Confessions of A Naughty Girl

Happy Passover And A Good Matisyahu To You As Well

Greetings from the land of Cialis.

Being in Florida over the Passover/Easter holiday is similar to being trapped in a giant cultural tornado...homes and people and bits and pieces getting sucked willingly (or unwillingly, as it were) into a mass-moving object full of early bird specials, matzah, Easter egg hunts, and screaming grandchildren. Restless parents, shopping malls, and pool-time activities designed solely with the intent of bothering harmless sunbathers (such as myself). Spring breakers, long lines at the airport, and bottles of aloe flying off the racks of CVS.

And yes, I choose to be a part of this every year. I like the chaos.

This year, throughout various lunches and dinners with my parents and their fellow snowbirds, I've learned that the big topic is Matisyahu. Every meal, every group of people, every time...who is this little Hasidic man and what kind of music is this?

Apparently I'm a little ahead of the Jewish curve (or maybe the music curve), because I've heard about this guy for a couple of years now. According to an old boyfriend, I'd like his music. (Not totally true, but ok.) According to one of my good friends, I'd like his poetic rhyme. (True to an extent.) According to my sister, I should be dating him, since Sister firmly believes that I dislike all types of music that are not made by African American people. (Totally true, and I would consider if Matisyahu wasn't married with a kid.)

Here's my take on it - this is a pretty exciting thing for Jews. Let them enjoy it. I mean, let's put stereotypes aside for one moment and look at facts - how many Jewish professional athletes can you name off the top of your head? (And no, "Roethlisberger" is not a Jewish name, as I had to point out to my mother the other day.) How many great Jewish musicians can you name? (I can only really think of three artists/groups as of this posting - The Beastie Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and Marvin Hamlisch. Well, and Barbra. Okay, maybe 4.) While it's true that we do have the market cornered on Hollywood agents, writers, PR people, and directors (and most "behind-the-scenes" people), name one progressive, modern, cool Jewish rapper under the age of 30. Are you stumped? Yeah, me too.

So here's my bottom line: if Matisyahu can garner enough popularity to rap about Judaism and gather a mainstream fan base, I say good for him. I just felt that I had to put in my .02 and address it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am headed to the sushi buffet to fight over the last piece of salmon maki with some 80 year old man named Harold with sun spots and chronic hemorrhoids.

posted by KA @ 5:38 PM