The buzz over Chassidic Rap has been intensifying over the last few weeks as people prepare for the release of Mor-to-Life‘s debut album, “Coming Home.”
The album is being released today, June 27th and will be distributed by many online vendors including iTunes, DigStation.com, as well as in various Judaica stores.
Visits to MorToLifeRap.com have tripled in the last week and fans on Facebook are waiting with intensity.
“I’ve been seeing different song lyrics posted on Facebook for a few weeks now and I can’t wait for the album to finally be available this Sunday,” a student at Wurzweiler School of Social Work in Manhattan commented Thursday.
Mor-to-Life, the stage name of young Rabbi Motti Flikshtein, is a Chassidic Rapper who combined his childhood love for Hip Hop/Rap music with his newfound life and passion for Torah and Mitzvos.
“The goal of my music and words is to touch people and make them think about Judaism in a way that they may not have previously,” he tells COLlive.com.
His ideas are clear and catchy, as phrases such as, “It’s All Good, It’s All Good” ring in the ears of his listeners and remind them to have faith that everything is for the best.
On January 2010, Flikshtein auditioned for COLlive’s ‘A Jewish Star‘ singing competition and ever since has been performing at Chabad Houses and various venues across North America and Israel.
As reported, this coming Elul (August), Flikshtein and his family will be going on shlichus to Wilmingon, Delaware, where he plans to continue to tour to Chabad houses across the globe and to show as many people as possible that there is more to life.
Women and men of all ages have been affected. Mrs. Miriam Swerdlov, Director of Camp Achoteinu said, “He is chassidish, meaningful, kosher fun with a message. The girls were touched and empowered by his enlightening words. They realized that you can be chassidish and ‘cool’ and that Judaism does not restrict us from our dreams, but rather helps us to reach them.”
Shluchim have also sent in comments.
Rabbi Moshe Bleich, Executive Director at Chabad of Wellesley said, “I wasn’t so sure what to expect when Mor-to-Life was going to perform, but after watching a packed house of students swaying to Mor-to-life, I thought, ‘Finally we have one of our own who can bring the house down with Chassidic rap!’ He had a profound affect on our students. Mor-to-life, you rock.”
VIDEO: Coming Home by Mor-to-Life
Sign up for a newsletter at MorToLifeRap.com and receive 2 free MP3s.
For more info, visit MorToLifeRap.com (sign up for his newsletter and receive 2 free songs).
this video is cool and i really liked it
that was awosme i really liked that i give a thumbs up
i dont usaully like rap but this is good
hes gonna give matisyahu a run 4 his money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
other kreizen dont go out onshlichus for exactly that reason! but us as lubavitchers have the zchus of using the age were in now for good in being mevarer the netzutzes with so many modren tech. thats why the rebbe started his campaign in our generation davke!
its not only suposed to be entertainment.you are a closed and square minded person. you are such a chitzon. look at the toichen. he is a sliach trying to bring yidden close to yiddiskeit. you are supposed to use your talents for avodas hashem and thats what he is doing.
“I just can’t take no more of this hatred and torcher while their taken our sons and straight slaining our daughter” keep on yearning keep on learning
I don’t want to be negative, BUT, I chose frumkeit from a very different upbringing. Public school, more than half of them people of color-most from the projects. To mimic this culture, their music, just seems miles and miles away from Jewish eidelkeit. I’ve thought and thought about it- and I just don’t understand. The rap culture shows such blatant disregard for Jewish and even non-jewish morals and values. WHY do we want to sound like a culture that time after time puts women down, and promotes violence and promiscuity and glorifies a life that most people would (and do)… Read more »
“We’ve gotta use our might so we could chose what’s right
‘Cause every step of our lives, we’re living through a fight
And it’s true the fight can last all through your life
The main thing is not to give up; gotta do what’s right.”
“Inner Battle” by Mor-To-Life”
I get if rap isn’t your thing-it’s not my thing either. But that’s not the point. Motti isn’t trying to replace traditional chassidishe music with rap. He’s trying to replace rap with chassidishe music! He’s trying to reach people who AREN’T frum (yet)! That’s what kiruv is. That’s what shluchim do. And he’s getting it done. Good job!
i dont mind having a lubavitcher rap, but i feel like hes trying to squish the words into too much of a small space… not in a rap way, just in an out of breath way
I bought the album and listened to it!! Best CD ive heard in a very long time! The words are very powerful and each song is very different, unique, and has a clear message that you can walk away with.
I recommend it to ANYBODY who is looking for a new form of inspiration!!
Info about purchasing is on his website, which is http://mortoliferap.com
just the number of responses shows the power of his music.
