect, even as his success grew and he found himself inside the often hedonistic world of rock.

"I just see my music and my religion being a focal part of what I do, and not one really being used for the other," he says.

"Being a musician and being successful is no contradiction to my religion. And it's not so hard touring. Sure, you have to find kosher food and synagogues and try to be focused and on a path. But that's like anywhere. Whether I'm on tour or not, trying to be devoted to anything is tough.

"While I have to be somewhere like a festival, you have to take it in and be aware of what's happening around you, but at the same time as connecting with it be separate from it. It's kinda tricky, but it can be done."

Orthodox beats

2006-07-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

Reggae and rap are not normally associated with Judaism, says Andrew Drever.

YOU'D think he'd be used to it by now, but US Hasidic reggae star Matisyahu was taken aback by the reaction in Portugal recently.

Although afforded a near-messianic reception by fans at his shows, a 6' 5" Jewish singer-rapper in traditional Hasidic garb of black suit, white shirt, long beard and black hat - the same uniform he wears on stage each night - is still something of a novelty in Lisbon.

"We had a tremendous turnout at our concert for our first time there," he says, while between concerts in London, "but when I walked down the street, I got two reactions. People either recognised me, because there's no one else in Portugal who looks anything like me, or they think an alien just walked off the spaceship and is walking down the street. They kind of got freaked out. When I'm in Europe, England, Spain or Portugal, it's so in-your-face! You really begin to realise why Jews started cutting their beards and not wearing their yarmulkes. You stand out, and you know what it feels like to be a minority, because you get people looking at you and feeling that you're strange."

Described by Rolling Stone magazine as "the strangest thing to climb the Billboard charts this year", Matisyahu cuts a striking figure, and his unusual look has piqued the curiosity of many music fans.

His breakthrough live album Live at Stubb's has sold 500,000 copies and went top 40 on the album charts in the US, and his latest, Youth, went to number four. His relentless gigging and impassioned, uplifting shows have converted a secular audience to his unique Hasidic reggae sound.

Still dismissed by detractors as a novelty act despite being America's biggest reggae star, Matisyahu is cautious about revealing his theories on his success.

"Some people would say that this is oversimplifying it," he says, "but I think the bottom line is that my music speaks to people. Music touches people, hopefully, and that's why there's a response."

An orthodox Jew doing reggae music is unusual, and reggae purists aren't yet convinced by him, but Matisyahu is unconcerned with appeasing that audience.

"I think that my music is different from the typical reggae sound or even the typical dancehall sound you hear coming up right now," he says. "It's a lot different, and we'll continue to make music that's not reggae music necessarily, because we're constantly listening to different styles of music and we don't feel like we owe it to reggae music to have to stay within the lines of what's considered reggae."

Born into a secular Jewish household in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and raised in White Plains, New York, a camping trip to Colorado and subsequent trip to Israel when he was 16 awakened the then Matthew Miller's dormant Jewish identity.

After he dropped out of school and followed US stoner rock group Phish on a US tour, his worried parents sent him to a wilderness school in Oregon that encouraged artistic pursuits. He attended a weekly open-mic session at a coffee shop, where he rapped, sang and beat-boxed.

He continued honing his skills upon his return to New York in the late '90s, finally converting and adopting the observant name Matisyahu (Hebrew for Matthew).

Now with a wife, Tali and baby son, Laivy, he keeps kosher, prays three times a day and observes the traditional Jewish Sabbath from Friday sunset until Saturday sundown, during which time he can't play gigs. He also cannot come into physical contact with women, which has forced him to do away with his famed stage-diving. Arguably, he is still fighting for credibility, but there is a huge interest in his music.

He comes across as a private, serious and somewhat humourless person, although one senses he has been burned by the press before. He was particularly cagey about discussing messages in his lyrics and is reticent about aligning himself with the Lubavitch stream of Judaism, an association he has freely discussed in the past.

"I don't want to be tied to a movement or be the poster boy for anything," he says. "I don't come with a prescribed plan, like I'm going to convert the world to Judaism or something. But I am going to try and influence every Jew that they should come back to religion!

I just try and make music that's ethical and allows people to find their own answers. I think that's the important thing. People have the answers, and they have to come to it themselves, make decisions and be able to come to a place in themselves, and music is one of those tools that can provide that".
Matisyahu performs at the Prince of Wales, St Kilda, on Tuesday, July 25. Youth is out now on Sony Music.

Matisyahu Revu.nl interview

2006-07-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Matisyahu performed in The Melkweg, Amsterdam. Revu.nl interviewed him beforehand and shot some footage at the show and with the fans.

Bonnaroo

2006-07-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

Click on link for Bonnaroo

Matisyahu at the Bat

2006-07-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Hasidic MC steps up to the plate and rocks some pitches at the Bonnaroo festival's batting cages.

Matisyahu takes his cuts in the MLB batting cages at Bonnaroo.

We couldn't help but publish this amazing shot of Matisyahu, the original Hasidic MC, taking swings in the batting cages at last month's Bonnaroo festival -- check below for a full-size shot. Artists performing at the fest got the chance to compete for prizes in the Major League Baseball-sponsored activity.

While Matisyahu did smack the ball around, three other performers -- Phil Pollard from Band of Humans, Vinnie Amico from moe., and Jeremy Plog from Jackie Greene -- each connected on a perfect 15 of 15 pitches. The tiebreaker? Each winner made a prediction on which MLB team would record the most wins in July. Phil and Vinnie picked the New York Mets (with Phil predicting 19 wins to Vinnie's 17), and Jeremy going with the Los Angeles Dodgers and a prediction of 18 wins.

Talk: Which artist would be the most fun to hang with at the batting cages?

pimpmyweeble

2006-07-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

I first saw him in Spin Magazine and now that I've heard him I think I wanna marry him. Unfortunately he probably has or is looking for a nice Jewish girl.

Matisyahu is the 'shizzle' fo sho. I'm digging the verve of his deep lyrics and the music this melody man brings. I'm lov'n it like Ronald Mc Donald, hecks yeh. I musta played King With Out a Crown like a hundred times before finally deciding to add it to my profile. Music I can groove to and worship to, like what!

Matisyahu: An Orthodox Bob Marley

2006-07-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

By JESSICA FREIMAN
CJN Intern

Reggae phenomenon Matisyahu wants to make aliyah: “I plan on moving to Israel, probably in the next year or two,” he told The CJN in an exclusive interview.

Some call him a phenomenon; others, a curiosity. Rolling Stone magazine described him as “the strangest thing to climb the Billboard charts this year.”

One thing is certain, however: Chassidic reggae superstar Matisyahu has arrived, and in a big way.

Despite his black suit, velvet kippah and tzitzit flying in every direction as he bopped around the stage at Toronto’s Molson Amphitheatre last month, the audience was dancing right along with him, mouthing lyrics such as “treif wine clouds the heart.”

Those singing along, however, were not Lubavitch – they were in their teens and early 20s, and were not necessarily Jewish.

Matisyahu’s unique blend of Chassidic adages and reggae pop has created such a buzz that his first studio album, Youth, released this year, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard album chart. Not to mention that it has sold more than one million copies.

But the ba’al tshuvah/beatboxer has no desire to be the poster boy for Orthodox Judaism. “I’m not trying to do anything except be the best singer, performer, person, Jew I can be,” he told The CJN in an exclusive interview. “It’s not about trying to be a role model or trying to be an artist. I am who I am.

“Like everyone, I’m trying to be as good as I can be at what I do. In the process, if that inspires people or makes Jewish kids feel proud to be Jewish, that’s good. But that’s not my sole purpose.”

Although the genre of reggae pop is not the traditional avenue of Orthodox creativity, Matisyahu believes that what he creates is Jewish music.

“Whatever culture Jews are in or whatever area they were in, they adapted the music of that culture, and then they infused it with Jewish ideas and perspectives. I would say what makes music Jewish is the content of the ideas in the music… so I would say my music is Jewish,” he said.

Singing about Galus (exile) in one song, the High Priest in the next, and wanting Mashiach now on his most popular single, King Without a Crown, which enjoys heavy rotation on MTV, Matisyahu is arguably contributing the only example of “Jewish” music to popular culture today. He is definitely the only Orthodox Jew who, in the past few months, has opened for the Dave Matthews Band and shared the stage with Sting.

Seeing other Orthodox Jews make it in the mainstream music world is not necessarily a goal of the 6-foot-4 star. “It is what it is. I wouldn’t like to see Orthodox Jews becoming famous just because they’re Orthodox,” he said.

“It would be good to see people becoming famous that are substantial people and that have something to say, making a kiddush HaShem and making a good name for the Jewish people in general.”

In a world where anti-Jewish sentiments are not uncommon, a positive Jewish public figure like Matisyahu may be countering negative attitudes toward Judaism.

“I think my music is creating a good vibe for a lot of people, all kinds of people who don’t understand Jews or Judaism. I’m just being out there and doing something positive in the world, which Jews really have always done in Judaism,” he said.

Born 27 years ago to secular Jewish parents in White Plains, New York, the artist formerly known as Matthew Miller has travelled a distinctive path since he was taken to a Grateful Dead concert while still in diapers. Growing up, he was sent to Hebrew school and despised it. Later, he dropped out of high school to follow rock band Phish across the United States on their tour and he experimented with LSD.

Next, his parents sent him to a drug treatment centre in Oregon, where he performed reggae and beatboxing locally (beatboxing is the art of creating beats, rhythms and melodies using the mouth), calling himself MC Truth.

Upon his return to New York, a chance encounter with a rabbi and some visits to the Carlebach Synagogue put him on a completely different path to spirituality. He eventually moved in with the campus rabbi at New York University, changed his name to Matisyahu, and the rest is history.

Perhaps it is not surprising that Matisyahu has been compared to reggae icon Bob Marley: both focus on Zion, Jerusalem and redemption in their music. Compare Marley’s lyrics “Iron like a lion in Zion” to Matisyahu’s “Fire descends from on high in the shape of a lion/ Burn the sacrifice of pride and ride on to Mount Zion.”

Matisyahu can see the connection. “I think there’s a tradition in reggae music of artists drawing from the Torah for inspiration and quotations,” he said. “Within reggae music today, there’s a whole genre dedicated to consciousness. Not all music is like that. In the area of rock, there’s no such thing as ‘conscious rock.’ In reggae, there’s a genre: conscious reggae.

“Reggae music is spiritual music. Less is more. It’s humble music, it’s meditative music. Those qualities in themselves are spiritual,” he said.

Particularly spiritual is Matisyahu’s hit Jerusalem in which he sings, “3,000 years with no place to be/ And they want me to give up my milk and honey/ Don’t you see, it’s not about the land or the sea /Not the country but the dwelling of his majesty.”

It looks as though Matisyahu himself will be dwelling in the Zion he sings so much about. “I plan on moving to Israel, probably in the next year or two,” he said. “I would be based there and do travelling and touring.”

The aliyah of this rebbe-rastaman would be a rare example of an international star choosing to make his home in Israel. But to Matisyahu, it makes a lot of sense.

“Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. It’s obvious to me. I was just there. It’s still the exile, it’s still Galus, and there’s still bad and negative things going on there, but it’s all Jews,” he said.

“It’s kind of like a family, you know? The family might be dysfunctional but at least we’re all together. Whereas when you come out into the world outside of Israel, it’s just dispersed. You don’t get that same sense of a family.”

He smiled as he reminisced about a recent flight to Israel with his wife, Tahli, and baby, Laivy. “My wife just takes my son and just drops him off on some lady’s lap, and three hours later in the flight, the lady brings him back to us. When you get on the plane to go to Israel and everyone on the plane is Jewish, it’s just a different vibe completely.”

Maybe living in Israel will make observant life a bit easier for the singer. “I won’t be doing any concerts during the nine days [before Tisha b’Av, during which traditionally music is not performed to commemorate the destruction of the Temples]. Everyone always needs time off and time to do different things. With me, I just know which days I need off very far in advance,” he said. “You can’t perform every day of the year anyways.”

Sometimes the pressure is on for Matisyahu to broadcast a certain message about Judaism or about life through his music.

“A lot of people tell me what they think, and I choose what I want to write about.

“I just try to represent what I know,” he said.

