Matthew Miller, more commonly known as Matisyahu, was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He is a Hassidic Jewish reggae artist.
He is a member of the Lubavitch Hassidic Community in Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York; a community made famous by its leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Matisyahu was not brought up as an Orthodox Jew, however he turned to Orthodox Judaism around 2001 and began playing with the Jewish band Pey Dalid. He counts among his musical inspirations Bob Marley, Phish, and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. His fans are of different walks of life, religions, and ethnicities. He sometimes performs with Kenny Muhammad, a Muslim beatboxer.
His reggae vocal style are along the lines of traditional Rasta Roots stylings mixed with dub sound. The easiest comparison would be similar to the conscious and cultural sides of Buju Banton, Sizzla, Capleton, or Junior Kelly, but with the upbeat message of Luciano, Bushman and Everton Blender, and vocal dexterity of a Barrington Levy. The production of the tracks draws from King Tubby, Agustus Pablo, Mikey Dread, and Linval Thompson. Similararities to the Foundation Sound of the late 1970s and 1980s would be accurate, and comparisons to Morgan Heritage likewise, would not be wrong. However, he mixes in contemporary stylings of rap and beatboxing, the traditional Hazzan style of Jewish cantors and Hasidic niggunim, as well as the chanting patterns of reggae.
Most songs are completely in English with a few words of Hebrew and Yiddish sprinkled in. His lyrics are deeply spiritual at times, while lighter on other tracks.
