MATISYAHU

Lyrics of the man are thoroughly full of quality. Matisyahu’s Album; Youth, is brilliant.

While it is a special album, it is Jewish/religious music on the other hand.

In 2013, I have the distinct pleasure of following my interest and visiting the Belfast Synagogue/Belfast Hebrew community centre on the Somerton Road, Belfast.

Above is footage from that time and space, were I took the opportunity to visit as part of a photographic project as part of a Belfast Met college course.

Matisyahu was one of the first cultural avenues I became interested in and began to love back in the early 2000’s. This album, which I am listening to now – Youth – is reggae and rock and religion mixed in. While certainly drawing references from Judaism it is also pure spiritualistic music allowing one to engage in the world again following any hardships or troubles; allowing one to just switch off.

Some of the beatbox music is great when done by Matisyahu. But it is the base-lines used in his music which stimulates me most! King without a Crown, has superb lyrics and a killer base.  ‘You’ve got to give yourself up before you become whole’, is a killer lyric.

While I don’t understand the hebrew language in the album, it does have a quality i love also.

I don’t now, and never have associated the music to any distinct political persuasion, while there is perhaps (calculated) references to Zionism, it only adds to the musicality of the album lyrics. ‘Jerusalem, let my right hand forget what its’ supposed to do’, takes me back to the time when I first listened to this album. The right hand must be a reference to the harsh and violent history of the jews, as the lyric talks of Jerusalem as its subject. The point perhaps being made was only made clear to me later after subsequent research, that the jews were always a militaristic people in history, usually mercenaries paid for their skills and duty by their local rulers. But, of course there is no denying the horrors inflicted upon the jews through history also.

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