Matisyahu: Next year in Jerusalem

2006-07-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

Matisyahu has no problem singing with Sting about Roxanne the prostitute, and he is even willing to give up hockey for living in the Holy City

Sagi Ben Nun

What do you think an internationally-acclaimed rapper does at the end of a show at a smoky rock club, just after entering the green room, dripping with sweat? Screws around with groupies? Downs some shots? Sniffs up some cocaine? The reality is much geekier as far as Hassidic rapper Matisyahu is concerned.

At the end of his hit performance at the Barbie Club in Tel Aviv, the wildest thing he did was eat a glatt kosher salad out of a plastic box that was prepared in advance.

According to Matisyahu, people want to turn him into a fantasy or a hero, but he's neither a superhero nor a rabbi. He is an ordinary, music-loving genuine person with a wife and kids.

At the peak of his greatest international success he visited Israel again and was the warm-up artist for Sting at Ramat Gan Stadium, where he sang “Roxanne.” Even as someone who keeps the Jewish traditions, he had no problem performing a song written about a prostitute.

According to Matisyahu, the classic song deals with much more than a prostitute: The idea behind the song is that every person can be a prostitute in a certain sense, and certainly the entire Jewish people can act like a prostitute and sell itself short.

In his first album he mentioned the word “Mashiach” in Hebrew (Messiah), and on the second album, which came out on the Sony label, he preferred to use the word “redemption,” which appeals to a wide Christian audience.

Jerusalem, here I come

In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth Matisyahu mentioned that "It’s true that in the new album there isn’t a lot of Hebrew, unlike the first album. I actually wanted more Hebrew, but Sony was pressuring us to finish the album as fast as possible."

When asked what’s the most surprising thing that people don’t know about him, Matisyahu answered that he enjoys hockey and even used to play. He insists that he will immigrate within a year or two, despite the fact that ice-hockey is almost non-existent in Israel.

"If you hear of a nice house in Jerusalem, let me know," he told the reporter. "My move to Israel depends on a few things: If I make enough money to buy a good place to live in, if my family can come and visit me often and if it will work out as far as my career is concerned.”

1. Yes - there is ice hockey in Israel!
Hey Matisyahu! There's good news for you - ice hockey is alive and well and very existent in Israel.
Bring your gear with you and join the Israel Recreational Hockey Association! There are lots of players in Jerusalem.
Contact me for details.
Paul Shindman , Israel (07.04.06)
pshindman@yahoo.com

2. "The reality is far geekier"
i feel that the guys who are downing shots and snorting cocaine are the geekier ones. This guy is real - he doesn't have to try and impress his peers - you call that geeky?
Martin (07.04.06)

3. matisiyahu-stay in the states
To Matisiyahu,
I think that what you are doing with your music is great. I admire you for using your musical talent in a positive way and earn a living. You are a good influence on young people of all backgrounds. Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff teenagers are listening to now-a-days is very damaging. You are teaching them positive values. They need you there. It's your part of teaching people about the 7 Universal Commandments. I think you can reach a wider audience in America and so you should stay there, at least as long as your career is going well.
aline , kfar saba (07.04.06)

Oy-yoy-yoy: Jessica Simpson partners with Xbox

2006-06-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

A recent press release pimping Jessica Simpson's new album mentions Xbox as an "online partner," which makes sense given the cross-promotion deal Microsoft inked with Epic Records a while back. Does this mean Simpson's meshuggina mammaries and minimal talent will be showing up on Xbox Live in the near future? It would a appear so. Personally, I prefer the Chabad Hasidic reggae stylings of the current "Artist of the Month," Matisyahu, though I would like to see Jessica take a shot at spelling "Hasidic" in a downloadable video. I'm not accusing Microsoft of taking a step backward musically, but "King Without a Crown" to "Shiksa With Her Top Down" seems like a pretty steep spiritual cliff.

Matisyahu overturns stereotypes

2006-06-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

The concept of a Hasidic Jewish reggae singer may be an odd one, but one young man from New York is overturning the stereotypes.

Matisyahu, 26, saw his debut studio album go to No 4 in the US Billboard Charts and is now considered by many to be one of the most influential Jewish people in America.

The music of Matisyahu, formerly known as Matthew Miller, is described as an "uncanny, electrifying fusion of orthodox Judaism and classic reggae music" according to his website.

Born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and raised in White Plains, New York, his new album Youth was produced by legendary reggae and dub producer Bill Laswell, with additional production by Jimmy Douglass and Ill Factor.

On his website he says: "Lyrically, I wanted to expand on ideas that I touched upon on the first album, to get deeper into those things, to get to the essence.

"Members of the band wrote the music together, different people brought different things to the table, and everyone contributed creatively."

Lipa 24/7

2006-06-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

This morning when I tumbled into Starbucks, half asleep, for my daily caffeine fix, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Staring at me from the counter, right next to Diana Ross and the Supremes, was a picture of Matisyahu with his hands raised like a bird of prey. I thought either Mr. Schultz, the owner of Starbucks, has become a B”T (a baal teshuva, a repentant Jew) or the Messiah is coming, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe is his name. What possessed Starbucks to peddle this no-talent Lubav B”T? Do they really think America is in need of white Jewish reggaeniks? Does being a Jew with a black hat and suit turn him into a black for white kids?

This Matisyahu guy is something else. His kid is called Miniyahu ( Is his wife, a friend of mine quipped, a Native American called Minihaha?) The Iowa-raised zaftig girl behind the counter seeing that I was giggling, cooed “Ohhhh!!!! He’s soooo cool.” Not by me. He’s Al Jolsen in drag.

If I had my druthers, I would sell Lipa Schmeltzer at Starbucks. True he only sings in Yiddish, but he’s a GENUINE, ORIGINAL artist. Lipa is a Skverer chasid dressed in full chassidic attire, and immensely popular in the new world of Jewish music. Lipa began as a badchan. There’s a dance at the end of chassidic weddings where a select group of men have the honor to dance with the bride.They are introduced by a badchan, who creates on the spot witty and sometimes vicious ditties. Lipa pushed and pushed this badchan thing until he ended up to be something of a rapper, a Yiddish rapper. He is similar in a way to reggaeton, the Puerto-Rican version of hip-hop. Latinos do hip-hop, but not the way blacks do hip-hop. They have their own melodic take, in this case the dance tune reggaeton. Reggaeton artists rap a little, sing a little, and in general take the gangster edge off hip-hop. The same for Lipa. And he’s funny, joyous, and frequently deeply moving.

In fact, I tend to agree with the Satmar newspaper, (the other one, not DerYid), that said Lipa is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The paper moralized saying “Anyone who brings Lipa into their home is introducing hip-hop to their children, and only dire consequences will follow.”

So I sat down, had my coffee, and quieted down.

concert clip

2006-06-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

google video

Matisyahu Paparazzi Caught in Mikvah

2006-05-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

AP Brooklyn, NY -- This New York borough is famous for its great diversity of race and religion. That's why it is with no surprise that half-hassid half-Rastafarian Matisyahu calls this place his home. He lives in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn with his wife and child.

Crown Heights is famous for a concentrated mix of hassidim and blacks. While observing the main hassidic streets, a community outsider would never guess that one of the men walking is an international superstar. Matisyahu blends right in, sporting the traditional black hat and long coat that hassidim are famous for.

"You couldn't ask for anything better," said Madonna, who is performing this summer with Matisyahu. "If I could have an entire city that dresses just like me, I could escape the [paparazzi] hysteria when ever I want..." adds the queen of pop.

That is what makes it a bigger mystery as to how Charles Docks, a photographer for a British tabloid, worked his way into a Crown Heights Mikvah while Matisyahu was visiting. A Mikvah is a traditional Jewish bathhouse. It is tradition in this community for many Jewish males to visit the holy body of water daily.

"I think it's a total disgrace and we will take action," said Dr. Harvey Lang, a community leader. He added that his resources were undeservingly drained due to a disputed local election. "This would have never happened if people just listened to [meat business tycoon Moses] Rubashkin."

Harvey Gold, a spokesman for Sony Records said in a statement: "We will do everything in our power to stop this from happening in the future... Mr. Docks went to an all-new outrageous low in this business... We are working with our law department to file criminal charges against him... We will pay for metal detectors at the bath-house until we can resolve this.."

The website CelebritySpot (blogger warning: graphic pictures) bought and posted the Mikvah pictures of Matisyahu online. The singers manager said they are working around the clock to find a way to take them down.

"Hey it's much easier than the airport.. without clothes we never beep going through the metal detector.. well most of us.." Said Shue Goldstein, a local member of the Mikvah.

With reporting by Matt Rosler, New York.

Matthew Miller... aka MATISYAHU

2006-05-20T21:07:00.000-07:00

I first heard about his guy when I was checkin` out the Pigeon John website. Being a longtime fan of Pigeon John, I thought anyone affiliated with him would be worth listening to. Matisyahu was different. When you first look at him,.. he looks like some old amish guy. am i right?

anyways, i listened to "King Without A Crown" and "Youth"... i thought... wow this is totally different. but awesome beyond words.

but i mean... who is this guy? and how did he come up with his style? what was his upbringing like?

found his bio on mtv.com.

his lifestory is waaaaay different from anything you've ever known.

in short: his name is matt miller... a jewish hippie from oregon.

haha check it out.

On Bob Marley:

2006-05-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from an ABC article with a quote from one of his many fans; Matisyahu.

"A lot of what he sang about came from the heart and spoke to the heart," Matisyahu said. "He emitted a truth and honesty. That's why he was able to transcend generations and cultures. People were able to relate to his universal message of redemption, rising to the challenge, the message of breaking out of the system. His message had potence.

Other winners included Hasidic reggae star Matisyahu for best new entertainer

2006-05-08T19:07:00.000-07:00

Damian Marley Wins Big At Reggae and World Awards

Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley's crossover smash "Welcome to Jamrock" and the Ghetto Youth/Tuff Gong/Universal album of the same name took top honors at the 25th Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards, held Saturday at the Apollo Theater in New York.

In addition to entertainer of the year, Damian, the youngest son of Bob Marley, took home the trophies for music video and recording artist of the year. He and his older brother Stephen shared the songwriter of the year award for co-writing "Welcome to Jamrock," their study of the poverty and violence-riddled side of Jamaica.

Rocksteady star Alton Ellis and reggae vet Eddy Grant were bestowed with with hall of fame honors, while Africa Unite, the concert held in Ethiopia last year marking what would have been Bob Marley's 60th birthday, was named best concert.

Other winners included Hasidic reggae star Matisyahu for best new entertainer, Marcia Griffiths for best female vocalist, Jah Cure for best male vocalist, Daddy Yankee for best reggaeton entertainer and Gyptian for most promising entertainer.

Tuff Gong chief Cristy Barber and booking agent Peter Schwartz of the Agency Group were given special awards of appreciation, as was producer and artist Glen Adams, a member of Lee "Scratch" Perry's pioneering reggae group the Upsetters.

On stage, Ellis dipped ever so slightly into his "I'm Still in Love With You Girl," which Sean Paul famously covered. Gyptian delivered his Caribbean hit "Serious Times" and Griffiths led audience members in the "Electric Slide." Performing "Road to Zion" and "Welcome to Jamrock," Marley was joined onstage by rapper Nas, who guests on the album, before welcoming all of the artists back onstage for a finale of "One Love."

- Story and photo: Wes Orshoski, N.Y. Billboard

And he shall build Jerusalem

2006-05-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

By Norman Lebrecht / May 3, 2006

If anyone had told me that the next big thing was going to be a neo-Hasidic sabbath-observant Jew with an act based on the late Bob Marley I would have reached for the copy of the Mental Health Act that I keep on the desk for persistent believers in analogue superiority and classical revivals. Still, Billboard doesn't lie.

Youth, the new CD by Matisyahu, entered the US charts at number four last month after a live album sold a cool half-million and spawned a radio hit, King Without A Crown. Whatever else this thing might be, it is pretty huge and moving fast.

Youth gets a UK release next week and Matisyahu, 26, is doing gigs on the Jools Holland show and at Hammersmith Palais. Then he goes global, he tells me, ‘to Africa, China, Russia, everywhere’. This is messianic talk and no mistake, a beat-boxed message in a tangled beard and flying shirt-fringes. Like hand-baked matzah at Passover, this is going to take some digesting, and not only by matzah-eaters.

The music, early reggae with an explicit Jamaican lilt, betrays Marley influences both melodically – ‘One woman for me’ is a straight take on No Woman, No Cry - and in its psalmic yearnings for Zion. ‘Jerusalem, if I forget you,’ sings Matisyahu in his catchiest track, ‘may my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do.’

