Myspace Re-Post #7: Why Matisyahu is Tripping Me Out

Note: Re-posted from my now-defunct Myspace blog, where it was originally posted on March 17th, 2006.

For those rare and peculiar people out there who were raised in an orthodox Jewish enclave, the idea of Jewish music is one that tends to make us squirm. We are accustomed to hearing (generally against our will) bad songwriting in a harmonic minor key with cheesy production and a pretensiously passionate voice. These singers are almost inevitably high-pitched and crying for mercy from ""Hakodoish baruch hu"" or ""the holy one, blessed is He.""

Of course, times change, and there has been an increasing trend over the last 5-10 years for bands with more of a jam-band sound to emerge. The Moshav Band has some cool sounds and has even begun to develop some real songwriting talent. Nevertheless, as I have repeated to my friends ad nauseum, the market for the music is tiny. Anyone with real talent would have to go secular.

When I first heard of Matisyahu, I was skeptical, because I tend to take a more critical approach to most art than my peers do. He's probably decent, I thought, but reggae's not my thing, you know...

Then I heard he was touring with Trey Anastasio, the former front-man of Phish, the inheritors of the deadhead following (until their own sad demise...). Still, small potatoes, I figured, and besides, Trey's probably washed up (no offense, phans).

When King Without a Crown started getting played on VH1 and modern rock radio, I started to pay attention. and what the hell? this guy, dressed to the chassidic nines, singing like a jamaican...""he's good, but doesn't he make you squirm?"" That's what I thought other people would think - other Jews, non-Jews. After all, the ultra-orthodox kinda freak me out, and I've had plenty of contact to get acclimated to them.

And yet his star keeps rising. First he garnered more airplay on modern rock radio. Then he started doing the late-show circuit: jimmy kimmel, david letterman, recently Conan O'Brien. Next his album, ""Live At Stubb's"" was flying up the charts. A few weeks ago, it was certified gold (500,000 copies sold). You may be unaquainted with the demographics, but let me tell you right now that the orthodox jewish market can not provide this kind of demand.

So what's next? Oh, I guess his new album will just debut at number 4. In fact, it'll have the best-selling week of any reggae album ever! That's right - better selling than Bob Marley! 119,000 copies in one week!

So I dunno man. I dig some of his music. Seen him in concert, had dinner with him at Chabad once. How long will he last? How will he be remembered? These are all valid questions, and time will provide the answers.  

But what I still can't understand is: how? How has he been so successful? how did it happen? how do you make it in music without playing friday nights? without toking with all the big heavies? how has he managed to convince hundreds of thousands of average americans - disproportionately young ones, I might add - to not only give his music a shot but to actually buy it? The situation is so surreal. I'm mystified...I'm stumped...and I'm really, really tripped out...