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Y-Love

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Y-Love
Background information
Born (1978-01-05) January 5, 1978 (age 46)
Baltimore, Maryland
GenresJewish hip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper
Years active2005–present
LabelsShemspeed
Websitethisisylove.com

Yitz Jordan (born January 5, 1978), better known by his stage name Y-Love, is an American hip-hop artist. A former Orthodox Jew, Jordan was formerly Hasidic.[1] Jordan rhymes in a mixture of English, Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, Latin and Aramaic,[2] often covering social, political and religious themes.

Biography

Personal life

Jordan, an only child, was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland to a Christian Ethiopian father and Puerto Rican mother, occasionally attending a Baptist church.[3] As a youth, Jordan was a fan of the conscientious rhymes of KRS-ONE and Public Enemy's Chuck D.[4]

Jordan first became interested in Judaism at the age of seven. "I saw a commercial that said, 'Happy Passover from your friends at Channel 2,'" he said, "and I went drawing six-pointed stars on everything at my mother's house."[5] He started wearing a kippah and observing Shabbat at 14, and converted to Judaism around the turn of millennium.[6] He later spent time studying at a yeshiva in Jerusalem.[6] In May 2012, Jordan came out as gay.[1] As of 2012, he still identified as an Orthodox Jew.[7] However, by 2019 he proclaimed himself off the derech[8] and reported that he was eating seafood [9]

Career

After moving to Brooklyn in 2001, Jordan began performing at open mics around the city as Y-Love. He received a measure of criticism from the local Jewish population for also being a member of the hip hop community.[4]

Y-Love released his first mixtape in 2005, DJ Handler Presents Y-Love: The Mixtape, leading to an award for Best Hip Hop Artist at Heeb's 2006 Jewish Music Awards.[4] A few years later, he teamed up with beatboxer Yuri Lane to record the a capella album, Count It (Sefira). The vocals-only offering can be listened to by Orthodox Jews year-round, including the period between Passover and Shavuot, when it's not permitted to listen to musical instruments.[10]

In the Fall of 2008, Y-Love released his first solo full-length album, This Is Babylon. XXL said the album "balances Jewish spirituality with party rhymes and political commentary in an effort to spread [Y-Love's] message of global unity."[4] His 2011 EP See Me (produced by Diwon) debuted as a "New and Noteworthy Release" on the front page of the iTunes Hip Hop page. The music video for the EP's single "This Is Unity" was called "awesome" by URB.[11]

Musical style

Y-Love generally comes up with his rhymes through extensive freestyling. "You freestyle and wait until something hot comes out," he says.[10]

The Jerusalem Post called Y-Love a "spiritual, rapping guru" who is "front and center in a trending hip-hop revolution."[5] He was named to The Jewish Week's 2009 36 Under 36, an annual list of 36 notable Jews under the age of 36. "I'm using hip hop to elevate," Y-Love stated. "That's what I'm about."[12]

Discography

Albums

Release date Album Label
April 14, 2008 Count It (Sefira)
(Y-Love & Yuri Lane) 		Modular Moods/Shemspeed
October 27, 2008 This Is Babylon Modular Moods/Shemspeed

Extended plays

Release date Album Label
May 14, 2010 Change
(DeScribe & Y-Love) 		Modular Moods/Shemspeed
May 17, 2011 See Me Shemspeed

Singles

  • "Change" - DeScribe & Y-Love, prod. Prodezra. Released May 14, 2010.
  • "Boom Selecta" - Shemspeed MCs vs. Electro Morocco (feat. Y-Love, DeScribe, Kosha Dillz & Eprhyme). Released July 12, 2010.
  • "Move On" - Y-Love feat. DeScribe. Released August 10, 2010.
  • "The Takeover" - Y-Love feat. TJ Di Hitmaker & Andy Milonakis. Released October 18, 2011.
  • "Focus on the Flair" - Y-Love feat. Onili. Released May 15, 2012.

Mixtapes

  • DJ Handler Presents Y-Love: The Mix Tape (2005)

TV appearances

References

  1. ^ a b Jerry Portwood, "Y-Love is Ready for Love," Out, May 15, 2012.
  2. ^ Erin MacLeod, "Cool shul: Matisyahu and Y-Love on why rap, reggae and rabbinical teachings fit together naturally," Archived October 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Montreal Mirror, October 19, 2006.
  3. ^ "Tale of Tragedy and Triumph For a Struggling Hasidic Black Convert Rap Star," VozIzNeias.com, September 14, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d Jesse Serwer, "Walk Wit' Me: Black Jewish MC Has Rhymes For You Little Yentas," XXL, Issue #101, April 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Jewish hip hop artist Y-Love," Jerusalem Post, November 7, 2010.
  6. ^ a b Trymaine Lee, "Black and Jewish, and Seeing no Contradiction," New York Times, August 27, 2010.
  7. ^ Danielle Berrin, "Self-Love for Y-Love," The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, May 23, 2012.
  8. ^ "Yitz Jordan - Yep. Ten years ago this week. In the middle..." Facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  9. ^ "Facebook". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  10. ^ a b Ben Bresky, "Jewish Rapper Releases A Capella CD," Shiur Times, August 2008.
  11. ^ "Videos against hate: Bekay and Y-Love release new videos," Archived January 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine URB.com, May 20, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  12. ^ Eric Herschthal, "36 Under 36 2009: Y-LOVE (Yitz Jordan), 31," The Jewish Week, April 24, 2009.
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