Spain – Matisyahu Responds To Cancellation Of Spanish Concert

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    FILE - US reggae and alternative rock musician Matisyahu performs on stage during the Heineken Open'er Festival in Gdynia, Poland, 04 July 2013. EPA/ADAM WARZAWASpain – Rapper and reggae star Matisyahu, who was axed over the weekend from a festival line up near Valencia, Spain, because he would not sign a statement saying he supported a Palestinian state, made a statement on Monday saying that he was offended and appalled that the organizers were trying to coerce him into political statements.

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    “The festival organizers contacted me because they were getting pressure from the BDS movement. They wanted me to write a letter, or make a video, stating my positions on Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to pacify the BDS people,”
    Matisyahu wrote on Facebook.

    “The festival kept insisting that I clarify my personal views; which felt like clear pressure to agree with the BDS political agenda,” he wrote.

    “Honestly it was appalling and offensive, that as the one publicly Jewish-American artist scheduled for the festival they were trying to coerce me into political statements,” he added.

    “Were any of the other artists scheduled to perform asked to make political statements in order to perform,” he asked.

    Matisyahu wrote that his music “speaks for itself, and I do not insert politics into my music. Music has the power to transcend the intellect, ideas, and politics, and it can unite people in the process.”

    Valencia has developed a strong BDS campaign and organizers have accused the Jewish artist of being a “Zionist” who supports the practice of “apartheid and ethnic cleansing.”

    “No artist deserves to be put in such a situation simply to perform his or her art. Regardless of race, creed, country, cultural background, etc, my goal is to play music for all people. As musicians that is what we seek” Matisyahu wrote in his Facebook post.

    The annual reggae music festival Rototom Sunsplash takes place in Benicassim, north of Valencia.

    The Spanish Federation of Jewish Communities condemned the decision as cowardly, unjust and discriminatory, saying that Matisyahu had been asked to take a political position because he was Jewish when this was not required of other performers.

    World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder expressed outrage at the decision, urging Spanish authorities “to take appropriate action against those responsible for it.”

    The moves against Matisyahu had led some other participants to cancel their appearances at the festival, according to press reports.

    Born Matthew Miller, Matisyahu has been the most visibly Jewish artist in the hip-hop world since his debut album “Shake Off the Dust… Arise” was produced by JDub Records in 2004.

    While he first affiliated with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, Matisyahu later distanced himself from the movement and moved on from JDub, which closed its doors this year. He shaved his signature beard and side locks and issued a statement saying “no more hassidic reggae superstar.”

    The reggae and alternative rock star’s appearance in Spain is just one of a number of stops during his tour of Europe this summer, which also includes Poland, Belgium, Germany, Ukraine and the Czech Republic, before his return for a whirlwind tour of the US.


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    16 Comments
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    8 years ago

    Matisyahu aka Matthew was scheduled to perform on Shabbos (8:45 PM when havdala is 9:52 PM).

    He is currently living with a non Jewish woman with whom he has a child. He has said in interviews that he no longer keeps kosher or Shabbos (which should be obvious).

    Matthew/Matisyahu did however headline DYF 3.0, a pro-Zionist festival held at Tulane University on April 12 of this year.

    I do not understand why an Orthodox news site would be upset that an alleged Jew who was scheduled to perform on Shabbos was cancelled for whatever reason.

    Nycnyc
    Nycnyc
    8 years ago

    Its a wake up call for him and all those who abandoned the Torah. This concert was on shabbos. Shame on Mathes

    8 years ago

    Good for him!!! The BDS are a bunch of Jew haters in the guise of helping the poor Hamas terrorist led people.

    LionofZion
    LionofZion
    8 years ago

    Ok, I liked him more yesterday. But I guess he cannot expect to have a successful European tour and vocally stand up for what is right. At least he took a stand by refusing to go along with BDS BS.

    Yitzi1
    Yitzi1
    8 years ago

    The more he hides being a Jew the more the anti Semites remind him. Anyway this is absolutely disgusting and the fact the the spanish govt lets these scums get away with it is appalling. May these anti Semites get what they deserve…

    JackC
    JackC
    8 years ago

    Why show an old photo when the article clearly states that he has shaven off his beard.

    bennyt
    bennyt
    8 years ago

    VIN – any reason you used an 8 year old photo which depicts him as still looking like a frum Jew when you should have used an easily obtainable photo depicting what he looks like today after he decided that being frum was not all he thought it would be?

    8 years ago

    Here is an excerpt of an announcement for one of Matisyahu’s Shabbos performances:

    “Matisyahu launched his fourth annual Festival of Light series at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn last Friday night and will close out the eight-night run Sunday.
    Fans who can’t make it to Brooklyn will also get a special gift from Matisyahu this year. The entire FoL finale show will be streamed as a live webcast via Ustream.com beginning at 7:45 p.m. EST.
    Brooklyn singer/songwriter Kevin Devine will kick of the evening’s festivities, with Matisyahu taking the stage at 8:45 p.m. EST.

    This is one of many mechallel Shabbos.

    PrettyBoyFloyd
    PrettyBoyFloyd
    8 years ago

    וביורה דעה סימן ב’ ס”ה כתוב
    מומר לעבודת כוכבים או לחלל שבת בפרהסיא דינו כעובד כוכבים.

    Plumbum
    Plumbum
    8 years ago

    The issue is not whether Matisyahu is religious, mechalel shabbos, or his opinion on Judaism.

    The issue is that a Jew was asked to “clarify” his opinion on a political matter solely because of his religion/race, and was then denied an opportunity to perform when he refused to do so. Whether he satisfies your criteria for a role model or anything else is immaterial.

    knowitall1
    knowitall1
    8 years ago

    The day i learned he was getting attention beyond the frum world and that he signed a real record deal i told my wife he’ll be off the derech and divorce his wife in no time. True story even if it took a few more years. Doing all those things to me made it obvious that he wanted what he has now over Hashem and His Torah. Lets hope he does teshuva one day.

    8 years ago

    Awesome Matisyahu, keep going, HaSHEM IS WITH YOU, always…

    SHMOO2
    SHMOO2
    8 years ago

    The article states that: “Valencia has developed a strong BDS campaign and organizers have accused the Jewish artist of being a “Zionist” who supports the practice of “apartheid and ethnic cleansing.”
    The only ones practicing “apartheid and ethnic cleansing are (ALL of) the Palestinians! Don’t the BDS organizers realize that their idiocy is showing?