Of all the artist-development stories to emerge in 2005, Matisyahu's
was perhaps the most unique. Not only was his breakout album, "Live at
Stubb's," hastily recorded for $8,000, its first single, "King Without
a Crown," is a modern rock smash—a nearly unheard-of feat for a reggae
track. And then there is Matisyahu himself: a Hasidic Jew whose reggae-
and rock-tinged sound celebrates his faith.
Yet while the 26-year-old artist is devoutly religious, he is not letting that stand in the way of getting his music heard. "Who doesn't want success?" he asks. "There's some artists that say they don't, and they're not looking for it, but I'm not one of those artists."
Clearly his music is resonating with the public. "King Without a Crown" moves to No. 7 this issue on Billboard's Modern Rock chart and is now starting to react at top 40. "Live at Stubb's" has topped Billboard's Top Reggae Albums chart for eight weeks. It has sold 340,000 copies so far and is No. 43 on The Billboard 200.
On March 7, his new studio album, "Youth," comes out on JDub/Or/Epic. Sources say the initial shipment for the album, produced by Bill Laswell, Jimmy Douglass and Ill Factor, will be 400,000 units.
Is Matisyahu an artist with staying power or a novelty? Believers say he has longevity.
"Is it novelty? Of course it's not. It's too real to be novelty," declares Bruce Warren, assistant GM for programming at the influential noncommercial WXPN Philadelphia, which was one of the first stations to play "King Without a Crown."
"It was our sense that this was the kind of musical discovery our listeners listen to public radio for," Warren says. The song is "very spiritual, and it touches people regardless of what their race or religion is. It reminds me of Bob Marley in that Matis has a universal message and some great grooves to match."
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