Hip-Hop And The BibleExemplo

“Matisyahu Highlights Jewish Roots Through Tanakh Inspired Songs”

When Matthew Paul Miller first emerged onto the music scene in 2000, fans and critics alike weren’t sure what to make of his unique blend of reggae, alternative rock, and hip-hop. It didn’t take long, however, for his career under the Hebrew moniker Matisyahu to reach surprising heights. 

In 2006, his album Youth produced several hit songs and was eventually certified gold with over 500,000 copies sold. One of the most popular tracks was “King Without A Crown", which invoked the Jewish belief in a future Messiah, as described in several biblical passages: 

What's this feeling?

My love will rip a hole in the ceiling

I give myself to you from the essence of my being and I

Sing to my God, songs of love and healing

I want Moshiach now

Matisyahu also referenced Psalm 121:1-2 in the song:

See I lift my eyes where my help come from

And I seen it circling around from the mountain

In an interview with PBS, Matisyahu explained what inspired him to sprinkle biblical references throughout so many of his lyrics.

“Hearing all the references to the Old Testament and to Judaism in the context of reggae music,” he said. “Why is Bob Marley singing, taking all these quotes from the Psalms? I know that I’m Jewish. I know I have some kind of connection with that, Psalms and Old Testament, and it made me intrigued to start to get interested in my heritage.”

Matisyahu continued with those biblical themes on that breakthrough album with the popular song “Jerusalem”, inspired by Psalm 137:5-6.

Jerusalem, if I forget you,

Fire not gonna come from me tongue.

Jerusalem, if I forget you,

Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.

“I write about what inspires me,” Matisayahu told aish.com. “Sometimes it is a piece of Torah, sometimes not. If you believe that Torah is the blueprint of the world, then in a sense anything that is inspiring you—that you see as truth or beauty or wisdom—has its roots in the Torah. I try to find what resonates with me, what's authentic and real for me.”