I agree with the others who are disappointed by the negativity. The point is that the lyrics are meaningful, powerful, a way to connect for those who haven’t been able to in a more “conventional” way, and written and performed by someone who is out there to spread the important messages in life, as a chasid, and make a difference…an incredible one. Let’s drop the negativity, and see the positives…if we all applied that in all areas of our lives, this world would be a better place…. Motti, keep doing what you’re doing…you’re AMAZING.
What a inspiration, the expression, the lyrics – the message, makes the whole body shiver and awakens the soul!
There’s definitely more -to-life and you are one very special link. YOUR expression definitely brings HEAVEN DOWN TO EARTH
Our CHILDREN definitely get inspired and learn from your music which in turn brings more good actions and mitzvahs.
Keep it Up! We are listening! Thank you!
Short summation of MorToLive’s messages, using his songs titles.
In order to bring world to “Ultimate Redemption” we have to “Take Control” of our lives by winning the “Inner Battle”, “Open-up Our Eyes”, “Come Home to Tatty” and “Keep Looking Up”.
In “Blessed Memory” of millions of Jews we “Gotta Love” the fellow man.
Only as one big family we will be able to celebrate next “Shabbos” in “Our Land”.
We have to always remember – “It’s All Good!” and there is “MOR-TO-LIFE”.
Is not it what we all wont?
To Number 37:
Are you aware that what is generally known as Jewish Pop music is based on non-Jewish Music from the 60’s and 70’s? It has about as much to do with traditional Jewish Music (itself adapted from non local styles of music) as bell-bottom pants have to do with the “bell-bottoms” of the Kohein Gadol.
What is more, virtually every musician you’ve named has recorded songs sung to Goyish tunes.
Please spare us!
its actually well done! and love the words!
great dirah bitachtonim!
everyone has there own type of music.
personally its not mine…hopefully his next album will have the beautiful chasidishe negunim!
There is no doubt in my mind that mor-to-life has inspired hundreds if not thousands of youth with his powerful and meaningful lyrics. I can imagine those who do not have an ear for hip hop cannot see the extreme talent and skill that goes into creating this! Keep it up!!!
Some people are not aloud to listen to matisyahu this is awsome he connects everything to jewish stuff its awsome its
really its GOOD better than matisyahu
You said “we are very well with Fried, Friedman, Shwekey, Lipa or MBD,” but who is WE? A real chosid would say that WE refers to all of the yiddin, not just the chassidishe ones. There are many people out there who are not yet chassidish who will never connect with Fried, Lipa, Friedman…. These are the people who mor-to-life is singing for, not those of you who are well with niggunim and Avraham Fried. So when you say WE, have the bigger picture in mind; ALL OF US. It’s time to stop thinking about ourselves and to start thinking… Read more »
just saw it at judaica world, way to go kid
alright listen!!! first of all if you dont like it then dont listen/have anything to do w/ it /comment on it. and to #38 im also on shlichus and i see no contradiction b/w the 2. thats PART of his shlichus. instead of being on the comp the whole day adn finding people to speak to,bring closer, fundraise…..etc this is his way and i feel its more effective. and to mor-to-life-U ROCK AND IGNORE THE BAD COMMENTS AND KEEP UP WHAT UR DOING TO BRING MASHIACH NOW!!! UR MUSIC IS AMAZING
” Loved it–And I don’t even like rap!!
I’m not a fan of rap, but his words are moving, deep, emotional, and amazing. I’d never though I’d like listening to rap, let alone be moved to tears (literally) when he described the Mumbai massacre. And, if you don’t like the music, the words alone are inspiring. He’s got a gift! ”
Some Ease Verse Echoes Noble.
You can’t do both….one has to suffer. How can you devote yourself to your Shlichus if you go off to perform? I know, I have kids on Shlichus & it takes up their whole life. Shlichus IS their whole life, as it should be.
There is nothing Chasidish in rap or Matisyahu’s music. We are very well with Fried, Friedman, Shwekey, Lipa or MBD.
I think its gr8 what hes doing. If you feel its not chassidish enough for you then don’t listen. Nobody’s forcing u to listen. but to all the negative commenters hes doing what we all should be doing- taking gashmiyus things and turning them into ruchniyos. making a dira bitachtonim for hashem in this world. and like #34 said “those who are the truly disconnected will stay disconnected unless you speak their language. Rap is part of that language”. & for those of us who are b”h very chassidish then u dont have to listen. kol hakavod to him. he… Read more »
i dont care what every one sais! i want more !!!!!!!!!!!!!
