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Matisyahu

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For the 2nd century BCE Jewish high priest of the Maccabees, see Mattathias.
Matisyahu

Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), better known by his Hebrew name Matisyahu (Hebrew:מתתיהו) is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae musician.

Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with Reggae, rock and hip hop beat-boxing sounds, Matisyahu's single "King Without a Crown" was a Top 40 hit.[1] Since 2004, he has released three studio albums as well as two live albums, two remix CDs and one DVD featuring a live concert. Through his career, Matisyahu has worked with Bill Laswell and reggae producers Sly & Robbie.

Biography

Personal life

Matisyahu was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania as Matthew Miller; his family eventually settled in White Plains, New York. He also has a younger sister named Julie.[2]

He was brought up a Reconstructionist Jew, and attended Hebrew school at Bet Am Shalom, a synagogue located in White Plains. He performed for over a year under the alias MC Truth in Bend, Oregon's Soulfori band. He spent some time as a young man as a self-professed "Phish-head," taking hallucinogens and following the rock band Phish on tour.[3]

In 1996, Matisyahu took part in a semester-long program that offers students first-hand exploration of Jewish heritage at the Alexander Muss High School in Hod Hasharon, Israel. His experiences there significantly affected his feelings towards Judaism eventually leading to his decision to adopt Orthodox Judaism, becoming a Baal Teshuva around 2001. Initially he found his way to the Carlebach Shul on the West Side of Manhattan. Matisyahu then found his way to Chabad of Washington Square. He finished high school at a wilderness program in Bend, Oregon.[4] Matisyahu then began playing with the Jewish band Pey Dalid.[5]

From 2001 through July 2007, Matisyahu was affiliated with the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. However, as of July 17, 2007, he told the Miami New Times in an interview that he no longer "necessarily" identifies with the Lubavitch movement. In the interview, he stated that "...the more I'm learning about other types of Jews, I don't want to exclude myself. I felt boxed in."[6] Additionally, in the fall of 2007, while on a family vacation spent primarily in Jerusalem's Nachlaot neighborhood, he expressed interest in another Hasidic sect, that of Karlin.[7] As of November 2007 he has confirmed a preference to pray at the Karliner synagogue in Boro Park where the custom is to ecstatically scream prayers; however he continues to reside in Crown Heights because of his wife's affinity for the community.[8]

Soon after his adoption of hasidism, Matisyahu began studying Torah at Hadar Hatorah, a yeshiva for returnees to Judaism where he wrote and recorded his first album. He counts Bob Marley, Phish,[9] God Street Wine and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach among his musical inspirations and gives credit to Rabbi Simon Jacobson's book Toward a Meaningful Life for the lyrical inspiration to Youth's title track. As part of his faith, he does not perform in concert on Friday nights in observance of the Jewish Sabbath. An exception to this occurred at a 2007 concert in Anchorage, Alaska, which was allowed because the sun didn't set until 2:00 a.m.[10].

Matisyahu's wife's name is Tahlia; They have two sons.[11]

Career

File:Etetete.jpg
Matisyahu performing at the Roskilde Festival in 2006.

In 2004, Matisyahu, after having signed with JDub Records, a not-for-profit record label that promotes Jewish musicians, released his first album, Shake Off the Dust...Arise. At Bonnaroo 2005, Trey Anastasio of the band Phish invited him for a guest spot on his set.[12]

His major label debut album was produced by Bill Laswell, with minor contribution by pop producers Jimmy Douglass and the Ill Factor.

His live album, Live at Stubb's, released in 2005, was recorded at a concert in Austin, Texas was followed by the studio album Youth.

In 2005 and 2006 he toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Europe; and made a number of stops in Israel, including a performance as the supporting act for Sting in June 2006. In late 2006, he released No Place to Be, a remix album featuring re-recordings and remixes of songs from all three of his earlier albums, as well as a cover of "Message in a Bottle" by The Police.

The live version of the song King Without a Crown, broke into the Modern Rock Top 10 in 2006. The accompanying video and album, Youth, produced by Bill Laswell, were released on March 7, 2006. On March 16, Youth was Billboard magazine's number-one Digital Album. In 2006, he appeared once again at Bonnaroo, this time performing a solo set.[13]

In spring 2006, right before the release of Youth, he cut ties with his managers at JDub Records. JDub managed his act, but was not his record label.[14]

At the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival, the film Unsettled, in which Matisyahu appears, won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature. While attending the festival, he performed in an impromptu concert at the Park City Film Music Festival in Park City, Utah. In the summer of 2007 he joined 311 on their Summer Unity Tour. He also performed in the 2008 documentary Call + Response.[15]

His third studio album, Light was released on August 25, 2009, along with the live EP Live at Twist & Shout.

