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Bit of the Week: King Without a Crown – Matisyahu

It was love at first sight (and sound) for me, after watching the video of this Hasid (that’s strictly Orthodox Jew, to you and me) singer/songwriter who professed love and devotion to Hashem in the form of, well, reggae. What could be more…eclectic or out of the box?! What impresses me is that he has turned what could be dull songs of praise into danceable (if not sing-able) tunes that easily broke into the mainstream market.

And need I mention the fantastic graphic work on the video King Without a Crown? It is a simplistic way to get the message across but it works. Many have frowned on this video because they feel that it does not do justice to the richness and depth of Matisyahu’s song. To which I say bu_shit. His Rastafarian rendition is hard enough to understand. The graphics are a big help in understanding, and thus, relating to the song. If anything, the graphics speak volumes.

For those who do not know Matisyahu (born Matthew Paul Miller), his Orthodox Jewish appearance is not an attempt at being a novelty act (although, it seems that this is what he has become). He does not put on the black hat and the full beard to increase his marketing appeal. He is a devout member of Chabad-Lubavitch and thus, chooses to dress himself in traditional Jewish garb. And this is what is most impressive about him. He never considered changing his looks, and ultimately, himself, just to sell records. For him, his message is simple and should not be clouded by commercialism and branding. He sings songs of love, peace and respect– songs that people of all race and religion ought to listen to.

To end, here’s a quote from Rabbi Chaim Cunin, CEO of Chabad of California and Matisyahu’s  close friend.

“Matisyahu is a beautiful, honest, straightforward person, and he is largely misunderstood by the Jewish community, especially those who obsessively follow his every move on the Internet… When he became a household name, he never saw himself as an official representative of Chasidis, or Chabad or the Jewish faith. He’s a man who is on a very personal spiritual journey, and he’s sharing that in a creative and meaningful way with the world. That’s why people connect with him, and that’s something that should be embraced.”