The personal touches are biddy-bom scats that come from Hasidic hymnody, a sweet high-baritone voice and a crisp elocution that ensures no word gets missed (to make doubly sure, lyrics are printed in the CD sleeve). ‘The message,’ insists Matisyahu, ‘is all in the music.’ But when he calls for the Temple to be rebuilt and chants ‘I want Mashiach (Messiah) now’, the homily turns revivalist and inescapably political. This is pulpit thumping with a hip-hop beat, a seductive musical attraction with a word-of-God sectarian agenda.

The artist known as Matisyahu is a born-again Jew who was born first in 1979 as Matthew Miller in the American dreamland of West Chester, Pennsylvania, to a pair of social workers whom he describes as ‘non-practising Jews’. His grandfather played pro basketball in 1930s Detroit and bequeathed the future singer his imposing height – six foot three and counting. The tall kid began rapping at high school and carried on at college in Manhattan. Troubled by the drug scene and searching for roots, he put in for a semester in Jewish spirituality, which gave him a list of synagogues to visit.

The first was a happy-clappy Upper West Side ‘shul’ founded by Shlomo Carlebach, a German-born, guitar-plucking rabbi who reached out to alienated youngsters with catchy tunes to Hebrew prayers. Carlebach, when I knew him, was shunned by Jewish orthodoxy for being inappropriately tactile and over-prone to sitting in student rooms where substances were smoked. He was, though, a gifted composer whose liturgies outlasted his death in 1994 and were transplanted with much hullabaloo to a Cool Shul in Maida Vale, London, sponsored by the Saatchi brothers.

The budding rapper liked Carlebach’s tunes but not the laidback ethos: ‘I felt pretty alone in terms of my take on the world.’ He was drawn to an NYU chaplain, Rabbi Dov Yonah Korn, ‘who came from a similar secular background to me – he was a person I could learn from.’ Korn was a Chabad rabbi, an emissary of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menahem Mendel Schneerson, half of whose followers thought he might be the Messiah and the other half believe he is still alive.

‘It was just after 9/11,’ relates Matisyahu. ‘My grandmother was passing away in Florida and I had this little leather yarmulke in my pocket that Rabbi Korn gave me. One morning at breakfast I started to wear it, kept it on when I went left the house and never really took it off. I started growing a beard, wearing my tsitsis (fringes) and letting them hang loose.’ Black hat and coat soon followed, along with a rigorous adherence to religious codes. His parents, he reckons, were ‘pretty cool with it.’

He married Tahlia, a protégée of Rabbi Korn’s – ‘because I knew I’d be around pretty women and I didn’t want to tempt myself’ – and he is the father of a baby boy, Laivi Yitzchak. He will not shake hands with female fans and takes a fridge full of kosher foods on the road. Back home, he spends his days in a Crown Heights, Brooklyn, yeshiva (seminary) for new Lubavitch Jews.

Religious awakening interrupted his college career, but not before a couple of classmates latched onto a demo tape and used it to get funding for a Jewish music label, Jdub Records. Jdub booked his first gigs, went platinum with his debut disc. Last year he defected to a new management and a Sony deal. Resentment welled in the Jewish press as Jdub’s founders accused him of betrayal and ingratitude. ‘Ben and Aaron were never my friends at college, they were acquaintances,’ retorts Matisyahu briskly. ‘They sent out my song to get a grant when I went to yeshiva. Next I knew they were booking concerts and saying they managed me.’

It is clear that he never wanted to be attached to the general run of Jewish music, least of all to Orthodox wedding and barmitzvah pop that hitches biblical and talmudic lyrics to a Beach Boys beat. ‘Those guys are 20, 30 years out of date,’ snorts Matisyahu. ‘Their stuff is not particularly Jewish and they don’t belong to now.’

His music, like Marley’s, is a reflection of an esoteric faith, its strength sourced in the unattainable paradox of an earthly paradise. When Matisyahu sings of building a new Temple he is not out to inflame Christian and Moslem sensitivities, any more than his yearning for Messiah knowingly promulgates the Lubavitch claim to the Holy Crown. He appears, from the art itself and from our short conversation, to be a genuine naïve, concerned at most with the spirituality of the individual: ‘A man is just a man, filled with faults and weakness,’ he laments in Late Night in Zion, ‘for a young Jerusalem, all alone and speechless.’

Matisyahu is not alone in offering an alternative to the mainstream sell of popular music, the sex and self context of arid consumerism. There is a flourishing field of Christian pop and many westernised Muslims are seeking fusion in faith and song. If Matishayu has hit on something, and the numbers suggest he has a serious hit on his hands, it is on a spiritual vacancy in pop, the absence of the beyond. At this point he is still a freak phenomenon, a novelty act. But the issues that Matisyahu raises have the potential for mass appeal and the music leaves a profoundly satisfying sediment.

Keeping it kosher

2006-04-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

FIONA SHEPHERD

"WHEN THE JEWS WERE SLAVES IN EGYPT, THERE was three things that they held on to, and one of the things was their Jewish name. The name in Hebrew letters has a really deep meaning. We believe that God created the world with those letters and his speech is in those letters."

There are many things one might expect to hear from the mouth of a rising rap star, but expounding the sanctity of the Hebrew alphabet is an unusual opening gambit. Yet, in explaining the adoption of his orthodox Jewish name, Hasidic rapper Matisyahu is simply establishing his street credentials like any other young contender, even if his message, look and culture are far from the hip-hop norm.

This New York-based rapper, born 26 years ago as Matthew Miller, is a tall, striking presence in his Hasidic garb and traditional full beard, but his imposing image contrasts with the accessibility of his music. His excellent new album Youth, due out next month in the UK, seamlessly blends Hasidic melodic tradition and Hebrew psalms with roots reggae rhythms. It went straight into the Billboard top ten in its first week of release in the US, where he has built up a hefty mainstream following over the last two years as a skilled musician and an advocate for his faith.

"I think most Jews in America are very disassociated and disconnected from their roots and what it even means to be Jewish," he says. "Being a person that was into searching for spirituality and looking into myself, I decided to start with my own life roots and my own culture and the more I learned, the more I took on."

The title track of Youth - and also its first single - is a motivational message to his younger self, which was inspired by his teenage search for meaning. Matisyahu dropped out of his strict Hebrew school in his teens and drifted for years, busking around the States with a djembe drum in tow. "I would play the drum and make up rap stuff about the scenery and the people," he recalls. While attending a wilderness school in Oregon, he played open mic sessions in coffee shops and with a band whose experimentations would lead to his idiosyncratic blend of hip-hop, rock and his beloved reggae.

He first heard Bob Marley when he was 14, and although it would be years before he found his way to a practising faith, reggae music provided a stepping stone. "I really connected with all the Jewish imagery - the lion of Judah, the Zion train," he says. "You can name any Bob Marley song and pull direct quotes from the Torah. These were things I was hearing my whole life but they didn't make much sense to me, and then hearing Marley's music made all those things come alive to me. I intuitively saw that there was some part of myself in that music which is connected very deeply to the Torah, that being the building block of the entire Jewish faith."

Matisyahu grew up in White Plains, NY, and it was back in New York where he finally committed to a strict Jewish faith, adopting the tenets of the ultra-orthodox Chabad-Lubavitch lifestyle, through which adherents seek to connect more deeply with their traditional Jewish roots, and settling in the Lubavitch community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn - not your average 'hood for not-your-average rapper.

"My lifestyle in general is a lot different from that of a rapper. On an ideal morning I go to the ritual bath, which is a purifying pool of water men come to dip in. Then I spend a couple of hours praying and meditating and, if I'm in a community like Crown Heights, it's usually in the synagogue. So you'll have different groups of ten men praying together. At the same time, there will be little kids running around and people of all ages learning the Torah, and that's done pretty loudly.

"And in the same room there will be people dancing in a circle waving yellow flags and there will be some homeless guys because they don't kick people out. It's like this stew of chaos."

These days, though, the chaos of the synagogue is more often replaced by the upheaval of touring. Matisyahu's band hail from different faith backgrounds, so when it comes to living a kosher existence on tour, he is obliged to improvise. "When I'm on the road I'm careful about where I get my food," he says. "I pray either on the tour bus or in my hotel room by myself, and instead of going in the ritual pool I'll jump in the hotel pool or make the tour bus pull over at a lake and jump in the lake. So I have to be creative and find my own ways to do it. But Judaism allows for that. There's the ideal and there's what you do if you can't do the ideal."

There are other more fundamental social barriers created by the demands of his orthodoxy, which he must address as a performer in a somewhat, shall we say, tactile genre. "There's that clash which everyone always mentions about not touching women," he says. "We reserve touch for only those special moments between a man and his wife. So that's obviously something that can be a little complicated with things like stage-diving and even social norms like shaking hands. But besides that, it's just really normal to me."

Matisyahu celebrates this piety on album track Unique Is My Dove, which blends the doe-eyed devotion of a conventional love song with pledges of religious observance: "Dedicated to a life bigger than you or me, build a temple in our hearts for his majesty, stay simple, serve God, and keep our deeds clean." As an insight into a rapper's domestic life, it is leagues away from Eminem's fraught epistles to wife Kim and daughter Hailie.

As is the norm in the Lubavitch culture, Matisyahu married relatively young and has a baby son, Levi, who cries almost constantly in the background throughout our chat. As his wife, Tahli, is praying, she is not permitted to talk, so she signs for Matisyahu to get a dummy. That's certainly one way of reconciling his faith, family and work duties. Another was leaving a Passover gift of unleavened bread for staff at Sony's New York HQ - bread that is not puffed up with air being a symbol of humility in an ego-fuelled industry.

Matisyahu may be a novelty in the mainstream music business, but he is part of a burgeoning crossover scene of young orthodox Jewish musicians for whom "music is the quill of the soul". Some of the more Kabbalistic lyrical references on Youth will not be clear to non-Jews, but the album's central theme of breaking out of slavery is a familiar one in reggae traditions. Given the hardline Lubavitch stance on Israel, which makes no concessions to Palestinians, it is tempting to ascribe political zeal to titles such as Dispatch the Troops and What I'm Fighting For. But Matisyahu's lyrics call for reflection - and he even has an instrumental entitled Shalom/Saalam ("peace" in Hebrew and Arabic).

"There is an element there of something which is political, but I see it as more holistic," he says. " It's just a part of being Jewish, the deep connection with the land of Israel which the rest of the world would see as political but I just see as very intuitive. I live Judaism to its fullest. A lot of Jews are not necessarily showing themselves as Jews to the world. I am, so it's a big responsibility - not that everyone has to like you, but to try and represent Judaism in the most pure and positive way possible."

When Matisyahu makes his first foray to the UK at the end of May, he will perform for Glasgow's Jewish community in Newton Mearns, before casting his net to music fans more widely. His purpose is not to proselytise, but to touch people - in a ritually clean manner, naturally. "When I started in America, the core group of fans was Jewish. Certainly a lot of Jewish people feel that for once there's someone who represents their Jewishness and their culture, but now it's mainly non-Jews at my concerts. We're excited at becoming international and seeing how different people react to it. The music is for everybody - that's the way I feel."

• Youth is released by Columbia on 8 May.

Chabad Passover Interview

2006-04-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

An exclusive interview with the Hassidic reggae superstar

Music superstar Matisyahu will celebrate the Passover seders (April 12-13) at one of the USA’s 85 Chabad-Lubavitch college campus centers.

Rabbi and Mrs. Simcha and Tzirel Levenberg, program directors of the Chabad House at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, will welcome Matisyahu, his wife Tahli and their baby Laivy to their Chabad House this coming Wednesday. Levenberg described the Jewish student body at Amherst as "absolutely thrilled that Matis is coming to the seder at Chabad House. The entire campus is buzzing with excitement."

We caught up with Matisyahu yesterday, and probed him for his thoughts about Passover and for the reason behind his Passover choice.

Chabad.org: What can you tell us about your Passover seder?
This slavery is what keeps people from delving deeply into themselves

Matisyahu: My earliest memories of a Passover seder involve my grandfather, who was a tall athletic man, a basketball player. We got a great kick out of "stealing" his afikoman. The fact that we were actually able to outsmart him and find the matzah he hid was a real thrill. And, to top it off, he was generous with his prizes...!

