Matisyahu Quotes

One of the first places where I started to respond to song lyrics was in reggae music. A lot of what I was responding to were references to the Old Testament. It was not that I had to adapt the lyrics to the sound. Reggae and the Old Testament are bound up together. There wasn't anything that I had to do.

Someone like a Bob Marley - he was singing Scripture.

My father, my Rastafari culture, has a tight link to the Jewish culture. We have a strong connection from when I was a young boy and read the Bible, the Old Testament.

I grew up with reggae music.

Today, I'd like to talk to Bob Marley. I'd just like to ask him what was his method. Bob is one of the greatest songwriters ever. I don't know if people understand how powerful his songs are and the simplicity and genius behind them, from 'Redemption Song' to 'Is This Love?' and 'I Shot the Sheriff.'

When you're in Jamaica, unless you're in a tourist spot, you don't hear Bob Marley; you mostly hear dance hall music.

I don't know how you can go your whole life and not listen once to Bob Marley - what's the point?

My mom's a secret Rastafarian.

I'm a huge Bob Marley fan; I remember going to Jamaica for the first time when I was a kid and I got so obsessed with the steel drums.

I've been a big Bob Marley fan forever. Forever. Like big, huge. Bob Marley and the Beatles, that's my big, giant music influence. I can listen to them all the time.

Bob Marley - yeah, I've always loved his stuff.

I like Bob Marley.

As kids, we all thought Bob Marley was Maori.

I like Peter Tosh, Bob Marley of course. All of Capleton, Sizzla, Frisco Kid, Buju Banton.

It speaks truth when you listen to Bob Marley.

The reggae fraternity is a small fraternity.

The Marley name resonates all around the world.

You can go to places in Africa and Asia and find Marley graffiti. In the slums of Nairobi, you see his lyrics painted on walls, and you realise he has this almost religious significance to the underclass of the world. He's a guy born in a hut with no bed, and now he's probably the most listened-to artist in the world. It's fascinating.

I think there's always been interest in Bob Marley.

Even though I'm not Jamaican, I've always loved Jamaican culture because, to me, it's the island of magic, it's the island of politics, of resistance.

Everybody listens to Bob Marley. It gives you an inner feeling to keep pushing on. It's an education on life. He helps me out every day. It gives me a deep-down feeling.

If I could go back in time and see anyone perform, it would have to be Bob Marley.

I spent some time with Bob Marley and I have to say that was like walking with a god on earth.

I'm gonna be Iron, like a Lion in Zion

Jamaican music can be aggressive, soulful, smooth and exciting all at once - just like hip-hop. At the same time, there's nothing like Jamaica in the United States. Jamaica is its own thing.