Oh, you don't know what I am talking about! Well... I am talking about Matisyahu.
Before I go any further, this is no joke. Matisyahu was on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and his CD is being reviewed on MTV and he was featured in a segment on NPR and in Time Magazine.
Matisyahu is a... oh, this is funny... Hassidic Hip Hop Raggae artist.
I know, it sounds HYSTERICAL!! I mean... we are talking a guy with a long beard, wearing a prayer shawl and a full suit with a big Hassidic hat and locks from his temples doing Hip Hop Raggae... it is just... funny!
However... I downloaded some tracks and... it is actually really good, cool music. He raps about how you need God, how his soul thirsts for God (who he doesn't mention by name for religious reasons). Really, he raps and sings about his faith. He knows what he is doing too, he has a lot of charisma and... hey, more power to him!
This actually brings some serious thoughts up. What this guy is doing is amazing... being successful and not leaving his religion, which lets face it, is pretty strict. I mean, Hassids wear suits all the time, they don't cut the hair by their temples, they wear hats, not yamaka's, and they have all sorts of other rituals. They are the strictest Jewish sect, but, interestingly, they are more interested in knowing God through communion with him all the time.
The chief practical principle of Hasidism - communion with God for the purpose of uniting with the source of life and of influencing it. This communion is achieved through the concentration of all thoughts on God, and consulting Him in all the affairs of life.
These guys are very serious about their religion. If you want a good look into the life and faith of Hassidic Jews, read Chaim Potok's The Chosen, which is a novel and a great story, or check here for the Wikipedia information. There is also a 1982 movie of The Chosen, but I have no idea if it is any good, though it has some heavy weight actors and did win a few prizes in the Montreal and Paris festivals.
Anyway, back to Matisyahu. He apparently was not religious in his youth. He then found God and "became religious". He talked with his rabbi about 3 years ago, and the guy said, "go into the world and turn it upside down". And so he did. You can find his bio here.
Now, why can't a Christian do that? Why do they think they have to dumb down their own faith to "be accepted"? I know some don't, Switchfoot comes to mind, and I applaud them, but hey, I mean, this guy stands out in a crowd A LOT more than your average Christian. Why don't more Christians just be who they are, and make good music, or movies, or whatever?
Anyway, off the soap box. Check him out! Listening to him is fun, but watching is really... well, you decide!
1 comment:
Coooooolllll
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