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Matisyahu
Matisyahu performing, September 17, 2008
Background information
Birth name	Matthew Paul Miller
Also known as	Matisyahu, MC Truth
Born	June 30, 1979 (1979-06-30) (age 30) West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
Genres	Reggae, reggae fusion, dancehall, alternative rock
Instruments	Vocals, beatboxing
Years active	2000–present
Labels	JDub Epic/SBMG Records
Associated acts	Roots Tonic Umphrey's McGee Wookiefoot Infected Mushroom Akon
Website	MatisyahuWorld.com

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

Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with Reggae, rock and hip hop 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 one live album, two remix CDs and one DVD featuring a live concert. Through his career, Matisyahu has worked with Bill Laswell and reggae producers Sly & Robbie.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Personal life 1.2 Career 2 Artistic style 3 Origin of his name 4 Touring members 4.1 Current 4.2 Former 5 Discography 5.1 Studio albums 5.2 Live albums 5.3 Remix albums 5.4 Extended plays 5.5 Singles 5.6 Guest appearances 5.7 Cover versions 6 TV, radio, and film appearances 7 Reception 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

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 most of his early career until 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 autumn of 2007 while on a family vacation spent primarily in Jerusalem's Nachlaot neighborhood he has 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 is named Tahlia; the couple has two sons.¹¹

Career

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 a guest spot on his set.¹²

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.

Matisyahu’s song “One Day” was the Anthem for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Artistic style

He sometimes performs with Kenny Muhammad, a Muslim beatboxer. Matisyahu's major label debut album was produced by Bill Laswell, with minor contribution by pop producers Jimmy Douglass and the Ill Factor.

His songs are almost entirely in English with a few words of Hebrew and Yiddish sprinkled in.

He mixes in contemporary stylings of rap and beatboxing as well as the traditional Hazzan style. 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."¹⁶ 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 Jew da Maccabi, an Orthodox Jew from Florida who includes religious lyrics within a musical style derived from hip-hop.¹⁷

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."¹⁸

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."¹⁹

Matisyahu July 2007, Mansfield, MA on tour with 311

Origin of his name

Matisyahu is an Ashkenazi Hebrew and Yiddish 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 B.C. Jewish high priest of the Maccabees.

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.²⁰

Touring members

Current

• Matisyahu - vocals (2000— )
• Aaron Dugan − guitar, ex-Roots Tonic (2004— )
• Rob Marscher - keyboards (2008— )

Dub Trio:

• Stu "Bassie" Brooks - bass guitar (2009— )
• Joe Tomino - drums (2009— )
• D.P. Holmes - guitar (2009— )

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

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions								Certifications (sales thresholds)
		US 21	US Rap 21	US Reg. 21	FIN 22	IRE	NLD 23	SWE 24	UK 25
2004	Shake Off the Dust... Arise Released: October 12, 2004 Label: JDub Format: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2006	Youth Released: March 7, 2006 Label: JDub/Or Music/Epic Format: CD	4	3	1	35	47	48	43	152	US: Gold26
2009	Light Released: August 25, 2009 Label: JDub/Or Music/Epic Format: CD	19	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Live albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions				Certifications
		US 21	US Rap 21	US Reg. 21	NLD 23
2005	Live at Stubb's Released: April 19, 2005 Label: JDub Format: CD	30	14	1	98	US: Gold26
2009	Live at Twist & Shout Released: August 25, 2009 Label: JDub/Or Music/Epic Format: CD	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Remix albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US 21	US Reg. 21
2006	Youth Dub Released: March 7, 2006 Label: JDub Format: CD	—	—
2006	No Place to Be Released: December 26, 2006 Label: Sony Format: CD	146	1
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Extended plays

Year	Album details	US Reg. 21
2008	Shattered Released: November 8, 2008 Label: Epic Format: CD	1

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions						Certifications	Album
		US 21	US Alt. 21	US Pop 21	US Rock 21	JPN 21	POR
2005	"King Without a Crown"	28	7	37	—	—	—	US: Gold26	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"	89	21	38	38	37	—		Light
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Guest appearances

• So Called - The So Called Seder: A HipHop Haggadah, JDUB Records, 2005 ²⁷

Track 3rd Cup: Yahu (also featuring Trevor Dunn)

