Chant Down Babylon

An orthodox Jew reggae-rapping about God, the Torah, and clean living? If you hanen't seen Matisyahu on MTV's TRL or heard his album Live at Stubb's, you might not believe it, but the bearded, black-hatted singer is the real deal. The former Matthew Miller grew up in White Plains, New York, and rolled with a pseudo-hippie Deadhead crew before meeting a Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi at Washington Square Park in Manhattan, cementing the connection to Judaism he'd been searching for since a trip to Israel in high school. A gifted MC and beatboxer, Matisyahu doesn't come off like he's flaunting righteousness — he's just trying to share what he's learned, and there's no doubt his skills are solid and his three-piece band is tight. Check out his post-Shabbat show and you might find yourself in the presence of an even higher power than reggae.

Matisyahu plays at 8 p.m. Saturday, November 5, at Revolution, 200 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $20. Call 954-727-0950.