American reggae jam artist Matisyahu has released a new song, “Ascent," with a video that was filmed at the site of the Nova festival and the Gaza border communities and includes footage from the October 7 massacre.
The song features lyrics such as “I sense my fame under attack, we used to gettin’ shot in the back,” with the singer lashing out against antisemitic claims: “No one to blame but the Jew/ are you insane, this is not new/ they been sayin’ this for years/ crybabies with their fears.” The lyrics also include references to the extermination of the Jews during the Holocaust: “German trains rolling over Polish landscapes.”
“This song felt so good to write and record and has been one of the most powerful live moments since performing it on the Hold The Fire Tour,” Matisyahu said in a statement. “One of those undeniable moments where your mind and heart finally say, ‘thank you for saying that.’ Yes, we are the Jews, and No, our light will not be put out.”
Singer hits back at antisemitic claims
My new song "Ascent" drops this Friday and I think it is some of my most meaningful work ever.The song is about antisemitism and we are also releasing a music video with it that was shot in Israel in the aftermath of October the 7th with survivors of the Nova Festival. This is… pic.twitter.com/Y0avzzgdZm
— Matisyahu (@matisyahu) March 26, 2024
Matisyahu, who is in Israel this week for two performances – April 2 in Jerusalem and April 3 in Tel Aviv – has had some shows on his US tour canceled due to protests and pressure from pro-Palestinian activists.
On Sunday night, he was slated to receive an award in Jerusalem at an event called Am Yisrael Chai, sponsored by The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, which is honoring four influential individuals for their efforts to advocate for Israel since the beginning of the Gaza war.
“The panel will also include Michael Rapaport, Stefan Tompson, Aviva Klompas, and myself, and there will be special performances by Noa Kirel, Amir Dadon, me and other Jewish and Israeli artists,” Matisyahu wrote on X.
Jackie Hajdenberg contributed to this article.