Rapper Daniel Silverstein is using rap to make the Jewish calendar more accessible to young people.
Mr Silverstein, who performs under the name Danny Raphael, raps around the world about all things Jewish. His latest video, a collaboration with award-winning director Dani Landau in aid of Tisha B’Av, has become a YouTube hit. The 31-year-old tells People: “When I was studying literature at Cambridge I listened to a lot of hip hop and realised the people making it were the real poets. They had the audience of millions of people.” He has since performed at festivals all over the UK, including this year’s Glastonbury, The Big Chill, Secret Garden Party and Ministry of Sound, plus others across the world. He has also performed with K’naan, who created the world cup anthem Waving Flag. Mr Silverstein says: “I include a lot of Jewish content in the raps, such as the Bible, Jewish prayers and festivals.”
He hopes to create a video on all significant dates in the Jewish calendar. Based in north London, he founded the Muslim-Jewish hip hop band Lines of Faith and founded and directs Psychosemitic, a Muslim-Jewish events, education and social action agency. He regularly runs workshops helping children to make their own raps.