• P.O.D. - Testify, Atlantic, 2006 ²⁸

Tracks Roots In Stereo and Strength Of My Life

• Ta-Shma - Come Listen, JMG, 2006²⁹

Track Rachamana

• C-Rayz Walz - The Dropping, Urchin Studios, 2006

Track Childhood (also featuring Kosha Dillz)

• Amnesty International/iTunes exclusive compilation Make Some Noise in support of Darfur

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 ³⁰.
• Co-wrote and regularly performs "Unity" with Trevor Hall, 2009, a song encouraging the interfaith celebration of God

Cover versions

• "Message in a Bottle" (The Police) - Album cover - Appears on his No Place to Be CD/DVD set
• "Rastaman Chant" (Bob Marley) - Live cover ³¹
• "Soul Rebel" (The Wailers) - Live a capella cover ³²
• "Watching the Wheels" (John Lennon) - Album cover - Appears on Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
• "Zion Train" (Bob Marley) - Live cover
• "No Woman, No Cry" (Bob Marley) - Live cover
• "Morning Dew" (Bonnie Dobson) - Live Cover ³³
• "Billie Jean" (Michael Jackson) - Live Cover ³⁴

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

TV, radio, and film appearances

• Headline News (Shanon Cook) (July 2004)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live (August 24, 2004)
• Last Call with Carson Daly (2004)
• Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge (2004)
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (2005)
• Late Night With Conan O'Brien (2005)
• World Cafe (NPR) (July 29, 2005)
• The Late Late Show (November 15, 2005)
• mtvU Woodie Awards 2005 (November 2005)
• MTV 10 Spot (December 6, 2005)
• MTVU : Uber (December 19, 2005)
• Late Show with David Letterman (January 16, 2006)
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (March 7, 2006)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live (March 8, 2006)
• CBS Sunday Morning (March 26, 2006)
• WOCL Early 2006
• Guerilla Gig Live (March 31, 2006)
• Later with Jools Holland (May 12, 2006)
• Late Late Show with Pat Kenny (May 19, 2006)
• Zane Lowe, BBC Radio 1 (May 31, 2006)
• MTV LIVE, MTV Canada (June 12, 2006)
• Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN (June 18, 2006)
• Rock Werchter 2006, Belgium (June 29, 2006)
• Lollapalooza, Chicago (August 5, 2006)
• Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, Texas (September 17, 2006)
• Soundcheck, WNYC, New York City, (December 11, 2006) Listen
• The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (January 3, 2007)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live (January 4, 2007)
• Matisyahu appears in the 2007 documentary film Orthodox Stance where he performs for the entrance of boxer Dmitriy Salita to the ring.³⁵
• The Jewish Americans (PBS miniseries) (2008)
• Late Night With Conan O'Brien (February 9, 2009) - with Brett Dennen
• (WMMR) Preston and Steve (July 8, 2009)
• NPR's World Cafe with David Dye (August 21, 2009)
• [Alt Nation] (Sirius-21, XM-47) with Cane (August 25, 2009)
• The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien (August 27, 2009)
• Late Show with David Letterman (December 17, 2009)

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 Billboard³⁶ as well as being named a spokesperson for Kenneth Cole.³⁷ In 2006 Esquire's Esky Music Awards - Most Lovable Oddball in The magazine called him "the most intriguing reggae artist in the world."³⁸

See also

• Awake Zion- a documentary that compares Rastafarians and Jews

References

External links

• Official website
• Patheos on Matisyahu
• Matisyahu at the Open Directory Project
• Matisyahu collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
• DVD: Matisyahu rocks the Holy Land
• Matisyahu: "Youth", a review-essay by Said Shirazi
• Article about Matisyahu in Russian
• Matisyahu On Camera Interview Uncut

v • d • e Matisyahu Studio albums Shake Off the Dust... Arise · Youth · Light Remix albums Youth Dub · No Place to Be Live albums Live at Stubb's · Live at Twist & Shout EP's Shattered EP Singles "King Without a Crown" · "Youth" · "Jerusalem (Out of the Darkness Comes Light)" · "One Day" Related content Reggae · JDub Records · Roots Tonic