Aviad Cohen

[Cube of Thunder]

Hier zal ik proberen alle nieuwsbrieven van Aviad Cohen te plaatsen.

Na de podcast die SystemCheck heeft gemaakt met muziek van Aviad ben ik met Aviad gaan emailen. Van God heb ik veel sympathie gekregen voor deze man.

Hij is een messiaanse jood met een zeer open hart voor Christus. Zijn muziek is behoorlijk divers en naar mijn mening heeft Aviad tijdens het maken van de muziek goed geluisterd naar de Geest van God. Aviad combineert zijn muziek tracks met tracks met gesproken woord uit de Bijbel, dit geeft nog meer diepgang.

Naar mijn mening echt een aanrader om een cd van hem aan te schaffen!

Nieuwsgierig? Mail Aviad zelf!

Biography

Aviad Cohen is setting a new standard within the music industry, bringing Messiah-centered music to all four corners of the globe through an innovative, explosive, controversial and one-of-a-kind audio experience.

Prior to his current musical endeavors, he was celebrated worldwide as the Jewish Hip-Hop artist 50 Shekel, spotlighted in New York, Q, Maxim’s Blender, The Wall Street Journal and other publications, along with national and international television appearances, including VH1, ESPN2, Germany’s ARTE and Israel’s YES! TV. Esquire magazine awarded him the #1 spot for “Best Jewish Rap Lyrics.” But an encounter with Yeshua changed the course of his life. Now, Aviad masterfully fuses various genres of music and Hollywood-style sound design-driven Scripture readings, exposing listeners to a truly unique style.

Aviad was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and raised in a Conservative Jewish home in New York and New Jersey. Although this musical prodigy only took a few lessons in formal piano training, he always felt drawn to the piano and synthesizer. Raised on classical music, 1980s Synthpop groups and artists such as Duran Duran, Mr. Mister, Genesis, Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel as well as being heavily influenced by Jan Hammer, music composer for the hit television series, Miami Vice, and Hans Zimmer, music composer for numerous films such as Rain Man and Gladiator, Aviad was able to hear a song and play it by ear – without knowing how to cite read. He realizes now that it was a gift from God.

While studying at college, he further developed this talent by scoring award-winning projects for Hofstra University’s Television Department. Aviad was also mentored in Manhattan’s “SoHo” district by the owners and staff composers at the prominent Tomandandy music and sound design production company, whose prestigious clients include Nike, Audi, Jaguar, Lexus, Microsoft, Tommy Hilfiger and Coca Cola. While scoring commercial demos for Miller Life, Motorola and Comedy Central, he also served as Post-Production Supervisor on composer demo reels submitted to top ad agency clients. Aviad was well on his way to a prodigious career.

After graduating from Hofstra University with a B.A. in Communications, and a concentration in film production, he moved to Los Angeles, where he acquired a wide variety of skills. Through numerous freelance assignments, he worked as an assistant to the Production Coordinator and Production Manager on the Warner Bros. Television sitcom, Step By Step. He also served as a Director’s Assistant and Post-Production Supervisor to acclaimed Music Video Director, Diane Martel on Christina Aguilera’s Genie In A Bottle and What A Girl Wants. Other projects included working as an assistant on music video productions for Jermaine Dupri, The Beatnuts, Michael Fredo, All-4-One, Tonic and other music artists and groups featured on MTV.

Aviad also served in front of the camera as an actor on numerous film and television productions, acting with top-billed stars such as Angelina Jolie and Ryan Phillippe (Playing By Heart) and Garry Marshall (Never Been Kissed). As an up-and-coming talent in the entertainment industry, he achieved global notoriety when he splashed onto the airwaves as the Jewish Rapper, 50 Shekel with In Da Shul, a parody of 50 Cent’s In Da Club. It became an overnight sensation on the Internet, peaking the interest of established national and international publications, television networks and radio stations.

