Matisyahu News

Mordechai Shinefield, who has written about music for AMP magazine and is currently the arts and culture editor of the Commentator, wrote in The Forward:-

Until now, Matisyahu has famously rejected promotions that didn’t mesh with his overtly religious songs. In the past he has turned down chances to advertise with Burger King, tour with pop star Shakira and interview with Howard Stern.

Matisyahu had no problem, though, facing off against fans in the fast-paced hockey simulation last Tuesday in quick games of NHL 2K6, a popular Xbox 360 video game. Except for a couple of short stints on the tour bus, he claims that he rarely plays video games — and never this particular one. He did, however, turn down an MTV representative’s request to do a promo for a TV show called “Spanky the Monkey,” which is about a belligerent monkey who does crude things in public. “I’ll pass on this one,” Matisyahu said.

After arriving half an hour late (he was praying Mincha), Matisyahu removed his black hat and sat down to play. Placing his hands on the Xbox controller, a mess of about a dozen triggers, buttons and analog sticks, he said sheepishly, “I need to know how to play this game.”

After the controls were explained to him, Matisyahu slowly got the hang of the game. Quickly he went from nonchalance to intense concentration. By the end of the hour-and-a-half event, he was making colorful commentary on his own game: “Good score,” he’d say before grimacing about a bad play. “That should have been a goal.”

...Asked about the upcoming Christian video game, “Left Behind: Eternal Forces,” Matisyahu expressed confusion. When it was explained that the game is based on the idea of players going around saving people instead of shooting them, Matisyahu responded that if it wants to be realistic, there should be shooting.

Matisyahu plugged Xbox by incorporating it in his message of world unity. “Gaming is a great way to connect with people, and Xbox Live gives me the ability to reach out and connect with fans from all over the world,” he said in a press release.