The mixture of traditional Jewish and rap music was popularized a few years ago by artists from New York and Israel, among them Matisiyahu – who performs rap and reggae music with Jewish lyrics. Now that musical mixture is evolving to include new artists and new music with Hasidic themes.
This genre has matured and is emerging from new centers as well. Baltimore and Savannah are the respective homes to two, new-to-me, Orthodox Jewish rappers, Y-love (Yitzchak Jordan) and Facebook-friend Prodezra (Reuben Formey).
Y-love has successfully translated his faith into freestyle rhymes and danceable beats for diverse audiences. His devotion to music is tempered by a religious fervor that precludes him from performing on Jewish holidays or until 72 minutes after the Sabbath’s end.
Prodezra started making beats as a hobby in high school with just an old Casio board and computer. Early on, he developed a reputation for creating hard-hitting tracks. Yet he won’t take credit for the music for himself. He is sees himself as inspired by G-d to be a vessel for powerful and positive sounds.
Though they come from different locales, their collaboration was inevitable. Have a listen to ‘Change’, mixes from Y-love and Crown Heights’ soul rapper, DeScribe with beats by Prodezra.
Change is available on iTunes.
02/03/2009 at 6:43 PM Permalink
For sure I’m hip to the vibe. Just a few hours after posting the ‘Change’ video above, DeScribe and Y-Love released the follow-up single, ‘Make It’ on iTunes. Powerful message and prodigious beats.
Get it here: http://tinyurl.com/getmakeit
15/03/2009 at 8:14 AM Permalink
(DeScribe)
Crown Heights!! Chosen Few crew!
Describe! modular Y- Love! Prodezra in the building, building!
Prodezra Beats now…Prodezra Beats now…
He’s a genius I’m tellin’ ya…
if i forsake you Jerusalem….ayyy….yoooo!!
(Chorus transliterated – from Psalm 137:5-6)
Im eshkachech Yerushalayim Tishkach Y’mini
Tidback leshoni lichiki lichiki
Im lo ezkarechi im lo a’aleh et Yerushalayim
Jerusalem (Jah!)
Al rosh simchati
Im eshkachech Yerushalayim Tishkach Y’mini
Spit fire! Now my brothas you can just roll with me
Im lo ezkarechi im lo a’aleh et Yerushalayim Jerusalem (Jah!)
Al rosh simchati
(DeScribe Verse)
Yooooooo!
It’ a new world advanced technology
Everybody got access, can you feel the energy
Satellites and televisions, straight up infinity
Look at all the changes man, can you see the prophecy
(Im eshkachech Yerushalayim Tishkach Y’mini)
(Anachnu chaim ba’olam kol kach achzari)
It’s the real deal, black and white, BOOM! In your face
Do the One Two step, and slow down the pace aye,
DeScribe!!! With the lyrical vibe
Wake up and smell the napalm cuz the world is alive
We’re far from perfect, yeah I know, but we’re movin’ too slow
So I’m rappin’ bout a change, feel the beat, let’s go!
All I wanna do is change a little bit of you
By making music that can spread out some light, Ooo Ooo
It’s real dark , we just need to light a spark,
And the fire will just blaze up, d’ blaze up the night!
(Chorus)
(Y-Love Verse)
(Ir ha’kodesh, shoreh shmo sham) – The Holy City, He will rest His Name there!
(La’kol – ha’shoresh) – The source of everything!
On the ground, the stones shine!
The water gon’ flow – check the fire in the sky!
Then the horn gon’ blow, then we all gon’ fly…
Connect to the Redemption! Walk into the sunrise,
Go across the Wi Fi, download the Most High!
Believe in the dream, both eyes to the prize
The place that all nations gonna praise One G-d
Materialistic think its gonna reign perpetual
Destruction comes eventual, we tryin’ to rise for festivals
Nation that originated here on these streets,
Inspiration that’s contained in this mp3
Bring the opposite of apocalypse, the positive uprisin’
Soul directed towards the (Talpiyot), with quotes from the Prophets
Words on the scroll in the remainder of the Temple
Yeah, the 34th meridian stays central to the mental!
(Chorus)
(DeScribe)
Yaaaaooooooooooo!!!!
While we livin’ in a reality that’s physical
I gotta look and internally to reveal the spiritual, man
Make ya hands go (clap), bring it back now
Feel ya heart go (bump bump) , and ya soul goes….y oooo!
(Y-Love)
The digital reality, the soul into technology
The unity the policy to bring that new theology
Now clap for me, now bring it down for me
Come on clap for me, now bring it back for me
(DeScribe)
Yo! Don’t go political with all the individual
Divisions that be splittin’, don’t be trippin’,that be infantile
ya hands go (clap), bring it back now
Feel ya heart go (bump bump) and your souls goes…Jyaaaaaa!!!
(Y-Love)
Yo I can’t help but be political, and keep it individual
But when we on the spiritual, yo one is indivisible,
Now clap for me, now bring it down for me
Now just clap for me!
(Chorus)
Yo! Describe with the lyrical vibe
The Chosen Few…yeah yeah yeah…The Chosen Few!
Y-Love go beyond the norm, my eyes directed towards Tziyon (Zion)
We on, be on!
Describe with the lyrical vibe, we give power to the people
Spreadin’ light, Da power’s on!
Y-Love, the Modular, the function, we risin’
With gumption, I gotta say something I’m runnin’!