I am Matisyahu, a reggae/rapper/alternative rock musician chatting with you from Los Angeles, CA. AMA.

Where are you now, vis-a-vis your outlook on Judaism?

I will leave you with a quote off my last record Akeda, the song is called confidence. I wrote it in Krakow poland one morning walking around the streets.

Got it on the inside, don't need to wear it out...

I have always been a very expressive individual. For example, when I was a kid I loved to play war. We watched movies like Rambo and Commando and my dad built me a club house in the backyard which became our weapons den. We would run around the neighborhood pretending to shoot each other. My favorite part was dressing up. By putting on the clothing and strapping all the weapons I felt I became a soldier. This continued for me throughout my life, i.e. when I got into Bob Marley I grew dreadlocks and painted the cover of his record Uprising on my wall. However looking the part was not enough. The music made something inside me come alive and as I was listening I realized that it was touching my soul deeply and leaving a mark. I felt deep down even though I was a white kid from the suberbs that I could express myself in this mode. When I got interested in Judaism it wasnt enough to read about it in books, I felt I needed to become it and part of that meant expressing it via my looks. About 3 years ago I found something I had been looking for, for my whole life and all of a sudden I felt I didn't need to look the part anymore. The part had become a Part of me and that was enough. Blessed Love!

My 3 y/o son loves listening to your music with me. His favorite songs are the ones where you sing "dibby doy doy...reeby deeby doy." He requests your music by asking me to put on the dibby doy songs.
What is the origin of the 'dibby doys' that you sing? How did you come up with it?

That was not something I actually thought out ahead of time. I didn't realize it would become a calling card of sorts. It was just me expressing myself in the moment but it probably had judaic roots as when we recorded that I was freshly out of yeshiva and listening to a lot of Niggunim which are chassidic melodies. It was a live record and one of my first recordings. I guess I didn't realize it would be heard by tens of millions of people over a decade.

Hey Matis! Really big fan of yours. Started out by listening to Time of Your Song, King Without a Crown live at Stubbs, now I’m loving Surrender and Black Heart. Since you’re such an inspiration to me I went and saw you play at the OC Fair with The Lions and Tribal Seeds! Great concert, thank you for that! Since I have to ask you something for this AMA, where is your favorite vacation spot?

Well I am on the road so much that when I think of vacation I think of being at home. So the answer is, my favorite place for vacation is right at home.

What is your feeling on Bacon and pork related products now that you are not a hasid? Have ypu put a slice of cheese on a gamburger yet?

I am not a fan of meat in general. I like the taste but have read to much about factory farms and mis treatment of animals and gases let off by cows which are hurting the environment. While I have gone through different phases in my life not always living up to my ideals I still hold that to be truly kosher i.e. the way God wants us to be we need to watch our consumption of meat products and that in this day and age it is entirely possible to not eat meat at all and make animals our friends not our lunch! Blessed Love

Can we expect anymore collaborations with The Dirty Heads in the future?

Right now I am trying to keep my head clean. lol

When you came to Minneapolis you pulled people on stage with you during "One Day" I just wanted to say that was amazing. When will you be back? And do you plan to do it again?

I do it whenever I can. WHen AEG is the concert event promoter I can't cause they wont let. otherwise we're golden.

What's the nerdiest thing that you do regularly? (e.g: World of Warcraft, Dungeons and Dragons, etc)

over analyze everything with my nerdy friend David Serber. WE are the definately nerdy jews and I love being that.

are you lonely?

Yes.

I love you Joe. YOu are literally one of the most amazing men I have ever met. It is an honor and privilege to work with you. See you in a month or so to work on our video for Reservoir! can't wait!

Hi matis! I've seen you twice and loved both performances. This question is not related to your music but whats your favorite candy?

Hate to be a dick but sugar is the most deadly and underrated poison/drug in america.

sour patch watermellon

What do you think about fame?

It is a slippery snake. It feels amazing to be known, to be noticed, to be loved. It is a drug like none other especially for someone who feels unloved or anonymous. In my life I've felt that I stood out many times but I've also felt very anonymous at times and alone. There was a feeling that If people know you and love you, you will be whole. This is true to some extent but it is not in the quantity of people but the quality of there love. ie if you are understood and loved and important to even one person that can make you feel more whole then being "known" by millions. blessed love

Hi Matisyahu,

I saw you play at Flames Central in Calgary a few years ago. The show was AMAZING. I hope you come back to our end of the frozen north again at some point. Back at the start of your success at a performer you were a very orthodox Hasidic Jew, I remember watching the video for “King Without a Crown” and thinking this guy is awesome. It was probably the first, and still one of the few times I have listened to predominantly religious inspired music and really enjoyed it. (Christian rock is very preachy a lot of the time.)

In recent years your image as well as your music has changed in many ways. How do you feel the relation between your faith and your music is these days and how much did your changes in your personal life effect your music?

Akeda is an awesome album, and I wear my pre-order shirt on a near weekly basis.

FAith is such a complex and simple thing at the same time. When you use the word Faith here, I don't think you are refering to the feeling of belief or trust but rather as a substitute for the word religion. I'll rephrase your question as such. Let me know if I'm off target. " How do you feel the relationship btwn your religion and your music is these days..." that would be question # 1. question # 2 would be how have the changes in your personal life affected your music? answer # 1: Judaism is way more then a religion to me. A religion I would define as a code of rules to some extent. Judaism is a philosophy, an idea, a culture, a people, etc and it can be many different things to different people. Judaism is at the core of my being, it is attached to my essence. Way bigger then just a code of law for example. My music is the expression of my essence. It is the outpouring of my soul and intellect and emotion. There for the two are intertwined in a way that is inseparable.
question #2: The changes in my personal life are the putting into action of my essence in this physical world. It is all linked together. essence, soul, ideas, feelings, expression via the voice and the music.
blessed love!

Hey Matisyahu! Love your music and have wanted to go to a concert for a long time. I'm from Minnesota and wasn't of age to get into the venue. But I am now! When are ya coming back to the land of 10,000 lakes?

I hope to be back sometime this year but I don't have any dates set yet. By any chance do you know my good friends mark and jojo of wookie foot. Mark was my first musical and life mentor. He helped me record my first batch of songs which most people have never heard. come to think of it, i should release those. gems

Hello man, I just wanted to ask you

Is there any artists out there you would absolutely would like to work with? As I see with music, theres alot of collaborations between artists that would normally not be working together. Is there a specific artist or band that really catches your attention musically and you think would be a good idea to get working on a track together?

cheers!

ps. You have no idea how sad i am that im not gonna be able to make it to your show in Puerto Rico on Saturday. I was so pumped when I heard you where comng, but sadly im not gonna be able to attend... Hope you will come again soon!

I have wanted to work with Kid Cudi for the last few years. As I found myself spiraling downwards his music became a soundtrack to my life. JUst yesterday I was at sundance and so was he and I found 2 connections to him both came up empty. This morning i was taking my kids to school and was literally 2 blocks from my house when I saw a stylish young man get out of a range rover. I pulled over and yelled Cudi and sure enough it was him. God is amazing!