Shneur Hasofer is a
Hasidic
Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...
musician known as DeScribe. Hasofer's musical style has been characterized as "Hasidic hip-hop," "Hasidic rap" and "Hasidic R&B".
Background
Hasofer was born to a
Chabad
Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic groups ...
Hasidic
Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...
family in Melbourne, Australia. Hasofer began his music career taking the stage name "DeScribe" and has been characterized as a "Hasidic rapper."
Hasofer's music career began in New York in the late 2000s, releasing an EP called Harmony, and began collaborations with
Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), known by his stage name Matisyahu (; ), is an American reggae singer, rapper, beatboxer, and alternative rock musician.
Known for blending spiritual themes with reggae, rock and hip hop beatboxing soun ...
and
Rohan Marley (son of
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...
). Hasofer released a duet with Matisyahu titled “Pure Soul” as part of a fundraising effort for the
Friendship Circle, a non-profit Jewish organization which assists children with disabilities.
[ Hasofer also collaborated with ex-Hasidic hip-hop artist Y-Love.
Hasofer's music also took on an activist bent in promoting racial harmony between the Chabad Hasidim and African-American and Afro-Caribbean communities in ]Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Crown Heights is bounded by Washington Avenue to the west, Atlantic Avenue to the north, Ralph Avenue to the east, and Empire Boulevard/East New Yo ...
. Hasofer released a song and music video titled “Harmony” with Rohan Marley, successfully recruiting local neighborhood leaders to participate in the video and a neighborhood campaign.[ The music video for Hasofer's song "Harmony" was dubbed "a groundbreaking tool for unity and racial harmony" by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz in commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Crown Heights riots.][
Hasofer's other activities included teaching music recording and video editing to at-risk Hasidic teens in Crown Heights through a joint project with the ALIYAH Center in Crown Heights.]
Family
In 1998, Hasofer's family immigrated to the city of Rehovot
Rehovot ( he, רְחוֹבוֹת ''Rəḥōvōt'', ar, رحوڤوت ''Reḥūfūt'') is a city in the Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of .
Etymology
Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu moveme ...
in Israel while he was young. Hasofer's mother is a religious singer as well.[
]
See also
*Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), known by his stage name Matisyahu (; ), is an American reggae singer, rapper, beatboxer, and alternative rock musician.
Known for blending spiritual themes with reggae, rock and hip hop beatboxing soun ...
* Y-Love
* Zusha (band)
*Yitzchok Moully
Yitzchok Moully (born 1979) is an Australian- American Orthodox rabbi and artist associated with the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, and is known for his "Chasidic Pop Art" painting style. Moully served as a Chabad emissary (''shaliach'') i ...
* Jewish music
* Hipster Hasidim
Notes
:1.The name Hasofer translates to "The Scribe".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hasofer, Shneur
Musicians from Melbourne
Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidim
1982 births
Living people
Hasidic music
Jewish rappers
Jewish Australian musicians
Shemspeed Records artists