From July 10 to July 30, 2010, Matisyahu (along with The Dirty Heads) supported Sublime with Rome (the new version of long-defunct ska punk band) on their US tour.[16]

In November 2009, NBC used Matisyahu's song "One Day" as background music for their advertisement of the Olympic games. This stirred up speculation that "One Day" may become the theme song for the 2010 Olympics. However, it remained only NBC's top pick, and was not announced to be the theme song. [17]

On August 2, 2010, Matisyahu revealed to OC Weekly that he has been writing new songs for his next album, which should be recorded in a couple weeks.[18]

Artistic style

Matisyahu performance in 2005.

Matisyahu fuses the contemporary styles of rap, beatboxing, and hip-hop in general, with the more traditional vocal disciplines of jazz's scat singing and Judaism's hazzan style of songful prayer—more often than not rolling it all into a dominant background of reggae music.[original research?] The New York Times' Kelefa Sanneh wrote that "His sound owes a lot to early dancehall reggae stars like Barrington Levy and Eek-a-Mouse."[19] The Chicago Tribune's Kevin Pang described a Matisyahu performance as "soul-shaking brand of dancehall reggae, a show that captures both the jam band vibe of Phish and the ska-punk of Sublime." [citation needed] Matisyahu's style has been compared to JewDa Maccabi, an Orthodox Jew from Florida who includes religious lyrics within a musical style derived from hip-hop.[20] Coming from his Jewish beliefs and compounding his use of the hazzan style, Matisyahu's lyrics are mostly English with more than occasional use of Hebrew and Yiddish.

In 2006, Matisyahu stated that "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."[21]

In 2009, he said about his recently released album Light, "I think the vast majority of people that respect what I do are willing to move with me. I think it's not so much about genres or styles of music as it is about expressing the emotion or the idea. ... Whatever allows you to do that, whatever style, as long as it's authentic."[22]

Collaboration

Matisyahu July 2007, Mansfield, MA on tour with 311

Matisyahu has performed with Kenny Muhammad, a Muslim beatboxer. He also recorded the song "One Day" along with Akon. [citation needed]

Reception

Since his debut, Matisyahu has received positive reviews from both rock and reggae outlets. In 2006 he was named as Top Reggae Artist by Billboard[23] as well as being named a spokesperson for Kenneth Cole.[24] In 2006 Esquire's Esky Music Awards - Most Lovable Oddball in The magazine called him "the most intriguing reggae artist in the world."[25]

Origin of his name

Matisyahu is a Ashkenazic Hebrew pronunciation of the Biblical name Matthew (מתתיהו). The same Hebrew name corresponds to the name Mattathias -- which is sometimes used as a translation of the name of the 2nd century BCE Jewish leader of the Maccabees' revolution.

Matisyahu Miller explained the origin of his personal use of the name in an interview in Kosher Spirit Magazine (a publication by OK Kosher Certification) as follows: His full secular name is Matthew Paul Miller, and the legal Hebrew name he received at his brit milah (circumcision ceremony) at eight days of age was forgotten. In Hebrew school it was assumed to be Matisyahu because of the connection between Matthew and Matisyahu. The original certificate from the brit was later located and he discovered that the actual name given at the brit was the Yiddish name "Feivish Hershel". He was advised by his rabbis to continue using the Hebrew name that he had grown up with.[26]

Touring members

Current

Dub Trio:

Former

  • Jonah David − drums, ex-Roots Tonic (2004–2007)
  • Josh Werner - bass, ex-Roots Tonic (2004–2007)
  • Borahm Lee - keyboards (2006–2007)
  • Skoota Warner - drums (2007–2008)
  • Jason Fraticelli - bass (2007–2009)

Discography

Studio albums

Release date Album name Label Format Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[27] 		US
Rap
[27] 		US
Reg.
[27] 		BEL (Fla)
[28] 		FIN
[29] 		IRE
[30] 		NLD
[31] 		SWE
[32] 		UK
[33]
October 12, 2004 Shake Off the Dust... Arise JDub CD — — — — — — — — —
March 7, 2006 Youth JDub/Or Music/Epic CD 4 3 1 85 35 47 48 43 152

US: Gold[34]

August 25, 2009 Light JDub/Or Music/Epic CD 19 — 1 — — — — — —
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Live albums

Release date Album name Label Format Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[27] 		US
Rap
[27] 		US
Reg.
[27] 		NLD
[31]
April 19, 2005 Live at Stubb's JDub/Or Music CD 30 14 1 98

US: Gold[34]

August 25, 2009 Live at Twist & Shout Epic CD — — — —
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Remix albums

Release date Album name Label Format Peak chart positions
US
[27] 		US
Reg.
[27]
March 7, 2006 Youth Dub JDub/Epic CD — —
December 26, 2006 No Place to Be Sony/Epic/Or Music CD 146 1
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Extended plays

Release date Album details Label Format US
Reg.
[27]
November 8, 2008 Shattered Epic CD 1

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US

[27]

US
Alt.