Today, on one level, Passover is a pretty difficult holiday for me. I mean, beyond the neurosis of having to clean the house like crazy, you then sit at the seder and practically stuff matzah down your throat until the point of explosion (laughs). I mean, it's not particularly easy...

Chabad.org: So is that all? Clean till you drop and stuff yourself silly?

Matisyahu: Well, no. By no means. Passover is all about breaking out of our constraints, attaining personal freedom. Each of us is enslaved inwardly in some way or another and Passover helps us break out of our personal slavery and become free. Doing things that are beyond our comfort zone, pushing our limits for the sake of a higher purpose, a higher calling, actually liberates us.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe once pointed out that Howard Hughes was actually the most shackled, the most enslaved person. The more he amassed in the material world, the more lonely and paranoid he became. He died pitifully.

True freedom is a state of being. Accepting a Higher Being is actually liberating.

Chabad.org: How, in your opinion, does one attain personal freedom?

Matisyahu: Well, for me, introspection and meditation is integral. Chassidic philosophy places high value on both and offers amazing mind and heart methodologies for each. Lots of prayer and Chasidic meditation really helps me focus.

Chabad.org: And how do you remain conscious of this freedom?

Matisyahu: I continue to study Torah daily, with particular emphasis on Chasidic discourses. Especially before holidays. It helps make the rituals and practices more real and integrated into what I am experiencing in the here and now. Both my wife, Tahli, and I try to learn as much as possible. It keeps us grounded and focused on what is important.

Chabad.org: How does this impact your music?

Matisyahu: All of my songs are influenced and inspired by the teachings that inspire me. I want my music to have meaning, to be able to touch people and make them think. Chasidism teaches that music is "the quill of the soul." Music taps into a very deep place and speaks to us in a way that regular words can't. Breaking out of slavery is definitely a theme in my music:

You're a slave to yourself and you don't even know…if your cup's already full then it is bound to overflow

I think this is a concept many people don't recognize. We think of slavery as someone else enslaving us, but in truth, we are often the ones enslaving ourselves. We are so busy being influenced by money, by society, by external pressures, that our true identity and abilities can be hidden.
"This is the humble man's bread!"

It is this slavery that keeps people caught up in "Egypt," in the false safety net of their lives, in their external distractions, and it keeps people from going into the wilderness of their souls, from delving deeply into themselves.

It is only when we realize what we have within, that we can act from the inside out instead of the outside in.

Chabad.org: Speaking about matzah and music. We were originally scheduled to talk on Friday but you got busy at Sony. What happened there?

Matisyahu: I was finishing morning prayers and saw a group of guys getting ready to distribute matzahs in Manhattan, and I kind of got nostalgic. It reminded me of when I was learning in yeshiva a couple of years ago and would go to hand out matzahs or menorahs or whatever was relevant to that holiday.

So on a whim I bought a bunch of boxes and headed to Sony headquarters in the city to share the experience of the hand-baked matzah with some friends.

Some of them were deeply touched, others had already left for the weekend. I left the matzah with others at Sony to pass on.

This is actually a perfect symbol for what we're talking about.

While bread is filled with air, representing ego, Matzah is flat, representing humility. You know, so much of the music industry is about inflating the ego to the point where it becomes an idol. Where you become an idol.

The message I am trying to convey is to chop down that ego, to chop down the machine that controls so many, and to bring a message of humility and holiness to the world. I want to help others recognize their potential within and their ability to break out of their boundaries, their constraints.

I brought the matzahs, the flat, egoless bread to Sony -- and Sony is distributing it for me.

I left a note for each person I missed saying, "This is the humble man's bread!"

Chabad.org: Okay, so the seder night comes around and while the matzah expands your intestines your mind is focused on liberation and humility. This can be done anywhere, can it not?

Matisyahu: Well, yes, technically it can. But it's important to have the right environment. If for whatever reason the environment is not available to you, you have to go create it. But one can hardly discount environment.

Chabad.org: And your choice of environment this year?

Matisyahu: We are going to join Rabbi Simcha and Tzirel Levenberg, and 150-200 of their student guests, at the campus Chabad House in Amherst.They are such awesome, fun, down-to-earth and kind-hearted people, not to mention, two of our closest friends.

Chabad.org: But why not something more plush like a hotel or something? Surely some other friends would like to come along...
I am trying to bring a message of humility and holiness to the world

Matisyahu: Celebrating holidays at a Chabad House was a big part of my own spiritual growth. For a few years I was the one at the table coming for inspiration and a deeper understanding of my heritage. I often repeat how Rabbi Korn at NYU was integral to my growth as a Jew.

For this holiday Tahli and I felt that it would be really nice to go back into the Chabad on Campus environment and share our own experiences with the students and learn from their own struggles and their own search.

Chabad.org: What do you expect to share with a roomful of students?

Matisyahu: First of all, I already share a very close affinity to the students in that room.

It wasn't long ago that I was in college, and just searching for meaning, searching for something real. I wasn't into following the mainstream and going with the flow; I knew I had to find something that was real, that had meaning, that had relevance.

I think the college years are a time when so many students are trying to liberate themselves from their environment, from the "machine" that surrounds them. They know something is off but they don't always know where to go or what they are even looking for.

That’s why I appreciate the Chabad Houses on campus so much. Whenever I visit a campus Chabad House I find a place where students can come and ask questions, get answers, and see a different way to look at life.

Chabad.org:And where did your Chabad House experience take you?

Matisyahu: You know, I was always searching. I always felt intuitively that everything we were experiencing in this physical world had to have a deeper counterpart, emotionally, spiritually, and so on. Chabad House introduced me to Torah in general and especially, for me, to Chasidic philosophy. When I started learning everything finally clicked. Finally there was validation that this world was not random, that everything connected in a seamless manner, even though it does not always appear that way.

At Amherst's Campus Chabad House I'll try to share some of what I learned, some of what this Festival of Liberation means to me.

Another great thing is that Tali will be teaching the students as well. At many of the places we've been, especially on campus, Tali does some teaching. There are just so many issues and stereotypes that people have about Judaism, particularly regarding a woman's role within Judaism, and when Tali is able to speak to people and address their concerns, it is incredible to watch how people open up and want to learn.

Chabad.org: So in some ways it sounds like your Passover experience will be a mixture of similar events or things.

Matisyahu: Yes, that's definitely a great way to sum it up.

The choice to go to the Chabad House for seders was a no-brainer, as it is actually a convergence of interests and passions.

There is the search of the youth, the sincerity of the student's quest, which is deeply a part of me, to which I can totally relate and very much want to help.

And there is the message of Pesach which is all about breaking out of our constraints and being liberated.

And it is all taking place at a Chabad House where these ideals are learned and lived 24 hours a day.

What more could we possibly ask for?

Chabad.org: Well, it sounds like you're pretty clear about your priorities.

Matisyahu: You know, just last night I had an experience that put everything into perspective for me. We can get so caught up in our own lives that we lose sight of the bigger picture. Last night I was asked to visit an 18 year old kid who is suffering in the hospital from a terrible disease. It was his "last wish" for me to visit him, though I pray to dance at his wedding one day. When I got there, the first thing he asked me was to tell him a story about the Rebbe. This kid is Jewish, but he's not from a Lubavitch family or anything, but that was the first thing he wanted from me. It was so powerful. Because it was really the Rebbe's teachings that transformed my life.

So I told him some stories and realized that it was the anniversary of the Rebbe's birthday that night. And I felt good, really good, feeling that I was making the Rebbe happy. I so wish I had known him and met him, but here I was doing exactly what he lived for, what I think he'd wanted me to be doing, being there and speaking to that boy.

In that sense what happened was really liberating. Like a taste of Passover before Passover.

You know, when you focus on another there is just no room for yourself, for your own ego. He may have thought I was doing him a favor by coming, but he was really the one doing me the favor.

Chabad.org: Any parting words?

Matisyahu: Just want to wish everyone a great Passover. May we all find personal and universal freedom! Peace.

The JewniProj at UCSC: Matisyahu Update

2006-04-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

I was asked a number of times during the seders where Matisyahu was spending Pesach. Well, as reported by Esther on Jewlicious.com, he was apparently at the Chabad House at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (indeed, he turned down the invitation from Madonna to attend her Kabbala seder). You can click here for an interview from Chabad.org with Matis about Pesach. It's been a good while since we've had a lengthy Matisyahu post, so here you go.

Some of our readers may not be aware that it's been somewhat of a rough ride for Matisyahu in recent months. He was accused of being a back-stabbing, self-glorifying, shomer negiah woman-hating, Black-culture appropriating Yachinik. And quite a number of people have plainly said that they think his new album sucks. And they've already started looking for the next Chassidic musical sensation.

But around here, I like to think that we're a little more open-minded than most people. And I think we have a little more love for Matis than all those critics. Afterall, when is the last time that an observant Jew has held such a prominent place in pop culture in North America? Um, never.

I'm sure you've all read the bios. He grew up secular, went to Israel when he was a teenager, also became a deadhead around the same time. Got into drugs and music, Phish, reggae. Then he found Torah, the truth that he had been seeking but never found in drugs. Now he's happily married and has a son, and is part of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect of Chassidism. His lyrics often overtly reflect themes from the central Chassidic work of the Chabad movement, composed by the Alte Rebbe, known as the Tanya.

It's well known that his music has been well received. I live near Barson Street, the ghetto of Santa Cruz (galus of galus), and people have driven by my house blasting Matisyahu. Well, as pop-culture would have it, people are already selling (and buying) not only t-shirts emblazoned with Matisyahu's face, but also kippah's with Matisyahu on them. You can even download Matis ringtones to your celly.

Here are a few sweet video clips that you may have missed, compliments of AOL Sessions: Beatbox and Ancient Lullabye.

Here's a pretty sweet interview. And here is a very special clip, passed along to me by Fedora Black, of a homevid from Matisyahu's yeshiva, Hadar HaTorah: click here.

2 Comments:

Mobius said...: ah yes; we at jewschool are everso closed minded. we were only matis' first boosters who reported on him every step of the way until he screwed jdub over.

in the meantime, even pey dalid will tell you that y-love wipes the floor with matis lyrically. i hung out with them and y-love together on the midrachov a few months ago, and one of their entourage went off about y-love being the greatest living jewish mc. after seeing him in action, i can't but help agree.; Mon Apr 17, 01:20:08 AM 2006
G-D SQUAD said...: Mobius, don't worry, I definitely wasn't implying that Jewschool is close-minded. I know you guys used to love him.

I was mainly referring to the likes of Edwin Decker, Kelefa Sanneh, and Jody Rosen.

Also, I don't doubt that Y-Love is the most talented Jewish MC alive.

I don't know if you'll actually end up reading this, but I was at the first meeting of Corner Prophets in January of 2005. In fact, I think Kitra Cahana ended up coming eventually only because I told her how sick it was. Keep it up.; Mon Apr 17, 01:51:18 AM 2006

Matisyahu thread

2006-04-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

Far from what you'd call your typical dancehall artist, Hasidic reggae singer Matisyahu is turning up the heat in the rock world, garnering praise and attention from the most unexpected of places. A member of the Chabad Lubavitch sect of Hasidic Judaism, he has the look of your typical Orthodox Brooklynite, but when he steps to the mic, his abilities prove him anything but average.

The Associated Press writes,

Sojourns: Judaism as Style

2006-04-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

I've found myself listening to the much-hyped, Hasidic reggae/hip-hop artist Matisyahu the last couple days. Needless to say, that makes me a confirmed bandwagon jumper. The live recording of "King without a Crown" and the accompanying video shot in Austin TX have been getting heavy rotation. His new CD is due next week and already two shows have been sold out at Manhattan's sizable Hammerstein Ballroom. Writing this column, I merely join the rubes finally noticing a sub-cultural phenomenon as it percolates up to the mainstream.

Let me say at the outset that I am no aficionado of dancehall or reggae. But for what it's worth, it does seem to me that the rhythms of toasting and the syncopations of Jewish prayer and song go well together (biddi-bum, biddi-diddi-bum, sounds equally appropriate for Marley or Tevya). And I like the easy translations Matisyahu has made from Jah to Hashem while incorporating elements of Torah, the Psalms, and the like. Still, I don't really know enough about music to do anything other than listen to it, and so I'll leave the discussion of the songs to those who can write about them with some expertise. What interests me here instead is the phenomenon of Matisyahu himself. At first glance, he has every appearance of a novelty act, an amusing suturing of Lubovitcher Judaism with West-Indian dancehall. Use whatever metaphor you would like. He's a jerk pastrami sandwich, Vanilla Ice made from Manishevitz. Except that he's not. Read over his fawning press, and you'll see that he's survived the inevitable skepticism. Indeed, the verdict has come in on the opposite side. Matisyahu is an authentic fusion of two distinct musical, ethnic, and religious cultures: Jewish and West Indian, matzo and roti. He's a one man, cross-pollinated product of Crown-Heights Brooklyn.

