A little less than a year ago, my brother introduced me to artist named Matisyahu. Since then I’ve been trying to listen to just about everything the guy puts out. The first song I heard, “King Without a Crown”, hit me so profoundly that I listened to it over and over again, just to soak up the awesome message. There’s not a lot of music that gets me truly emotional, but the first time I really listened to everything that was being said, I had that strange chill down my spine and my eyes teared up a bit.

I really love positive, God-centered lyrics, but I think the majority of Christian music lacks the new sound required to actually make society listen. I feel you have to reach lost people on their level, and to do that, you need a music that will get their attention and lyrics that will make them think. I really believe that the way to salvation for many of today’s disaffected youth is going to be through non-traditional bands like Matisyahu and P.O.D.

Matisyahu just came out with a new CD, and that’s what got me thinking about this. The CD is basically remixed versions of older tracks, but it’s powerful none the less. If you’re new to Matis, I recommend “Shake off the Dust…Arise!” or “Live at Stub’s”. I also downloaded a few of his music videos - “King Without a Crown” and “Youth.” Both use excellent imagery to just build upon Matisyahu’s profound message. Just in case you want to see a little bit about what I’m talking about, I’m going to finish off this post with the lyrics to “King Without a Crown.” I know he’s Jewish, but here’s praying that more people would come to a saving knowledge of God’s love for them through Jesus Christ because of his music.

See you're all that I have and you're all that I need
Each and every day I pray to get to know you please
Wanna to be close to you, yes I'm so hungry
You're like water for my soul when it gets thirsty
Without you there's no me
You're the air that I breathe
Say sometimes the world is dark and I just can't see
With these, demons surround all around to bring me down to negativity
But I believe, yes I believe, I said I believe
I'll stand on my own two feet
Won't be brought down on one knee
Fight with all of my might and get these demons to flee
Hashem's rays fire blaze burn bright and I believe
Hashem's rays fire blaze burn bright and I believe
Out of darkness comes light, twilight unto the heights
Crown Heights burnin' up all through till twilight
Said, thank you to my God, now I finally got it right
And I'll fight with all of my heart, and all a' my soul, and all a' my might

What's this feeling?
My love will rip a hole through da ceiling
Givin' myself to you now from the essence of my being
And i sing to my God songs of love and healing
I want Moshiach now, time we start revealing

Stripin away the layers and reveal your soul
Ya Gotta to give yourself up and then you become whole
You're a slave to yourself and you don't even know
You want to live the fast life but your brain moves slow
If you're trying to stay high, you're bound to stay low
You want God but you couldn't deflate your ego
You're already there then there's nowhere to go
You're cup's already full then its bound to overflow
If you're drowning in the water's and you can't stay afloat
Ask Hashem for mercy and he'll throw you a rope
You look for help from G-d you say he couldn't be found
Searching up to the sky and looking beneath the ground
Like a King without his Crown
Yes, you keep fallin' down
You really want to live but can't get rid of your frown
Tried to reach unto the heights and wound bound down on the ground
Given up your pride and the you heard a sound
Out of night comes day and out of day comes light
Nullified to the One like sunlight in a ray,
Makin' room for his love and a fire gone blaze
Makin' room for his love and a fire gone blaze

What's this feeling?
My love will rip a hole in the ceiling
Givin' myself to you from the essence of my being
Sing to my God all these songs of love and healing
Want Moshiach now so it's time we start revealing