The Unique Journey of Moshe Reuven
‘It’s been a unique and weird journey. It’s the complete opposite of what people do – and what anyone would have imagined that I would do.’
Unique and weird could certainly sum up the path Moshe Reuven has taken. The 31-year-old rabbi has swapped a party-hard lifestyle for a music career, seeing him become one of the most popular rap megastars in Israel and worldwide, with nearly 2 million Instagram followers and counting.
A Shift in Lifestyle
In high school, Moshe was one of the popular kids, going out for nights at a time, getting engrossed in the party lifestyle before a bad experience gave him an awakening.
- He started praying to God every day and tried to stop drinking.
- He changed his values to be focused on living a good life and having a positive impact on the world around him.
‘I was sacrificing the whole fun life to try to do what God wants me to do. And that was really difficult for me.’
Merging Music and Faith
Moshe found his passion for music from his family and drew inspiration from artists like Kid Cudi and Kanye West.
Despite some hip-hop not aligning with his faith, he found a way to blend his musical interests with his spiritual journey.
‘I wanted to make sure I was listening to music that was going to benefit that journey of mine.’
Challenges Faced
Amidst antisemitism and conflict in the world, Moshe has faced challenges, particularly online abuse.
‘Usually, people are not blatantly doing anything antisemitic, it’s more like under-wraps antisemitism.’
Promoting Inclusivity Through Music
Moshe aims to spread a message of inclusivity through his music, transcending faith with his audience.
‘I never wanted to make music exclusively for the religious community anyways. I wanted it to be for everyone.’
Moshe Reuven’s music, including new single Red and Yellow, is streaming now on Spotify.
Collaborations and Future Plans
Moshe looks forward to collaborations with artists like Kid Cudi, Jelly Roll, Post Malone, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, and Drake to reach a wider audience.