OK, so in other words, one myth has taken the place of another. We are to imagine a yeshiva boy who cut class to run across Flatbush Avenue and spend afternoons spinning and toasting with the boys from the Islands. But that isn't exactly right either. As is usually the case, the truth is more complicated and more interesting. Matisyahu was born Matthew Miller to a middle-class secular family in West Chester Pennsylvania. Late in his teens, he found God and decided to become Orthodox while staring deeply at the mountains during a camping trip in Colorado. He subsequently enrolled in a Hasidic yeshiva designed especially for converts to Orthodoxy. The young Matthew Miller seems to have had a wide interest in music, but his interest in the particular religious culture of Jewish Hasidism, with its messianic mysticism, its separatist resistance to modern living, and in the particular, Lubavitch sect he joined, its commitment to the charismatic authority of the late Rabbi Menachem Scheerson, was rather late in coming. It is not right to say that he was Hasidic and then found reggae. Rather, the two seem to have fed off each other in a wholesale reconfiguring of his life.

What is interesting about this, I think, is that the intensely religious and observant Judaism that so marks the persona of Matisyahu was something that he chose, not something he was born into. The beard and the side curls, the long black coats and felt hats, the tsitsis and the like, are self-conscious stylings. They are a Hasidic aesthetic, or Hastheatic, if you will. I do not mean to disparage at all the sincerity of Matisyahu's beliefs. His commitment to the messianic religiosity of Lubovitcher Hasidism is evident in his lyrics and in his life. Even so, the religious persona is clearly as much a question of style as it is of belief. The more so, I would imagine, for his audience. There is something intrinsically appealing about seeing a Hasid perform his kind of music and perform it well. Matisyahu's Judaism is interesting because it is so visible and marked, so much like the inner city of a mythical old-world. When it is fused with the musical style of his West-Indian neighbors, it is clearly updated to our polyglot and hybrid moment.

Matisyahu's sudden popularity is owing in part to the role he has taken within a larger resurgence of hipster Judaism in popular culture, a fascination with Yiddishkeit and klezmer and Bar-Mitzvah-Disco and the like. As it has long been, Judaism is here a sign of urbanity, of knowingness, and of cosmopolitanism. But in this case the urbanity and knowingness and cosmopolitanism dwell in the musical hybridity: the nexus of Hasidism, reggae, and hip-hop as distinct urban forms. Thus I suspect that few of Matisyahu's listeners are drawn to the religious content of his music, important as that content may be to him. Whether they know it or not, they are drawn to the familiar unity of Judaism and modernity, the ineffably current and relevant something that resonates in the sound of the Yiddish or the Hebrew, the look of the side curls and the tsitsis, when they are combined and overlaid with an unexpected kind of music. So, while there is little in Hasidism one can relate to as doctrine, and even less as a way of life, there is something clearly attractive about it as a contemporary style. So much so that the fusion with reggae and dancehall and hip hop seems not so implausible, and not at all kitsch. Given the alternatives, that is not so bad a use for religion.

more live journal

2006-04-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

"youth" is such a good fucking cd. my goodness. matisyahu is fucking awesome. i'd like to meet him, altho, he wouldn't be able to interact with me. lol.

LiveJounal.......

2006-04-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

so tonight i'm having passover seder with Matisyahu. yes, that's fucking right, i'm going to eat and smoke hooka with Matisyahu.

Hasidic Rapper Matisyahu at head of growing hipster Judiasm movement

2006-04-05T22:20:00.000-07:00

Adam Sandler may have gotten things rolling with his "Hanukkah Song," but now a rocker and a TV host rabbi are making it cool to be a Jew

By Charles Passy
COX NEWS SERVICE

p>His act has been likened to a "Saturday Night Live" skit: Picture a Hasidic Jew, garbed in traditional black attire, jumping around on a concert stage as if he's some strange amalgam of Mick Jagger, Little Richard and your latest rap- and reggae-influenced rock star.

In this case, he is your latest rock star: Meet Matisyahu, an Orthodox Jew whose new album, "Youth," was in the top 10 on the Billboard album chart before dipping to No. 17 on Thursday.

But Matisyahu is hardly an isolated phenomenon. Take a look at pop culture these days and "hipster Judaism," as the phenomenon has been dubbed, is just about everywhere.

It's on television: Consider the new show coming to cable's Learning Channel, "Shalom in the Home," starring Shmuley Boteach, an Orthodox rabbi who counsels troubled families. Think Dr. Phil with a Yiddish accent.

It's in the bookstore: Consider two popular tomes from last year: Abigail Pogrebin's Stars of David, a look at Jewish actors, writers, politicians and other celebrities, from Sarah Jessica Parker to Larry King, and Bar Mitzvah Disco, a celebration of the Jewish rite of passage in all its campy excessiveness.

It's at the clothing store: Consider the cleverly designed T-shirts that declare, "Moses is my homeboy" or that ask, "Who's your rabbi?" Even the trendy clothier Urban Outfitters has gotten into the act with its "Everyone Loves a Jewish Girl" tees.

And it's at the record store, beyond Matisyahu, that is: Consider the Jewish-oriented label JDub Records, which not only put Matisyahu on the map, but also has a roster that includes the LeeVees, the band behind the recent "Hanukkah Rocks" album.

The phenomenon is so big that it even has its own publication, Heeb magazine, otherwise known as "The New Jew Review." Its latest issue is dubbed the "Sex Issue" and features a cover profile of Jewish comedic siren Sarah Silverman.

In other words, this isn't your bubbe's Judaism, heavy on the gefilte fish and the stern rabbinical scholars.

In many ways, this marriage of Judaism and pop culture has been set in motion for at least a decade. In some cases, it came from within the Jewish community.

When Adam Sandler introduced his now classic "Hanukkah Song," a paean to all things (and all people) Jewish, on "Saturday Night Live" in 1994, he created a kind of template. A sample lyric: "David Lee Roth lights the menorah / So do James Caan, Kirk Douglas and the late Dinah Shore-ah."

But you can't overlook the role of non-Jews in bringing Judaism to the mainstream.

Madonna led the way with her embrace of Kaballah, a form of Jewish mysticism. But she's since been joined by the likes of Demi Moore and Paris Hilton. Britney Spears even has Hebrew letters tattooed on the back of her neck.

Ultimately, however, the boom in hipster Judaism speaks to the mind-set of Jews in a postassimilation era. For much of the 20th century, Jews strived to fit into a non-Jewish world, keeping their faith and ethnicity a private matter. Jews in Hollywood, for example, routinely changed their names: Kirk Douglas was formerly known as Issur Danielovich Demsky.

But there comes a point when the pendulum must swing the other way. Now that Jews have found a level of acceptance in an increasingly multicultural American society, it's OK for them to express, well, their Jewishness.

"We're not scared," says Aaron Bisman, founder of JDub Records. And increasingly, the expression takes on a certain hipster tone in keeping with the mind-set of contemporary culture.

"I'd say making fun of things is what my generation does ... We need a hobby, so it's mockery," says Rob Tannenbaum, music editor of Blender magazine. Tannenbaum is a leader of the hipster Judaism movement in his role as a member of the comedic musical duo What I Like About Jew and as a creator of the VH1 special, "So Jewtastic," which aired at the end of last year.

The mockery speaks to the very secular aspect of this trend: Judaism may be a religion, but it's also a culture. And though American Jews increasingly have felt a certain distance when it comes to matters of faith, they still want a connection of some sort.

And it's why some Jewish philanthropic organizations have eagerly funded this hipster version of outreach.

"Young people will go to a concert before they'll go to a synagogue," says Felicia Herman, executive director of the Natan Fund, which has given out nearly $2 million to about 30 nonmainstream Jewish organizations, including JDub Records and Heeb magazine.

Which is not to say that religion doesn't play a role in all of this. Even traditional-minded Jewish leaders will look past the more controversial aspects of the movement -- Heeb magazine, for example, takes its name from a pejorative term for Jews, albeit in an effort to reclaim it as a positive -- and will see the overall effort as a bridge to building the faith.

"I think it's a great doorway," says Rabbi Moshe Scheiner of Palm Beach Orthodox Synagogue in Florida.

And the significance of Matisyahu can't be underestimated. He may be a bona-fide pop star who sings in a patois that's reminiscent of Bob Marley, but he's also a man of faith who embraced Orthodoxy after growing up in a mostly secular suburban Jewish household.

Matisyahu won't perform on the Sabbath in keeping with the dictates of Jewish law. He requires that kosher food be made available at his shows. And he speaks of his religious fervor in nearly every verse of his lyrics. To quote "King Without a Crown": "I sing to my God songs of love and healing."

The message is one that seems to speak to the times, whether you're a Jew who's suddenly rediscovered the faith or whether you're an outsider a la Madonna.

Rabbi Boteach, who first found pop-culture fame as the author of Kosher Sex, argues that Judaism has become hip for an altogether different reason than the sardonic secularism would suggest. Rather, it's the faith itself, which places an earthly emphasis on the here and now and "mastering your life," that's winning fans.

In that sense, Boteach sees parallels with how spiritual seekers of a previous generation -- the baby boomers -- turned to Eastern religion.

Judaism is "the Buddhism of our times," says Boteach.

There's also a case to be made that Judaism has always taken inspiration from contemporary society. Judaic scholar Frederick Greenspahn of Florida Atlantic University points to the fact that one Jewish prayer is based on a melody from a centuries-old German beer-drinking song.

J.J. Goldberg, editor of the Jewish Forward publication, says the tradition goes back further. "Jews have been drawing from the popular culture around them since Roman times," he says.

And what's happening today with Judaism is perhaps no different from what already has happened with Christianity. Long before there was Matisyahu, there was the rise of Christian rock. If anything, some might argue that Jews are borrowing from the same playbook, finding ways to make their faith and culture relevant.

But what if the plan backfires?

Despite all the hoopla, hipster Judaism may do little in terms of bolstering synagogue attendance -- or even Jewish identity.

In author Pogrebin's Stars of David book, she gives voice to such concern through Leon Wieseltier, the fiction editor of The New Republic and an outspoken crusader for what he calls Jewish "competence."

"He derides a kind of Jewish identity that might be described as Judaism Lite ... In other words, Jews who 'feel' Jewish because of a tune they remember, a cheese blintz or a visit to shul twice a year," Pogrebin writes.

But it's possible that hipster Judaism may be the beginning of an altogether new way of expressing Judaism, Goldberg argues, one that allows for secular and religious modes alike.

Matisyahu at the top of underground

2006-04-05T22:18:00.000-07:00

By Samantha Powers

TEEN PAGE REPORTER

• Matisyahu, Youth, Sony. 3.5 (out of four)

Matisyahu may not receive much airtime on the radio, but he is an underground sensation who deserves the limelight for his brilliant blurring of genres and distinctive ideas.

On his third album, Youth, Matisyahu is a beautiful contradiction, a man who combines the Jewish faith with reggae and hip-hop music. His mixture of reggae, poetry and spirituality challenges listeners to re-examine their own standards. The music draws you in with its cool, laid-back style, almost obscuring the profound meaning of the words. Matisyahu has a broad underground following, attracting Jews, hippies, rap fans and others, who share in his message of love and peace.

Matthew Miller became Matisyahu through a gradual process, beginning during high school in White Plains, N.Y. According to his Web site (hasidic-reggae.com), Matisyahu's spiritual awakening began in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Afterward, he visited Israel where "his dormant Jewish identity stirred into consciousness."

The song "Jerusalem" is a wonderful example of how Matisyahu incorporates faith in the music, the chorus declaring, "Jerusalem, if I forget you/ Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do." Other songs more subtly present his views, like the title track, which emphasizes the spiritual void in today's young generation.

This CD has all the makings of a staple for underground music lovers,but it would not be out of place in anyone's collection

Michael 5000 Watts?

