Klezmer-Hip Hop star, Socalled, visits Emory

On Monday, Jewish Canadian musician, producer and self-proclaimed Klezmer-Hip Hop maestro, Socalled visited Emory. Socalled mixes old Yiddish records with hip-hop beats and the brightest international artists. He’s created a modern and distinctive sound that had students moving in their seats.

Socalled sat down with Jake Krakovsky from Emory’s WMRE radio and music professor Dr. Matt Miller to discuss his Klezmer-Hip Hop invention. Socalled is an animated and talkative artist eager to tell you exactly what Klezmer is. He likens it to the Duke Ellingtons and Count Basies of Jewish culture, a genre he laments may be falling off of the radar since many young Jews have never heard of it.

“I guess I’m a missionary trying rile you up and make you a little interested about your own funky, interesting culture –it’s there if you want it,” he said.