Matisyahu: Wants His Songs to Come From the Soul
It is safe to conclude that Mastisyahu never strayed from his Jewish tradition and close ties to Orthodox Judaism. Matisyahu is actually a Hebrew name which he decided to keep, but he was born Matthew Paul Miller in June 1979. He is a famous reggae artist and originally comes from Chester, Pennsylvania. His family, however, eventually moved to White Plains, New York.
When Mastisyahu was 16, he traveled to Israel to participate with other Jewish students in exploring the Jewish way of life. He enrolled in the Alexander Muss High School and it was during this time that he decided to turn to Orthodox Judaism. He played with Jewish band Pey Dalid. Although busy with the band, he devoted time and effort in studying the Torah in Hadar Hatorah. While still a student in Israel, he composed and produced his first album, drawing inspiration from artists such as Bob Marley, Carlebach, and Phish, among others. The album, “Youth” was released this year in March. His initial popularity was underground, and he also appeared in television. He was a guest in “Last Call” with Carson Daly in 2004. His new hit, “King Without a Crown” – considered mostly mainstream – made it to the Top 10 of Modern Rock.
Matisyahu was also the Xbox Live Artist of the Month in June 2006 where the video clips for “Youth” and the live recording of “King Without a Crown” was made available for downloading out of Xbox. He also performed live at the Bonnaroo Music Festival where 80,000 people attended the show this year.
The young singer made it to the top 5 of the American Jewish Community’s The Forward, and was given a symbolic token for being the “most intriguing reggae artist in the world.”
Matisyahu is married to fellow student Tahlia Silverman. The couple wed in August of 2004 and they have a son, Levi Yitzchak. The family currently lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York.
Matisyahu’s fans are a happy mix of people from different religions and ethnic backgrounds. His debut album was produced by music executive Bill Laswell. The style of Matisyahu can be likened to Rasta Roots and the singing styles of Buju Banton, Sizzla and Junior Kelly. While critics might say that Matisyahu deviated from the reggae purist style, his combination of different traditions pleases his fans and listeners. His songs are in English with the occasional Hebrew or Yiddish terms thrown in.