2006-04-05T21:05:00.001-07:00

In one of the stranger collaborations of the year, Hasidic reggae star Matisyahu wants to slow things down: He wants his music to get screwed and chopped by Michael 5000 Watts.

"Yeah, we gonna take it to another level," Watts said of the project. "I found out he was a fan of my work. He reached out and said he wanted me to chop up the record, and we're gonna do it. His music is nice. I like reggae music. [He brings it] from a different twist, but I like it."

MATISYAHU TOUR DATES 2006

2006-04-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

New international dates have just been announced!

Matis' June 15 show in Cleveland is on sale now.

All current dates & pre-sale information follow:

Apr 01 Halifax, NS McInnes Room/Dalhousie Univ

Apr 09 Washington, DC Charles E. Smith Cntr/GeoWash U

Apr 10 Kingston, RI U of RI

Apr 11 Northhampton, MA Calvin Theatre (pre-sale going on now)

Apr 30 Indio, CA COACHELLA Valley Music and Arts Festival

May 06 Dublin, Ireland - Midnight Show at Temple Bar Music Centre (Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ie or 0818719300)

May 08 Helsinki, Finland - Nosturi (Tickets: www.lippupalvelu.fi or www.tiketti.fi)

May 09 Stockholm, Sweden - Kagelbanan

May 10 Oslo, Norway - Garage (Tickets: www.tigernet.no or +47 22 20 73 50)

May 17 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg Max (Tickets: www.ticketservice.nl)

May 18 Berlin, Germany - Kalkshcheune (Tickets: www.eventim.de or Ticket hotline Eventim: 01805 / 570 000 (0,12 EUR/Min)

May 21 Manchester, UK - Univ (Tickets: Box Office 0161 832 1111)

May 22 London, UK - Hammersmith Palais (Tickets: www.gigsandtours.com or Box Office 0871 2200 260)

May 28 George, WA Sasquatch Festival

Jun 13 Toronto, Canada Molson Amphitheatre (with Dave Mathews Band)

Jun 14 Darien Lakes Darien Lakes PAC (with Dave Mathews Band)

Jun 15 Cleveland, OH Agora Ballroom pre-sale going on now)

Jun 18 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival

Aug 06 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza in Grant Park

Canadian review....

2006-04-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

One of the best concerts I have been too....

Oh my God, last night I went to go see Matisyahu @ the McInnis Room and it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen!!!!!!!! Matis is amazing. I have never seen anyone who can beatbox for over ten minutes and still go right into another one of his songs. For those of you who don't know who he is....a brief description: 24 year old Hasidic jew from NYC who does reggae. Amazing. Check him out http://www.hasidicreggae.com/ Let's talk about how he is truley intranced when he is singing and flowing. He gets so into it, and while he is dancing you can so his prayer shawl flapping around under his shirt. The band was so good too. They really listened to see what he was going to do next and could really jam. Even though his messages in his songs were for the jewish faith, I really felt that I should start becoming a better person spiritually, seriously. There is a hole in my life and I think my trying to push out my Catholic roots in part of that. I really shouldn't be ashamed to call people out when they think its funny to make fun of my spirituality.

anyhoo.....the concert was amazing, Matisyahu is becoming huge in the States right now and its only a matter of time before Canada really learns about this musical gem.

Matisyahu Tour Album 2006!

2006-04-02T00:03:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a journal of my time on the road with Matisyahu, the Hassidic reggae singer.

272 photos

Photos are from between
10 Feb 06 & 17 Feb 06.

Trials of a Hasidic Rapper

2006-03-30T19:05:00.000-08:00

Music fans seem thrilled with Chabad-Lubavitch singing sensation Matisyahu; his new album, “Youth,” debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. Critics, on the other hand, are a tough bunch: Some complain that he’s not black, while others say he has betrayed his Jewish ideals.

On the day after his album’s release, The New York Times ran a withering review covering both the new album and a recent live show. The basic gist: Don’t let the black hat fool you; this guy’s as white as a ghost. “He is… a white reggae singer with an all-white band, playing (on Monday night, anyway) to an almost all-white crowd,” Times music critic Kelefa Sanneh wrote. And not only is the singer a cheap substitute for the real deal, Sanneh wrote, but his music is, too. “Perhaps Matisyahu’s fans aren’t familiar with a little-known group of performers who still make great reggae records: Jamaicans.”

Catching up on the Matisyahu Craze

2006-03-30T18:56:00.000-08:00

I've never been one to give in to popular trends when it comes to entertainment. I never liked things like Top 40 music and preferred to listen to stuff that I liked as opposed to that which was commercially popular. So it took me awhile to check out the Matisyahu craze that's been running rampant recently. The other day I finally broke down and bought his "Live at Stubbs" CD when I found it for a good price at Target. That was certainly the first Jewish artist I've seen being sold at Target (Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel don't count). Anyway, so at long last I gave a listen to the Lubavitch reggae star who's getting everyone so excited. By the way, isn't it funny how everyone has such issues with Chabad, but they don't mind listening to Matisyahu? I find that interesting. But that's a side point. I can't say that Matisyahu is one of my all time favorites, but he is talented. Some of his songs I definetly enjoyed. My one criticism would be that the songs tend to all sound very similar to an extent, but I guess hard core fans would say I don't understand.

It's fascinating how Matisyahu has succeeded in gaining crossover appeal, with a lot of fans outside the Orthodox world. I don't recall any Jewish singer having this kind of popularity in the world at large, with his videos being played on MTV and having opening gigs for bands like O.A.R. Perhaps I'm being naive, but I'd like to think that people are interested in the spiritual dimension that Matisyahu so clearly presents in his music. The question is if people are drawn by that or the catchiness of his music. Hopefully it's a little of both. If that's the case, I hope we are seeing an era of greater desire for spirituality that will lead into the coming of Moshiach.

Some criticize Matisyahu for playing concerts in night club and the like. Personally, I think that they are in wrong. Some people will come down hard on anyone who doesn't play things exactly by the book. If Matisyahu succeeds in educating people on some level, his mission is fulfilled. Everyone has a koach in serving Hashem, and his happens to be in music. Why should we begrudge him for that?

Slate Gets Stupid on Matisyahu

2006-03-29T21:22:00.000-08:00

From the Great SIW

It takes a special brand of idiocy to do what Jody Rosen’s done with Matisyahu. In the space of one paragraph, he announces “there is very little distinctly Jewish content on Youth,” then allows that what little Jewish reference exists is “a nonsensical riff on the Bible’s most beautiful poem of exile, the 137th Psalm.” Continuing in the paragraph, Rosen reveals he doesn’t really know even that psalm, because when he quotes a Matisyahu line that is for the most part a transcription of a verse in that psalm (”Jerusalem, if I forget you/ Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do”), he fails to realize it’s a quote, simply responding “Huh?”
With that in the heart of the review (and we’ll leave aside Rosen’s non sequitur assumption that “distinctly Jewish content” would naturally consist of “invocation of the idea of Jewish nationhood”), you know you’re in for some fun in a trip down Stupid Lane.
Rosen spends two paragraphs in a sort of otherworldly ignorance that outpaces Kelefa Sanneh’s for likelihood of drug influence. Picked out from the haze surrounding Rosen’s head is the argument that Matisyahu’s tapping into a long-standing and valuable Jewish tradition of blackface. I don’t think it’s worth getting into why blackface isn’t/wasn’t a good thing, and how it’s certainly not part of a continuous Jewish tradition that is still influencing Jewish art today; even if the conditions of both were favorable to Rosen’s argument, in what world would Matisyahu have been influenced by it?
But on a plain analysis, Matisyahu’s act is no more minstrelsy than is any other musical artist who inflected his voice to achieve a specific effect, and the list of those is immensely long.
The reasonable question, as we’ve discussed before, is to ask why Matisyahu feels the need to use a Jamaican accent to sing reggae; is it inherently part of the medium? In the same way, again as before, it’s reasonable to ask why yeshivish/Brooklyn/hasidic accents have become part of the rest of his dialect, as it has for countless “white boy” yeshiva students before him; is it inherently part of that culture?
Of course, such questions don’t get asked by someone with Rosen’s capabilities.
And this is all before a rambling conclusion that is the most profoundly outlandish take on Matisyahu you’ll have seen:

That emphasis on self-actualization and uplift, combined with Matisyahu’s ceaseless diatribes about the moral impurity of secular life, is reminiscent of nothing so much as Christian rock. It’s a reminder that Orthodox Jewish fundamentalists share a lot with their Christian counterparts, including political priorities—and that there’s no one quite so beloved of the Left Behind crowd these days than Orthodox Jews, whose in-gathering in Israel is essential stage setting for the coming of the Rapture. (At which point, presumably, Jews will be cast into the hellfire.) As if to make explicit the burgeoning alliance, Matisyahu recently recorded “Play MediaRoots in Stereo,” a duet with evangelical rap-rockers P.O.D. It’s a cruddy piece of music and, as politics, it can’t be good for the Jews.

It’s just so laughable when Jews continue to insert an ignorant anti-Christian tone into anything, including a review of a Jewish artist, and to conflate all such religiosity and moral message and art with political positions, as though by enjoying the art of Matisyahu, one is casting one’s ballot for the Republican ticket.
Rosen’s a joke.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 15th, 2006 at 11:34 am and is filed under Jew. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

18 Responses to “Slate Gets Stupid on Matisyahu”

Uri Cohen Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 12:33 pm
Steven, thanks for saying what needed to be said.

On the place of yeshivish accents in the culture of Baalei Teshuvah, see HUC professor Sarah Bunin Benor’s PhD thesis, which is entitled The Cultural Socialization of Newly Orthodox Jews (2004). Also cf. her brief writeup on “Jewish English” at ...
Poncho Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
Jews really need to start toning down their anti Christian rhetoric. Its becoming quite irresponsible.
tzvee Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 1:21 pm
I confess to being way behind on Mr M. So to remedy that I bought the new CD yesterday and listened to it on the the road from Teaneck to 59th street and park this morning.

It is seriously good music - very well produced. And it is completely infused with Jewish content. Maybe you have to be Orthodox to know how much Jewish content is there and where it all resonates -but I think even so - you have to be a total blind deaf mute to miss the Jewishness and musical excellence of the album.

Bravo, bravo, bravo. Now Mr. M has to watch his step — stay away from the roller coaster of drugs and the other scripted stories of MTV and VH1 - young guy makes it big — falls down into depravity — pulls self back up again — or flames out of existence.

Meanwhile we have some good Jewish pop music — finally!!!!
Paul Freedman Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
let Slate and Rosen know what you think–email or snail-mail them
I'm Haaretz, Ph.D. Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 5:15 pm
Picked out from the haze surrounding Rosen’s head is the argument that Matisyahu’s tapping into a long-standing and valuable Jewish tradition of blackface. I don’t think it’s worth getting into why blackface isn’t/wasn’t a good thing, and how it’s certainly not part of a continuous Jewish tradition that is still influencing Jewish art today; even if the conditions of both were favorable to Rosen’s argument, in what world would Matisyahu have been influenced by it?

First of all, blackface is not synonymous with minstrelsy. Matisyahu does not engage in stereotyping or mockery; his form of blackface is genuine imitation and entirely appropriate for a genre-crossing musician. And as un-PC as it may sound, blackface has in fact been a large influencing force in shaping American Jewish music. I wrote about this recently on my blog (March 2: “Jewish Blackface”) and I believe it’s a big part of who Matisyahu has become. His music is less appreciable without this historical perspective.

Which world do you think Matisyahu inhabits that he could possibly come into his own as a musician without exposure to previous Jewish musicians who engaged in black art? His style is indeed unique, but it’s not a spontaneous outgrowth that is completely original. Much of his musical influences are Jewish musicians who were heavily influenced, if less overtly, by black music. That makes Matisyahu a non-novelty and leaves him to be judged on the merit of his music alone (which I think would do him some good, but others may disagree).
Steven I. Weiss Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
I’m Haaretz — Of course Matisyahu doesn’t engage in stereotyping or mockery; that’s part of why Rosen’s comparison is so poor and offensive.
I don’t know which “Jewish musicians who engaged in black art” you think he’s influenced by, but a Phish-head-cum-Rasta-lover is a type of which there are a great many thousands, and for which Matisyahu required no Jewish influence to become.
I don’t know who these “Jewish musicians” you think were his influences are, but I highly doubt he was significantly influenced by anyone mentioned in your post.
Your post adds nothing of value to the discussion.
I'm Haaretz, Ph.D. Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
Matisyahu’s signature sound is something that comes from a musical education that he got before he put any value whatsoever on his Jewishness. So speaking of those influences is a moot point.