[27]

US
Pop

[27]

US
Rock

[27]

JPN

[27]

POR
2005 "King Without a Crown" 28 7 37 — — — US: Gold[34] Shake Off the Dust... Arise, Live at Stubb's & Youth
2006 "Youth" — 19 — — — — Youth
"Jerusalem (Out of the Darkness Comes Light)" — — — — — 18
2009 "One Day" 85 21 35 38 37 — Light
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Guest appearances

  • So Called - The So Called Seder: A HipHop Haggadah, JDUB Records, 2005 [35]
Track 3rd Cup: Yahu (also featuring Trevor Dunn)
Tracks Roots In Stereo and Strength Of My Life
Track Rachamana
Track Childhood (also featuring Kosha Dillz)
Matisyahu & Dub Trio track Watching The Wheels (like all songs on the compilation this is a John Lennon cover)
  • Co-wrote the song "Away with This" with Joseph Israel ([5]) and performed it live on both 2/19/2005 in Austin, Texas at Stubb's ([6] YouTube Video of event) and again on 12/8/2007 in Brooklyn, New York at the Warsaw Theater ([7] YouTube Video of event).
  • Provided vocals for the track "Drown in the Now". The third track on The Crystal Method's 2009 album "Divided By Night".
  • Featured on cover of the Beatles's Within You Without You performed by Easy Star All Stars on the 2009 album Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band [38].
  • Co-wrote and regularly performs "Unity" with Trevor Hall, 2009, a song encouraging the interfaith celebration of God

Cover versions

Running Away (Bob Marley cover)- recently seen at his October 21, 2009 House of Blues, Anaheim show

TV, radio, and film appearances

See also

References

  1. ^ "Matisyahu". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  2. ^ AIM Celebrity Interview
  3. ^ AskMen.com - Matisyahu Picture
  4. ^ Jewish MC rocks the mike and keeps it kosher Joan Anderman, 20 June 30, 2004.
  5. ^ Matisya-Who? by Brian Blum at Shabbat Shalom; June 15, 2006
  6. ^ Matisyahu Tonight at Sound Advice Amphitheatre. July 17, 2007, Miami New Times Blog.
  7. ^ The Bob and the Baba. October 9, 2007, HaAretz Daily Newspaper Israel.
  8. ^ Matisyahu's New Spiritual Groove. November 28, 2007, The Jewish Week.
  9. ^ [1] Rolling Stone. New CDs: Matisyahu, Juvenile, by Peter Relic. March 6, 2006
  10. ^ Oy!Chicago Accessed July 4, 2008.
  11. ^ [2]
  12. ^ Matisyahu: Hasidic Hot Stepper Rolling Stone Magazine, Evan Serpick. Feb 24, 2006
  13. ^ "Bonnaroo". Buzznet. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  14. ^ Hasidic Reggae Singer Surprises His Managers. March 14, 2006, Ben Sisario, The New York Times.
  15. ^ http://www.callandresponse.com
  16. ^ http://www.sublimewithrome.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=3
  17. ^ http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/editorsdesk/2009/11/12/matisyahus-one-day-official-2010-olympics-song-or-just-nbcs-top-pick
  18. ^ http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/interview/matisyahu-talks-about-touring/
  19. ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (March 8, 2006). "Dancehall With a Different Accent". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  20. ^ Jew Da Maccabi, Leslie Bunder. "Something Jewish" Dec. 19, 2005.
  21. ^ Matisyahu's Passover, Chabad.org, April 2006.
  22. ^ More Jersey than Jamaica, Jerusalem Post, August 30, 2009.
  23. ^ "Sean Paul, Matisyahu reggae's top acts in '06" Todd Martens for Reuters.
  24. ^ [3]"Matisyahu: Clothes Horse, Diversity Poster Boy" by Carolyn Slutsky for Jewish Week New York.
  25. ^ The 2006 Esky Music Awards April 2006, Volume 145, Issue 4.
  26. ^ M on M - Hasidic Reggae Superstar Kosher Spirit Magazine, Fall 2005.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "American chart". Billboard charts. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  28. ^ "Belgian albums chart". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  29. ^ "Finnish albums chart". finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  30. ^ "Finnish albums chart". irish-charts.com. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  31. ^ a b "Dutch albums chart". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  32. ^ "Swedish albums chart". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  33. ^ "British chart". zobbel.de. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  34. ^ a b c "Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  35. ^ Amazon listing for Album, Track 9. Released Jun 21, 2005.
  36. ^ Amazon listing for Album, Tracks 1 and 11. Released Jan. 24, 2006
  37. ^ Amazon listing for Album, Track 2. Released Sept. 19, 2006.
  38. ^ Official Track Listing Easy Star Records, 2009
  39. ^ Internet Archive Setlist Live at The Funkbox on 2004-10-21
  40. ^ Internet Archive Setlist Live at 2004 Jewish-American Festival on 2004-09-05
  41. ^ Internet Archive Setlist Live at Toad's Place on 2007-12-02 (December 2, 2007)
  42. ^ [4] Live at Knitting factory on 2009-06-25 (June 25, 2009)
  43. ^ "Orthodox Stance - press kit".
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