Matisyahu has come a long way since 2005 when he released his breakout album, LIVE AT STUBB'S (which reached #1 on the Reggae Albums Chart and #30 on the Billboard 200). Since then he has pushed himself dynamically and creatively, breaking with expectation at every turn and remaking his musical image with nearly every album. And AKEDA is no different in this regard. AKEDA is depth and naturalness; it is by far Matisyahu's most personal album, and the one over which he has had the most creative control. Quoting Matisyahu, 'AKEDA is the kind of album an artist makes when there is no other creative choice but to turn oneself inside-out, to scrape the insides and reveal everything raw'.