However, once he entered the musical scene in the role of a hasidic reggae star, he then assumed the larger role of ‘Jewish musician in a primarily black genre’. People like to make much of it, more than is worthy; he is not the first Jew, and certainly not the first white man to succeed in musically crossing racial and religious boundaries. And like you said, he’s just one of many dead-heads in dreds (which explains the built in audience).

The names in my post and in Rosen’s article are not influences, but rather predecessors. They paved the way for a Matisyahu to appear; they made his position available. Treating him as an independent and entirely original concept overlooks the tradition that he has consciously become a part of. I don’t see any purpose in disregarding his position in the Jewish musical trajectory and the history behind him.
Jimmy Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 11:01 pm
Jews really need to start toning down their anti Christian rhetoric. Its becoming quite irresponsible.

Halivai. Too many Jews go running into the arms of Christian believers without remembering Christian believers await the Rapture - and that doesn’t end well or the Jews. Rosen is right when he says Jews should keep away from them.

Also, Rosen DID understand the Psalm. The huh didn’t mean he didn’t recognize it. It means he thinks Matisyahu’s paraphrase was stupid. Really, Weiss, pay attention to context.
Steven I. Weiss Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 12:42 am
I’m Haaretz - So because some Jews were some of the non-blacks who partook in some of the playing of some black-originated music, Matisyahu, who has essentially no relation to any of them, is now part of their tradition? That doesn’t make much sense. If he or his audience were involving those elements in the discussion, there might be a point to what you’re talking about.

Jimmy - Where is P.O.D. talking about supporting Jews and Israel towards the fulfillment of an end-times prophecy? That’s the key element missing from so many items like Rosen’s, that play fast and loose with Christian theology.
As to Rosen’s getting the psalm, I don’t see it, and Rosen gives no indication of such, while giving ample indication in the reverse; the lyric is so close to a verbatim translation that such puzzlement has no place within that context you’re touting. I’m not the only one to read Rosen this way, and the onus would be on you to show how Rosen indicates the knowledge you’re claiming he has; it doesn’t appear to me he has it.
I'm Haaretz, Ph.D. Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 1:40 am
So because some Jews were some of the non-blacks who partook in some of the playing of some black-originated music, Matisyahu, who has essentially no relation to any of them, is now part of their tradition?

Do you have to reduce ad absurdum? Isn’t there a valid point to discussing context? Matisyahu doesn’t have to come out and say “I am influenced by…” in order to be circumstantially related. He is part of a tradition, and his actions and music must be judged accordingly. This is a new brand of an already existent fusion. If your only concern is how many albums he’ll sell in the next few weeks then it’s unimportant, but if you’re interested in what’s “good/bad for the Jews” then broader questions need to be asked.

If he or his audience were involving those elements in the discussion, there might be a point to what you’re talking about.

Matisyahu and his audience are confronted with these questions everyday; the media can’t get enough of playing up the race factor and exoticizing his religion, i.e. “could a white, hasidic, jewish guy actually perform reggae?”. So yeah, it *is* relevant. I’m not simplifying this so I can say that Matisyahu is just another Al Jolson or Beastie Boy–I have no reason to. But what could possibly be your reason for completely rejecting this context and musical history (besides an obvious dislike for Jody Rosen’s ideas)?
Steven I. Weiss Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 9:00 am
I’m Haaretz - But your context is no context. He’s not part of a tradition as you state. If he’s part of any tradition of fusion, it’s of a jam-band tradition that incorporates various influences including reggae, like Sublime, or that involves more hip-hop in the genre, like 311. There’s nothing about your post or Rosen’s article that connects Matisyhau to the “tradition” you’re claiming other than the most superficial elements of who he is and the art he’s making. As to a discussion of “good/bad for the Jews”: firstly, that’s almost always asked and answered in the most stupid fashion, and as such is almost universally irrelevant; secondly, the world of art today doesn’t involve such questions in the way you and Rosen seek to ask them — and the two of you aren’t asking it in the same way, though both of you ask them in ways that are completely apart from reasonable Jewish or artistic concerns.
Re: being “confronted with these questions everyday,” that’s patently false. The question of race has only become one in two essays of recent vintage: Sanneh’s and Rosen’s, and both were wrong-headed. The novelty of Matisyahu is not his whiteness (because Gentleman is white) and it’s not his Jewishness (because Sean Paul is Jewish); his novelty stems from his being an Orthodox Jew and Hasid, which are groups that are quite specifically not expected — by the broader population if not within their sects — to incorporate outside cultural elements such as reggae into their lives; and when they become performers for the public on top of that, it’s a very specific cultural curiosity. It’s why Gawker makes a big deal of David Lavon, and why Gothamist posts video of rapping at a Tu B’shvat seder.
My reason for completely rejecting this context and musical history in the context of Matisyahu is that it’s irrelevant, and that making it relevant seems quite naturally to lead to arguments like Rosen’s.
I'm Haaretz, Ph.D. Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 11:57 am
The connections I made are obviously based on circumstantial aspects of Matisyahu rather than anything essential to the music. Rosen’s piece tries to write off Matisyahu based on these connections; I to the contrary say historical perspective can only enrich the experience. Being Orthodox adds to his intrigue, not just because of his observance, but because it is an open and extreme display of Jewishness. So my model still applies.

And just to make things clear- I only used the abominable phrase, “good/bad for the Jews” because you asked the question in your Forward article (which btw egregiously mislabels Matisyahu as a rapper?!). I personally think that making value judgments on reality is inconsequential and totally unproductive. He’s going to do what’s good for him, and rightfully so; but just the same, we can try and fit him into our cultural landscape.

All in all, I realize that people are more inclined to side with you. I once ran my ideas by Matisyahu’s (former) manager and he basically said–somewhat extraneous but interesting to note. Believe it or not, that was the answer I wanted to hear: even though it’s not an overwhelming consideration, it is something that should be said.

(BTW, if Sean Paul is Jewish, then so is Jerry Garcia. It isn’t so clear and he definitely doesn’t carry it with him, so it hardly counts.)
Bozoer Rebbe Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 11:59 am
Can a white goy sing the Jews?

It might be interesting to get Don Byron’s take on Matisyahu. Byron is a noted klezmer clarinetist who is black and not Jewish. Though Byron’s novelty has been noted, as far as I know not a single review or critic has questioned the authenticity of his music because he comes from a different cultural tradition. Does anyone question the ability of Yo Yo Ma to interpret the music of 18th century Christian Europeans? When Aretha Franklin sang the aria “Nessum Dorma” at the Grammy awards a few years back nobody accused her of appropriating an inflection from another culture.

It’s only when members of a perceived to be privileged group embrace the culture of others that the issues of cultural expropriation, wannabes, and poseurs arise.

Very little music on this planet is culturally pristine. One of the things that makes Jewish music so rich is the many influences of the various musical cultures we have been exposed to in the diaspora. Klezmer has ‘turkishers’ and ‘bulgars’. In my shul on Simchat Torah, we use a ‘niggun’ taught to us by a Sephardi rabbi that has sections with clear Spanish influence and other parts that are much more Arabic sounding.

Blues is not African. It’s American, the result of musical cultures coming together. The guitar is Spanish. Hell, the blues scale is *similar* to the west African scale used in Mali, but not identical. In the 1830s in Germany a guy named Matthais Hohner developed what we today call the harmonica. A “free reed” instrument (an accordion is a harmonica on steroids), it’s generally believed that Hohner and other harmonica pioneers were influenced by the Sheng, a Chinese instrument brought back to Europe by traders as a novelty. Soon Hohner was making millions of harmonicas. The instrument’s low cost made it accessible to southern rural blacks in the US. They brought with them African musical traditions like drone instruments and note bending and what we now call the blues scale with its flatted notes. Someone discovered that changing the emboucher allows a harmonica player to change pitch and play notes not in the original layout of the harp, particularly the flatted notes that give the blues scale its emotional expressiveness, the so-called “blue notes”. So in this example of how music really develops and lives, a German instrument based on a Chinese concept is found to be an ideal instrument to play the amalgam of African and English folk musics that we now know as the blues. And Muddy said that the harmonica was “the mother of the blues”.

None of this business about Matisyahu’s authenticity is new. In the 1960s, black nationalists complained that the music industry was “exploiting” black musicians (while royalties from Cream’s cover of I’m So Glad paid for Skip James’ cancer surgery). Rich Cohen’s book about Leonard Chess and Chess Records, Rockers & Machers, describes the era when (mostly) Jewish businessmen stopped selling black music due to threats from black activists. Of course, the fact that Leonard Chess hired Willie Dixon as the first black record executive in the US or the fact that Chess and other landsmen made it possible for much of that art to find an audience was ignored. Leonard was derided as the rich Jew who kept the musicians on a plantation. Marshal Chess says (paraphrased), ‘you can call my father a “plantation owner”, but what the musicians my father worked with wanted was a song on the radio, because if you had a song on the radio you could get work at $350 a night and drive a Cadillac with a fine bitch at your side, and my father got their songs on the radio.’ Chess also points out that a song that his father produced and distributed, Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode, is on the gold plated record mounted on the Explorer spacecract that has left the solar system looking for signs of life elsewhere in the universe - “not bad for a Jewish boy from Poland”.

Bob Dylan, I think, addresses the ‘can a white boy sing the blues?’ issue in his masterpiece Blind Willie McTell. The song is musically evocative of gospel, with lyrical allusions to slavery and Dylan’s own Jewish background. The refrain goes “and nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell”, and it’s almost as if Bob is winking at us because he knows how powerful his own song is. Perhaps nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell, but nobody has written a song about Blind Willie like Dylan.
Bozoer Rebbe Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
Garcia was not Jewish. His mom’s family are not Jews. I could dig out a couple books, but I’m pretty sure his mom’s family were Irish. His father’s family were, I believe, Spanish rather than Mexican.

I’m pretty sure that Jerry’s first wife was Jewish and I think he had a child with her.

The evidence that Elvis was halachicly Jewish, however, is a bit stronger.
Bozoer Rebbe Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Steven, that would be a great thread, btw, Jews in popular music. Lieber & Stoller, Doc Pomus, the Brill Building, Mike Bloomfield a’h', how much taste the A&M label had, etc. etc.
charlie bitton Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
Rosen may be a joke, but he’s a professional journalist. All you have is a lame blog.
ralph Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
charlie bitton-
All he has is a lame blog…and news articles for the Forward, Wall Street Journal, JTA, New York Magazine….
papijoe Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
I don’t recall UB-40 or The Police being knocked for not being “authentic”, nor John Brown’s Body more recently. The only explanation for the Slate and NYT reviews is anti-semitism and self-loathing in Rosen’s case.

Rebbe of reggae provides a rollicking but raw show at Pompano Ampitheatre

2006-03-28T20:33:00.000-08:00

By Sean Piccoli
Pop Music Writer

March 28, 2006

He looked more like a cantor than a reggae MC, with his long coat, beard and wide-brimmed hat. In fact, he was both, and the oddity of watching this cultural hybrid in motion didn't last long. Performing on Saturday night at the Pompano Beach Amphitheatre grounds, Matisyahu, a converted Orthodox Jew who rocks the Torah using chatterbox Jamaican lingo, showed enough skill and charisma to be taken seriously.

To the devout, he offered songs that warned against false pride and counseled humility before God. For the merely curious, he provided a sense of occasion: Ticket demand pushed this show out of the amphitheater's 3,000-seat bandshell and on to surrounding lawns, where 7,800 people were gathered on Saturday. For music buffs, Matisyahu's second performance in South Florida worked as a block-rocking reggae concert.

The trio backing him played bounding, reverb-soaked rhythms, and the Hasidic dancehaller responded with agile and melodic rhyming. He was energetic, but varied, and in control of dynamics that changed from song to song. The melancholy air of Late Night in Zion suited him as well as the righteous fury of Fire of Heaven/Altar of Earth.

No track combined the basic elements -- musical punch and spiritual zeal -- as effectively as the hit single King Without a Crown. The band and the front man had the song, and the crowd, all bouncing in happy unison.

