Saturday, November 20, 2010

Nosson Zand - Kosher Hip-Hop

Nosson Zand is an inspired young ba'al Teshuva (lit. "one who possesses repentance" used in reference to returnees to observant Judaism) from Boston, Mass. A Lubavitch chossid, Nosson weaves mystical concepts into his rhymes along with stories about growing up as a troubled youth in Boston, finding meaning in his religiosity, and his aspirations as an individual and as a member of the Jewish nation.



I really enjoy his style; for the most part, his lyrics are clear and understandable, and his earnestness shines through. Matisyahu has taken him under his wing, and the two tour together a lot. Below is a short movie that was produced for the American Film Institute, and won several awards, starring Nosson as the protagonist, a student in yeshiva struggling to maintain a balance between his interests, his yearning for spirituality, and finding his identity...

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