Moshe Reuven, chasidic rapper, has broken into mainstream music culture, and if you ask him how, he just sheepishly responds, “Baruch Hashem. Everything comes from above.”
Moshe has already racked up millions of streams and downloads on Spotify, and fans worldwide. His debut single, “You Are Not Alone,” released in 2020, instilled hope in myriad people, as one commenter from Orlando shared: “I needed this, it validates how I feel!” There was also a statement on his Instagram post from a youth stating that hearing the song saved her life.
Shortly after the song’s launch, it reached the Apple charts in America, the U.K., Canada, South Africa and France before reaching the Billboard chart in America in 2022.
Soon after, Moshe was contacted by Create Music Group, a label that houses some of today’s top artists and was named Inc. 5000’s fastest growing company in California. The group offered Moshe his first record deal, quite a milestone for the Orthodox Jewish rapper.
Moshe, a baal teshuva (and great-grandson of Viznitz chasidim) from South Florida, incorporates the words of Chassidus and Torah wisdom in his music. Based in the New York/New Jersey region, he’s been doing shows 5,000 people strong, and he even sold out an Upper East Side pre-Chanukah show he was added to at the last minute just two days before the concert. He’s transformed his life from his high school days, and is now a fully observant Chabad success story with semicha from the Rabbinical College of America.
Asked to describe the experiences that led him to his music, he said, “I’ve made my music in a way that interweaves my personal experiences with what we learn in Torah. I believe music is a personal experience for both the listener and band. I wouldn’t want to leave myself out of it, especially as rap and hip hop music are meant to be a musical form of poetry at their core. Poetry is meant to be raw and real, causing it to be most impactful. Additionally, as a baal teshuva who grew up very loosely Conservative, I’ve come to appreciate my past as part of what’s helped make me who I am today. Some people try to hide that from others and maybe even themselves to find acceptance. I think it’s better to embrace your story, even if you don’t identify with parts of it anymore. Especially for others who can benefit from it.”
After signing with Create Music Group, he linked up with Julian Marley, reggae singer and son of the late Bob Marley, for the hit song “Say,” his first single with Create. Although Marley may be from another faith, the lyrics and focus of the chorus help share thoughts deeply rooted in chasidic philosophy. “One moment in space and time, it’s your turn to wake and shine,” “We all have a light that shines within, what’s your purpose? Shine your light.”
His overarching goal is to make music that the entire world can find appealing. Although his music is tailored for the world, it doesn’t stray from the underlying messages found in Hasidic thought, nor does it turn too freely into the secular world where a chasid can no longer identify. He tries to keep his art where the frum community is still able to appreciate it, while still reaching the masses.
Being that Moshe, the now famous yet still brand-new artist, has had his music brought into the outside world, many in the religious community are just finding out about him. His fame continues to grow as he awes the world with his musical achievements, and makes a name for himself in the business community and by spreading Chassidus by writing for top magazines and via social media. He is also one of only a few in the Hasidic community to have ever been courted by major record labels.
As he gears up for his next releases and approaching video launch on YouTube, he is set to surpass two million followers on Instagram.
His songs are available on Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora and Apple Music. Follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Moshe.Reuven.S/ or on Instagram at @moshereuven