Matisyahu displayed some of the shortcomings of a young performer on a rapid climb. The music had its share of dead spots and directionless jams. Some lyrics were blandly repetitive. A hip-hop beat-box routine, in which Matisyahu used his microphone and voice to simulate DJ skips and loops, felt like classroom show-and-tell. The 90-minute set didn't sound fully vetted for what works and what doesn't onstage.

The banter could use refining, too: Moved by the sight of a thousand upraised cellphones, Matisyahu ventured a long metaphor on the soul's inner light and the desire to connect to God, and got lost trying to finish the thought. At one point he stopped the show, calling an intermission to address a minor amplifier problem.

But spectators took the downtime in stride. Matisyahu is at a place where public affection, goodwill and curiosity are all breaking his way. It's not clear how deep the interest goes or how much the typical fan cares about the connections between Judaism and Rastafarianism. The lore of the lost tribe of Judah is not the stuff of popular discourse. Many in the youthful crowd of teens and twentysomethings surely knew something about the Torah, and something about reggae and dancehall -- enough at any rate to be generally intrigued by the music and the unusual personality behind it.

Stories about Matisyahu describe a runaway from suburban New York who smoked pot, followed his favorite band -- Phish -- around the country, burned out and had the kind of teenage existential crisis that seems to befall kids from privileged homes. Orthodox Judaism set him straight, the story goes, and reggae put him back on the road with a sense of purpose.

Conversion did not require him to give up a sense of humor. Spotting some familiar faces in the crowd, he said "White Plains" and, with a grin, poured his water bottle on to the stage like a gang soldier commemorating his homeboys. A little of that self-deprecating wit would go a long way in his music.

Sean Piccoli can be reached at spiccoli@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4832.

Vent

2006-03-27T22:59:00.000-08:00

If I hear another song by Matisyahu, I'm going to scream.

His songs are ok, but I don't want to hear them every 5 minutes.

::turning off radio now::

6 comments | Leave a comment

wendalah[info]wendalah on March 27th, 2006 - 09:34 pm
You anti-semite, you.

Cotytto[info]sumama on March 27th, 2006 - 10:22 pm
Just for syaing that, I made him my user icon. :p

sucia01[info]sucia01 on March 27th, 2006 - 09:48 pm
Dude now I have his song in my head. Thanks!

Cotytto[info]sumama on March 28th, 2006 - 01:10 am
What's this feeling?
My love will rip a hole in the ceiling
I give myself to you now from the essence of my being
And I sing to my God songs of love and healing
I want Mashiach now, time we start revealing...

;)

krdohert[info]krdohert on March 27th, 2006 - 10:52 pm
i'm eh on him too. I think the novelty has worn off.

Cotytto[info]sumama on March 28th, 2006 - 01:10 am
I agree.

I Need Me a Warrior...

2006-03-27T22:57:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu owns all live.

Yesh indeed.

& if you don't agree, then wow. Your missing out.

Great show, me & Eric had a friggin awesome time. & the opening band, Balkan Beat Box, was so awesome... I definetly give them mad propz & recommend you guys to check them out. Yeah, there that cool.

Today was mighty nice, even if it was the first day back from a while.

I had a weird dream last night. It was weird because of how real it seemed. When my dreams are like that, somethings up. Its happened before... so yeah. & if you want to talk vibes, I've been getting some crazy ones about some peoples lately... ooh buddy, so trippy.

But go figure.

I'm craving some Matisyahu, Balkan Beat Box, Incubus, KoRn, & some old skool RHCP. Yes, I'm talking Freaky Styly era. Ooh yesh yesh.

I got Matisyahu's Zephyrhills bottle,
Jen Almighty †

Matisyahu concert last Sunday. - pictures

2006-03-27T22:55:00.000-08:00

Over due pictures.
Matisyahu concert last Sunday.

It was pretty good except for the couple that pushed in front of me and then just stood there making out the whole time. So I elbowed them a lot and they moved over so I could see but they were still GROSS GROSS GROSS!

Why does the handle for the axe come from the forest itself?

2006-03-27T22:52:00.000-08:00

Matisyahu.

Do you love him? Of course you do, he's a Hasidic rapper.

Do you understand his lyrics?
If you don't (or even if you do), come get some answers this Wednesday,
March 29th at 8PM in room 503 of the Walker Building.
Rabbi Polsner will teach you things about the mysticism and spiritualism of the Jew who's rocking our world.

For more information, please contact Joel Schwartz (857-205-6031) or Yoni Vendriger (617-694-7900.

Emerson College

How do you begin to describe this guy?

2006-03-27T22:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the sweet bug in my life, I once again have been introduced to a very unique new sound in music. The trouble is, how the heck do you even begin to try and describe this guys music? Well..... he is a lil bit hip hop, a bit more Raggae, but is Jewish and looks Amish!! Go figure he could sound this damned good!! So give a listen to "Matisyahu". I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I know I sure was.

Thanks again sweet bug for bringing new music into my life... especially during a time when it was very needed.

-De

YEKA LAND: MTV Tour of 770

2006-03-20T15:54:00.000-08:00

As he climbs to the top of the billboard, MTV features a tour of 770 with Matisyahu!

Try the link now, I updated it!

Ne-Yo Nosedives, Hurts Cannibalization Theory.

2006-03-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

Ne-Yo's In My Own Words debuted atop the album chart (with sales of over 301,000) and sparked a debate over the merits of witholding a prerelease single in order to improve album sales -- a.k.a. the cannibalization theory.

But a funny thing happened on the way to pick up the debate trophy: Ne-Yo's second week sales dropped 62%, moving only 113,000 units in its second week of release. Big second week drops aren't unusual for urban albums, but 62% is enough to wonder about any marketing strategy. (Did the first week have a goldenboy week that simply couldn't be matched in successive weeks? Or was the second week slide avoidable?)

Any way you slice it, the only way to gauge the effectiveness of a label's pre-release single strategy is to look at total sales (single, album, ringtone) over longer periods -- four and eight weeks are good places to start. One week doesn't tell you much.

Oh, Juvenile's Reality Check debuted at #1 with 174,000 in sales. Matisyahu's Youth debuted at #9, the best opening week for a reggae artist since Soundscan started tracking sales in 1991. David Gilmour's On An Island debuted at #6 with 96,000 sold.

Posted by glenn at March 20, 2006 09:21 AM

Slam Your Fist On The Table And Make Your Demand

2006-03-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was awesome. For real, it was the best day of my life. In heebs we didn't do anything, and then we headed over to Shampoo for the Idan Raichel concert. And it was amazing. There was a falafel bar and lots of Israeli candy and awesome hott Israeli Jew-boys!!! Ahh. And the concert was amazing. And then we went over to the Electric Factory. We got there at 7:00 (left Shampoo early) and the line was already really long to get in. And then lots of people showed up and we let them get in line with us, so it was one big USY party. And then we got in and saw more people (like Zev!) and it was fun. And then the opening band came on. And they were Israeli and New-Yorkian and they were SO cool. They blew the shofar! What the hell? And they got boring and played for way too long and then Matisyahu took forever to get on stage but he did after lots of false alarms and AHHH! Jeremy, Dina and I stood near these really crazy smoking people and there were these 2 girls making out and it was awesome and then we went over to Staci and company and had another partyy. And I held so many people's stuff and it was INSANE!! But AHHHHH MATISYAHU! And then Dina and people left before I was picked up cuz they suck so I was left waiting by myself. So I eventually got home and didn't go to bed until 12:45. And I still smell like an ashtray. And I'm hungry and tired and wanna go to bed right now but I have so much homework. Ahhh.

Been Caught Learning

2006-03-20T15:31:00.000-08:00

Perry Farrell, former member for Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros, has rediscovered his Jewish roots with the help of Chabad's San Francisco sh'liach, R. Yosef Langer. It's an interesting article, although the author seems a bit confused as to the proper usage of the phrase 'Messianic Judaism,' using it to refer to Lubavitch, which, while possibly correct, isn't the colloquial usage. I also find it interesting that, according to the article, R. Langer spends so much of his time with Farrell; it's reminiscent of Kabbalah's courtship of Madonna. Either way, I find stories like this interesting, not because I care if some former rock-star find religion, but for their explanations as to what aspects of religion led them back to their roots.

Farrell recently joined Matisyahu in San Francisco for Purimpalooza, a concert on Purim night, preceeded by a Megillah reading.

R. Langer calls Farrell by his Hebrew name, Peretz Farrell (reminds me of Rueven ben Peretz Farfel, for all you Frednecks out there).

Matisyahu tour brings area guitarist home

2006-03-19T13:02:00.000-08:00

By JASON NARK
Courier-Post Staff

If Aaron Dugan hasn't had his surreal moment yet, it should hit him Sunday night at the Electric Factory.

Dugan, who grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and later Willow Grove, plays guitar for Matisyahu, the Hasidic reggae singer who has exploded on the scene recently with an album in the Billboard Top 50, and a hit single on the radio and MTV. Matisyahu and the band will headline a sold-out Electric Factory Sunday in support of their third album, Youth, which hit the shelves on March 7.

Dugan, 28, said he had an epiphany of sorts at the famous Northern Liberties concert venue in 1997 when Radiohead played there in support of their highly acclaimed album, OK Computer.

"That was the concert that got me back into rock music," said Dugan, during a recent interview from Los Angeles. "It changed the whole way I approached guitar."

Dugan played at the Theater of the Living Arts with Matisyahu in December, but said the Electric Factory will be a bigger experience.

"I have a lot of Philly pride. I still can't believe we're playing there. I remember when they booked this gig, I was very excited."

Dugan had his first guitar epiphany right before his 14th birthday when his family moved from the Northeast to the suburbs of Willow Grove.

"Ninth grade was probably the most important year for me," he said.

Dugan said he'll have a veritable army of family and friends in attendance at the sold-out show.

Dugan met Matthew Miller, now known as Matisyahu, while he was attending the New School for Jazz in New York City during the late 1990s. The two didn't begin playing together regularly for another couple of years when Miller had fully embraced Lubavitch Hasidic lifestyle.

"He called me one day after we both graduated and asked me if I wanted to play a Hanukkah Menorah lighting in Union Square Park," said Dugan.

According to his biography, Matisyahu was born in West Chester, Pa., and was nearly kicked out of Hebrew School in White Plains, N.Y. He spent his teenage years traveling across the country, following the Grateful Dead, going through a spiritual revelation on a camping trip to Colorado, and re-connecting with his faith after a trip to Israel.

He describes the music as a mix of "Bob Marley and Shlomo Carlebach," and his intelligent, spiritual lyrics often are peppered with a little Yiddish.

Dugan said he doesn't mind it when people ask if the band is a novelty, something akin to Weird Al Yankovic doing reggae. They often change their mind after listening.

"I think it's kind of funny. There's several ways to look at it," said Dugan. "We keep getting calls for gigs and I want to play every day."

That seems feasible too, as Matisyahu has been selling out nearly every venue on this tour.

"We just did K-Rock (92.3 FM, New York City), Conan (O'Brien Show) and the Jimmy Kimmel Show," he said. "And we're still alive."

Reach Jason Nark at (856) 486-2473 or jnark@courierpostonline.com
Published: March 17. 2006 3:00AM

Matisyahu - King Without a Crown

2006-03-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

Dailymotion blogged video
Matisyahu - King Without a Crown
Video sent by rc

un religieu israélite qui toast... no comment!

Video panel review of Matisyahu video by the youth!

Decompressing Faith: A Few Things...

2006-03-17T11:17:00.000-08:00

Second - and I may be the last to have heard of this - have you ever heard of Matisyahu? If not, ask your adolescent or teenaged kids. I saw his video on a music video channel called Fuse and I was so very impressed. Imagine a Hasidic Jew Reggae artist...if that sounds strange (which it is), and in case you think I'm crazy - his album "Youth" is the #1 most downloaded album at iTunes right now. If you visit his website and can tolerate reggae music, be sure to check out the Video section and watch "The New King Without a Crown Video"...it's completely appropriate for Christian viewers (I'll stick the lyrics for it into my next post). Also read his bio...interesting journey. If you wonder why I'm giving this a shout-out, it's because I will get behind anything cool and new that glorifies G-d and gives hope to the people of this world (especially teens). Jewish or not, he still points to THE ONE. I think he's totally clever and I appreciate that POD has worked with him on their latest album, "Testify".

LIVE IN LONDON GOOGLE VIDEO MATISYAHU

2006-03-16T22:53:00.000-08:00

not matisyahu

2006-03-16T22:30:00.000-08:00