How sure are you that the Shir Miriam sang was not closer to Rap than to Shtetl style chasanut? Probably it wasn’t close to either style, the point is that, like our clothes, the style is adopted from a later time and a different place. I want to be (and usually am) a shomeret mitzvot Jew. I have no intention of going back to the shtetls my grandparents were so glad to leave, and I certainly don’t view them with any adopted positive nostalgia. I actually don’t like chazanut music at all, and I don’t connect with it. Thankfully, there… Read more »
he doesn’t claim to be a musician or a singer. he does claim to be a rapper, which is basically putting poetry over a beat (if you don’t know what rap is, you have no place commenting about the quality of his singing voice, since rap is not chazanus). Typically, rap is shtus (it is about killing, money, and power), but more to life is using this medium and filling it with meaningful lyrics (about shabbos, hashgachah pratis, teshuvah, tefila, mashiach,…). He is connecting to people who have no connection to Yiddishkeit and would never even think to listen to… Read more »
Whats important is that it is composed by a frum Jew and sang by a frum Jew. Kids who are going to listen to goyishe music can now listen to their style but coming from a frum source. How is that bad?
Do me a favor and ignore the negative comments posted here. Most people write them cause they are bored and often times jealous that their work isn’t posted on websites for all to see. Keep up the great work. G-d should bless you in all matters; Material and spiritual.
On us website, shluchim are testifying to the huge impact that more to life had on their communites. Though his style may be unconventional, he is obviously making a huge impact on communities and students worldwide.
We should be encouraging him and not chas v’shalom the opposite!
the lyrics are preety deep and nice, what a waste of good music, if he’d only “sing them”..
omg wow i totally agree with #8 lyrics are good and words but singing is horrible it isn’t singing or music! i don’t know what it is actually it’s just someone trying to fit in alot of words in one breath….. and has no tune whatsoever!!!
ok. hope the rest of the album has those beautiful chasidishe negunim we all know and love.
hatzlacha!
But why do we have to be so insanely negative? U like his stuff, great, you don’t great. At least he’s doing something with a truth. He’s trying to bring yidden closer to their roots. Now, think if you tried to do something so huge, so innovative, so new, how would you feel if some shmo’s accross the us would bash you for trying to do good?
better yet, get off your lazy stubborn nefesh habehamis and let’s see a post about your latest work. . . . . . . .
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
i love his music and lyrics 5 stars
You chosids are not the ones who mor-to-life is trying to connect with. It is those Yidden who would otherwise be unconnected from Yiddishkeit. This is another tool to help these Yidden come home.
#7 can post that in every article
I know flikshtein personally and he’s very chassidish, never compromising the values of Torah even when it comes to something like rap music. He is very close to his mashbia and flikshtein told me that if his mashbia told him to stop, he would immediately. If anybody could bring up the darkness and emptiness of “shvartze beat-box,” it’s this guy.
i guess matisyahu days are over
I’m not a fan of rap, but his words are moving, deep, emotional, and amazing. I’d never though I’d like listening to rap, let alone be moved to tears (literally) when he described the Mumbai massacre. And, if you don’t like the music, the words alone are inspiring. He’s got a gift!
what has come of lubavitch? there is nothing wrong with using a style of music that isnt jewish and making it jewish. There is nothing wrong with havin a gangsta accent. Yes, it may not be the most refined music, but for those ppl that enjoy rap and enjoy a different twist to what they listen to, this is perfect. Its composed by a jew, sang by a jew, its jewish. Not only that, he’s a lubab. So its not shtetl style, ya, so what? Pick your battles and pick them wisely, this is a stupid battle to fight. Be… Read more »
he’s really taking a form of music thats normally very negative and meaningless and using it to bring Getlichkeit into it. im sure that he has inspired youth with his raps in ways that a shliach would never be able to. though the music doesnt sound chasidish, the presentation can allow people who arent interested in going to shul or a shiur to connect. After all, the rebbe said that everything in this world needs to be used to make a dira b’sachtonim. this may be “more to life’s” way of fulfilling that mission by literally bringing holiness into the… Read more »
he raely rox he should perform
Wow ur amazing keep it up
its great!!!
What would world be like without negativity?
To all critics:
Remember, that there is
MORE TO LIFE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 star!!!!!!! he’s amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
when is his concerts???????
whats jewish about it?
he has talent i love him! but dosent that contritict each other ? sliach and rap singer?????
oy! help look @ lubavitch today!!!!!!!!!!!
music?? this is what we call music?? im not trying to be negative but there is no way that you can seriously call this stuff music……..
For the nutty comments… lets see them already.
kulom koailu?
either drop the shtick or drop the peltz cant have both
shame on us what we have come to adapt..compared to other chasidim who stay strong with their warm heimishe chasidishe negunim. they find entertainment in a good old-fasioned chazan or some popular song such as Kanei by Isaac Honig
why do chasidishe yidden need to find pleasure in shvartze beat-box, rock,rap etc. emptines?!?
evry chosid has to ask himself does rebbe want me listening to this
so much talent and good to listen. Actually good rap with good music and rated G! good job\
i love you music!
keep ’em coming!