Matisyahu

Matisyahu looks somewhat out of place every time he steps onto a stage. Though a reggae superstar, he certainly does not look the part. Far from the dreadlocked Rastafarian reggae archetype, Matisyahu is a unassuming, lanky, bearded Jewish man in traditional dress (often, a black wool suit and a wide brimmed hat) who would look more at home in a synagogue than at a concert. The moment he opens his mouth and begins to sing, though, all doubts about his musical ability are set aside. Blending his conservative, old-world faith with a Sublime-esque reggae-meets-rock style is no easy task, but Matisyahu pulls it off surprisingly well.

Though he is now a strict adherent to the Hacidic Judaism movement - a very traditional, centuries old faith originating in Eastern Europe - that was not always the case. Growing up in White Plains, New York, Matisyahu (real name Matthew Paul Miller, his stage name Matisyahu is derived from the Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation of Matthew) was a rebellious teenager. He dropped out of high school at age 16 to follow a Phish tour, spending his free time taking a good deal of drugs. He ended up finishing high school at a boot camp in Oregon, spending a semester off at a study-abroad program in Israel that rekindled his interest in the Jewish faith. This experience led him to move to New York City after graduation, where he eventually embraced orthodox Judaism.

While diligently studying the Torah as part of his religious education in New York, Matisyahu purchased some DJ equipment and began to make his own music. Fusing the secular psychedelic rock of his childhood with his newfound faith, Matisyahu began to compose catchy rap and reggae music that echoed the sentiments of his religion. He released an album in 2004, Shake off the Dust...Arise, but his mainstream popularity did not swell appreciably until 2005, when a performance with Phish brought the unlikely reggae artist into the national spotlight.

Matisyahu's first large scale success occurred in 2005, when he released the live album Live at Stubb's. Featuring the hit single "King Without a Crown", Live at Stubb's caught the attention of Epic Records (Ben Folds, Sean Kingston) who produced his second studio album, 2006's Youth. A stellar success, Youth rose to the #4 spot on the Billboard 200, supported by singles "Youth" and a re-recording of "King Without a Crown". In the wake of Youth, Matisyahu toured extensively worldwide throughout 2006 and 2007, sharing the stage with artists like 311 and Sting.

As of 2008, Matisyahu is putting the final touches on his third studio album, Escape, which is set to hit store shelves by the end of the year.

From Discogs:

Matisyahu (Born Matthew Paul Miller, June 30, 1979) is a Jewish reggae and dub musician from West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. He mixes traditional Jewish themes with modern reggae, rock and hip hop sounds.

From Lastfm:

Matisyahu (born Matthew Paul Miller, June 30, 1979) is an American reggae musician. Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with reggae, rock and hip hop sounds, Matisyahu is most recognizable for being an orthodox Jew and writing a number of songs based on his faith and beliefs. Since 2004, he has released four studio albums as well as one live album, two remix CDs and one DVD featuring a live concert, and a number of interviews. Through his short career, Matisyahu has teamed up with some of the biggest names in reggae production including Bill Laswell and duo Sly & Robbie.

Read more about Matisyahu on Last.fm.

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From Wikipedia:

Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), better known by his Hebrew name Matisyahu (Hebrew:מתתיהו) is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae musician.

Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with Reggae, rock and hip hop beat-boxing sounds, Matisyahu's single "King Without a Crown" was a Top 40 hit. Since 2004, he has released three studio albums as well as two live albums, two remix CDs and one DVD featuring a live concert. Through his career, Matisyahu has worked with Bill Laswell and reggae producers Sly & Robbie.