Hatikva 6 is a young Israeli reggae band started in Ramat Hasharon, Israel. Hatikva 6 plays dancehall and roots styles with Hebrew, English, and French lyrics. While reggae in Israel is a fairly young industry, Hatikva 6 has already been recognized in Israel through major performances all over the country at the biggest musical festivals. They have been compared to Matisyahu, a Jewish reggae artist, for the universality of their music. Much of their music is directly tied to the social, political, and religious aspects of Israeli life which is marked by tension due to the Arab Israeli conflict, and the diverse religious demographics in the country. Songs such as “Elohim” (“God”, in Hebrew) and “World War x” are songs in which these themes are apparent. This form of musical production is proof of the versatility and cross pollination of reggae and how widespread its influence has become.
The band’s name originated from the street address of the two siblings of the group. During their visit to Jamaica, they discovered that “Hope” was also the street name of Bob Marley in Kingston, Jamaica, and felt that this connection was fitting for their band title.
