Guest Post by Kosha Dillz

I am currently 10,000 plus feet in the air on some go go flight 15 dollar Internet shenanigan and after speaking with Rabbi Yonah at many of his amazing Shabbat dinners, I feel its time to introduce myself more to what Kosha Dillz is in his own Jewish identity. Yes I am Jewish. Its funny that this question was asked to me at Jewlicious multiple times.

As many of you know, I have been playing the Jewlicious Festival for a few years, and even when I wasn’t, I decided still to go and play for like a freestyle. I remember I did not know Rabbi Yonah then but I recall showing up in my Nisaan Pathfinder, (which is now humbly parked in a Korea Town parking garage ) unloaded my merchandise and slept under a table in the concert hall where I recently played.

And so with actions like this, I have been labeled as a hustler. Sure its a good thing if you are Larry Flynt, or a hardcore hip hop aficionado, but I’d rather be known (or at least paid more) as a gentleman, a scholar, a curator, and man who transcends boundaries rather than crosses.

A man who runs around and raps sounds like he is on some sort of rap drug. Me on the other hand, I have a plan behind it as a purpose within the Jewish context of Kosha Dillz. Yes there is a deep spiritual meaning behind the ambiguous name and attitude. I bet you are crawling out your seat to see examples.

We need to push ourselves in being independent, as Jews have been since the eternity of time. Being an independent salesman is hard in a field that no one has embarked on . The Jewish rapper who sleeps on floors and needs to sell cds for a living. I want Jews to feel my story and sometimes you don’t want to support my mission. Its ok. I shall be patient I still love you.

Here comes some Jewish rapper guy that’s weird rapping in Hebrew and keeps bothering me. Boy do I hate this guy> i just want to be in my shell because I have other weird Jewish issues I can’t talk to anyone about. Let me put this man Kosha Dillz down and call people to tell them he is annoying, aka he contacted me for a show three times, he HUSTLES aka lets treat him as the Hebrew Uncle Stalker that Lonely Elephant is Stupid!

Kosha you are close. Its o.k. to push and hustle like a mad man. You are a hustler. A great one. You are key to survival 10 people will listen but 5 will say stuff about you that is bad but 10 really support. How Under Scrutiny the Love eludes Rami. People love you but sometimes i forget to acknowledge i only need the approval from G-d himself.

In benefit of winning over a confused Jewish person, or someone who is detached form their own heritage and own birthright, I do things for free because I love being Jewish so much. As a hustler, you never want to do something for free. But then I think of Rabbi’s and programs who literally have to give Jews a bunch of money to do something Jewish, while other faiths like Christianity make you pay $3000 for a trip to Jerusalem, we pay our kids to go and feed them 3 times a day.

Heal up Slowly than Lower every dollar. It hurts that sometimes they don’t believe but we cannot force anyone to do anything they want. Lets just give away a bunch of free stuff so we can do something great in God’s eyes and bring Jews together. Even if it they are not a Jew, let them see what Kosha Dillz is really about and give them a different story they are not used to.

I don’t have a beard. I have a checkered past. I work for myself. I just started dating Jewish girls. Why is my story not as inspiring as others? it is my friends. My journey is too, all you have to do is a have a little trust and I am willing to wait.

In the rap world, you would never think to see the day. I recently was called up to Play Hip Hop Hanukkah with Hot 97 morning show host Peter Rosenberg at the legendary SOBS on De 15th. Do I feel that this is a great chance to play a Jewish event? It’s not a Jewish event. Most people at a hip hop Hanukkah will not be Jewish. THh performers are signed to labels like Stones Throw and Shady Records w/ Eminem. Action Bronson, who is half Jewish/Albanian, has a song called Muslim Wedding and raps about Jewish Mothers. Peter Rosenberg, the face of NYC music, is changing the game by being the Jew on the morning show.

I guess the point of this article is like, why Judge?

Why aren’t there more Jews at my events to really start a movement of supporting the people for where they are at in the journey? Being distant from us or anyone for that matter is the most driving force to keep those relationships far from a bond that could be shared. Just because i don’t have tzit tzit on or a long beard or yarmulke, doesn’t mean my mission is any different. Please remember that when my family was killed as was yours in the holocaust, they didn’t pick and choose neither. Everyone was equal.

respectfully requesting more yarmulke

About the author

Rabbi Yonah

30 Comments

  • Kosha Dillz: Do you really not understand why people in yarmulkes are not rushing to your shows? Listen, it’s one thing if your are not ready to follow the Torah yourself and put on a kippa and tzit tzit, as you stated that you do not wear, but to want to bring other people down to that level who do, by expecting them to come and support that message, is something entirely different.
    I have tried to get into your music. I have tried to watch your videos. I had hoped upon hearing of a musician who alludes to kosher things in his very name, that the music and message would therefore also be at least somewhat kosher. Sadly, I had to turn off your videos, due to their blatent inappropiate message and imagery. I find this very sad.
    You state: “Just because i don’t have tzit tzit on or a long beard or yarmulke, doesn’t mean my mission is any different.” I could not disagree with you more. It is precisely b/c of the fact that you don’t stand strong enough in your own faith, being that you proudly proclaim your Judaism in your name, yet do not value Torah enough to follow it’s commandments that people who do, aka, the “yarmulke people” do not get beind you cause. You have to make a choice. Either you can give up the shtus, use your awesome, G-d given talent to make a Kiddush Hashem, (first step getting rid of outrageously untznius women in your videos,) or not expect, or better yet, not even want religious people to listen/watch/support your music.
    On a different note, a question for Rabbi Yonah: Do you watch videos with untznius women? Are you comfortable promoting a musician who does this, knowing that you have a young, religious following? I get that it is tempting to be a hip, young Rabbi with connections to all of the famous Jewish musicians, but do you not see an contradictions in this at all? Very interested to hear your thoughts, Rabbi.

  • Maybe there’s more Yidden supporting you than you think.just like you many of us are on a mission that doesn’t involve Orthodox dress codes. Anyone who is on the journey and publically sharing a reclaiming of Judaism for themselves cant help but being inspiring to the 99%. Keep the faith and embrace the non-kippah wearing Jews. Yasher Koach on your journey to finding both faith and success.

    Btw–saw you at SXSW. see incognito Jews were in the house. <3

  • there wias a great amount of Jews at hip hop hannukah. but the fact that your relgious observance is so strongs it drives fear in those who wish to come closer on their own terms, the world does not follow on your rules, and what makes you any different? we all get buried int he same cemetary at the end of the day.

    are you holier than thou?

    thank you for the reads.

  • They are not my rules at all. I didn’t make them up.They are the Torah’s rules. The connecting force of Jews is not that we all get buried in the same cemetary, it’s in our unique, holy neshamas, that were put here to help make the world a better place. The only way we are able to do that is through staying true to what our faith commandments of us. Where we get buried is not the focus. Our neshama does not stop there. In order to continue on past this world, we need to work on perfecting ourselves in this world.
    I respect your struggle. I know it is hard. I also did not grow up religious. I have struggles, too.You can right me off as some in the box frumy, and that’s fine. I did not mean any disrepect, and if I offended you in any way I apologize. But there comes a point where we must strive to do better. I truly wish your music was more accessable to a frum audience, but how can it be if its message encourages the things that the Torah is against? You can choose to be different from all of the other rappers out there. You already ARE different. You just might not know it yet. You are unique, special, and crazy talented. But what matters most is your neshama.
    May Hashem bless you to have clarity, strength, and only revealed good in this lifetime, AND the next!

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