Talks & Entertainment

EVENT LOCATION: 9:30 Club – 815 V St., NW

When Matisyahu emerged in 2004 with his debut album, Shake Off the Dust…Arise, his musical persona seemed to some a novelty. Here was a Hasidic Jew — dressed in a black suit with a broad-brimmed black hat worn over a yarmulke, and sporting a full, untrimmed beard — who performed toasting raps about the glories of traditional Judaism over reggae beats in a dancehall style directly from Jamaica.

Moreover, he punctuated his performances with stage diving. It may have seemed like a joke at first, but Matisyahu was serious about his craft and now, seven years later, his diverse style has garnered Grammy nominations, gold record certifications, and a global audience. Having recently released Live at Stubb’s, Vol. II, he comes to back to DC as part of his Festival of Light tour.