Jewish reggae star Matisyahu says that 'antisemitism and morons' won't stop him

Despite facing significant backlash over the past year for his pro-Israel views, Jewish reggae star Matisyahu said he’s been busier than ever in an interview with The New York Post on Saturday.

In the past year, Matisyahu has been thrown out of festivals and even dropped by his manager over his support for Israel, but told the Post that this backlash hasn’t deterred him.

“The Jewish community has been really appreciative, and I’ve felt inspired by it,” Matisyahu, whose birth name is Matthew Miller, told the Post. 

However, the singer admitted that it hasn’t all been positive. Several of his concerts – including ones in Arizona, New Mexico, and Chicago – had been canceled following threats from anti-Israel protesters to picket the venues.

Matisyahu also touched on his manager dropping him after he refused to change the lyrics to his song “Ascent,” which featured images from October 7 and lyrics about dancing on the graves of Hamas terrorists.

“We’re living in a time where I have to make decisions, like ‘do I need to bring security.’ … It’s a dangerous place, but luckily for me, it’s been a smooth run,” he said.

Young Hamas supporters

The star also told the Post that he's noticed the younger generation sees Hamas as "freedom fighters."

“It’s very sexy [to them] … these terrorists are ‘freedom fighters’ and whatever happens to ‘the oppressor.’ … they have it coming to them,” he said. “There’s something very tantalizing about it, the darkness of it, but the Jewish people are light.”

Despite this, Matisyahu expressed gratitude for the fans who have remained loyal to him over the past year since the October 7 attacks.

“I’ve always felt my music serves a purpose, but now more than ever,” he told the Post. “The protests have been difficult, but they usually fade.”

The singer acknowledged that his concerts have become a refuge for his Jewish followers.

“It can be frustrating dealing with antisemitism and morons. The music should be a refreshment for that. It feels good to be able to provide that for people. It feels like a responsibility as well. People are really in pain, really hurting.”

Ready to tour the West Coast with his new album, Matisyahu told the Post that he has 25 new songs waiting to be released, several of which reference the Hamas attacks.

He also said that the hostages still captive inside Gaza are on his mind “day and night.”

“Every Jew that has a Jewish soul inside of them is completely destroyed by this.”