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Album Details

• Artist: Matisyahu
• Album: Youth
• Label: Epic
• Year of Release: 2006
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2006-08-08

Matisyahu is an orthodox Jew/Roots rapper; forget the hype. If he was black, there would just be talk about the music, the honest attempts to reconcile the holy and the secular, the attempt, at least, to use music as a way to rise up, cause the rising. This has been the essence of reggae for decades, and it is legitimate to point out that there are too many reggae genius prophets waiting to be as famous and rich. The answer is that we are still a racist society that loves novelty, and that the people who could put Sizzla on page one are buying shit like Train and 50 Cent. The question should not be what is yet another white guy doing playing black music, but rather what other white guy is currently having the sack to deliver tracks like "Unique is My Dove" or "Ancient Lullaby."? Disagree with Matisyahu's politics, his skin, his appearance; but then list the topics on the last record you bought. I love ass, but someone singing about it and his grillz as main inspirations may entertain me when I'm drunk, but make me sick when I'm not. "Jerusalem", "What I'm Fighting For", "Fire of Heaven/Altar of Earth" would not be out of place on a King Tubby record; producer/bassist bill Laswell has brought his considerable deck of beats to the table, adding the occasional Bad Brains-esque guitar run to keep the rap expansive. Try and ignore it.

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