BDx13
|
|
Have you heard this dude?
http://www.matismusic.com
Hasidic artist embraces secular stardom
05/26/2006 2:58 PM, AP
At a music festival that included the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kanye West, Tool and even Madonna, a Hasidic Jewish reggae singer was arguably one of the most
popular acts on the bill.
Matisyahu, aka Matthew Miller, has gone from underground curiosity to mainstream star in the course of a year.
The 26-year-old ultraconservative Orthodox Jew, who grew up nonreligious in White Plains, New York, saw his groove-filled "Live at Stubb's" album on
indie label jdub catapult up the charts.
In March, his major label debut "Youth" became a huge crossover hit for its combo of mock Caribbean chants, hip-hop beats and soul-searching religious
lyrics.
He also became a father ? welcoming the birth of his son Laivy, now 8 months old.
Sitting in an air-conditioned trailer just before performing in front of more than 20,000 half-naked, sun-baked fans at the Coachella Valley Music and
Arts Festival, 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
? chatted with The Associated Press.
With a soft-spoken intensity opposite of his high-energy onstage persona, he discussed spirituality, parenthood and fame, and balancing being Orthodox
within the mostly secular world of music.
AP: A sociologist once said that "music is the kids' religion." How do you reflect on that?
Matisyahu: 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.
AP: When you perform at a place like Coachella, in front of thousands of people, is it spiritual?
Matisyahu: 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 like Coachella 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.
AP: What has the last year been like for you?
Matisyahu: 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.
AP: How do you balance a child, a young son, with playing music?
Matisyahu: 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.
AP: Do you play your music for your son?
Matisyahu: 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.
AP: How do you feel about the secular music community embracing your albums?
Matisyahu: It was never a question ... I grew up listening to secular music, going to see concerts and shows. My first concert was the Grateful Dead.
I was about 3 years old. I went with my parents, in Northern California ... The first concert I went to on my own was Bruce Springsteen, the "Tunnel
of Love" tour, in the '80s ... 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.
AP: 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?
Matisyahu: 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.
AP: But do you fully agree with that law?
Matisyahu: 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.
If I fail math, there goes my chance at a good job and a happy life full of hard work.
|
|
|
Kid Ugly
Senior Member
Posts: 738
Registered: 8-28-2005
Location: North Jersey
Member Is Offline
|
|
GIMMICK.
|
|
|
Voodoobillyman
The Artist Formerly Known As...
Posts: 4247
Registered: 8-12-2005
Location: Eastern Seaboard of the United States
Member Is Offline
Mood: my daughters beautiful curiousity
|
|
thtas the jewish reggae/rapper dude right?
|
|
|
clevohardcore
* Kick\'n ass on the wild side *
Posts: 12937
Registered: 9-19-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sick Of It All, Youth Of Today
|
|
I have but have no concern for him.
Each aspect of the soul has it's own part to play, but the ideal is harmonious agreement with reason and control.
|
|
|
Discipline
* DRUNKEN MONKEY *
Posts: 11900
Registered: 9-8-2004
Location: Over here
Member Is Offline
Mood: The Alley Dukes
|
|
I saw a clip of him performing once but don't know much about him.
‘Do you know what a love letter is? It’s a bullet from a fucking gun. Straight through your heart.’
|
|
|
moron
Posting Freak
Posts: 2393
Registered: 5-28-2003
Location: CT
Member Is Offline
|
|
Ive only heard the name and seen flyers for him around. Im sure I'll hear his music at some point.
|
|
|
DaveMoral
Posting Freak
Posts: 4334
Registered: 1-24-2006
Location: Ardmore PA
Member Is Offline
|
|
I love this dude. Love him. His shit's great.
|
|
|
BDx13
|
|
yeah, he's had posters ALL over nyc for the past year.
If I fail math, there goes my chance at a good job and a happy life full of hard work.
|
|
|
CR83
Moderator
Posts: 5221
Registered: 1-23-2004
Location: STL!
Member Is Offline
Mood: Harm's Way
|
|
He is pretty amazing.
|
|
|
XnMeX
Posting Freak
Posts: 3839
Registered: 4-11-2004
Location: Dirty Dover, NH
Member Is Offline
|
|
He is doomed to be the next SNOW.
|
|
|
moron
Posting Freak
Posts: 2393
Registered: 5-28-2003
Location: CT
Member Is Offline
|
|
I just saw that newer show on TLC last night... Shalom in the Home, and the dude on the show reminded me of this guy.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/thorp/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