Among an onslaught of e-mails, Aviad inadvertently overlooked an invitation from the staff at The Howard Stern Show to appear alongside 50 Cent as he was being interviewed as a guest on their show. The idea was to bring on 50 Shekel, dressed up in his Jew-Unit gear and “kosher bling bling,” performing In Da Shul while in the presence of 50 Cent. Even though it was a missed opportunity, coincidentally as time went on, Eminem’s manager, Paul Rosenberg had the DJ play 50 Shekel’s holiday hit “Chanukah Jam” on Eminem’s Shade45 broadcasted on Sirius Radio. It was a humbling experience for Aviad to know that those connected to 50 Cent and G-Unit warmed up to the phenomenon of 50 Shekel. Aviad would come to an understanding of God’s plan of salvation for both Jew and Gentile, in this case for 50 Shekel and 50 Cent.

Based on the influence of Dit woord gebruiken we hier niet! religious rabbis within New York City’s Jewish community, Aviad found himself on the verge of seriously converting to Orthodox Judaism. Several Christian “50 Shekel fans” had begun planting seeds of truth, sharing the Scriptures with Aviad. Waking him on his clock radio, Aviad would listen to sermons talking about Moses and Jesus. God’s Word does not return void and it was coming in loud and clear. Torn between rabbinic Jewish traditions and the possibility of a “real” relationship with God through Yeshua Messiah, Aviad attended a Jews for Jesus ingathering in Pennsylvania. After reading the Bible and learning more about Yeshua, Aviad realized that He is indeed the promised Messiah foretold by the ancient Jewish Prophets. Aviad had to make a decision: to continue as 50 Shekel on a path that would bring continual fame and riches, or follow Yeshua, which would result in being ostracized and persecuted by the Jewish community at large. To be used as God’s vessel, he would have to risk losing everything—friends, his reputation, his career, finances and perhaps even his life.

“During the late 1990s my Jewish grandfather, who escaped from the Treblinka death camp during the Holocaust, planted a very important seed. Out of nowhere, he looked at me and said, ‘Aviad, always tell the truth. Always be honest.’ He never mentioned this to me before but during this brief time we had alone together, it seems rather evident that his statement was a God-led overshadowing of things to come. Once I found out that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah, I had to do just that.”

A few years after Aviad became a follower of the Messiah, he prayed for his grandfather’s salvation alongside his hospital bed the day before he passed away. “Even though he didn’t seem aware of what was going on, and was in excruciating pain, I whispered in his ear that Yeshua is the promised Jewish Messiah. He said to always be honest and tell the truth…so I told the most important truth to him the day before he died.”

According to Jewish tradition, at the age of 13 Aviad was called up to read from the Torah at his synagogue. Sixteen years later, he chose to become a follower of Yeshua. God had now called him to proclaim the Good News to both Jews and Gentiles. Aviad set aside the 50 Shekel persona and began to write lyrics and produce songs that speak about the real thing – the true love of God. No longer a parody music artist, he would have to get through to his current and future audience with a groundbreaking innovative sound and a bold, uncompromising message. He counted the cost. His life was worth more than 50 Shekels. He would embark on a challenging musical journey where he would pick up where Bob Dylan left off. The difference was that Aviad had serious credibility, especially among the Jewish youth and their parents. How could a young man who had become a musical Jewish celebrity become a supposed traitor to the Jewish people? As the religious authorities, counter-missionaries and their spin doctors were making a public spectacle of Aviad’s new faith in the Messiah by, discrediting him, disseminating falsehoods through the press, loose talk and rumors in the Jewish temples, schools and youth groups, it looked as if a court trial was in order. The Jewish community at large had allegorically put him on the stand in front of a jury and now he was called to testify…the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Combining euphoric electronic evangelical dance anthems, lively praise and worship songs expressing his testimony and Scripture readings put to cinematic music and sound design, this would be the start of something revolutionary.

Aviad’s first album, Hooked on the Truth, is an energetic Synthpop style testimony-driven album. It was a daring move – especially for a new Jewish believer. DJs began to play it on radio airwaves and it began to circulate in rotation on Internet radio stations. Audiences were drawn by the beats, but their lives were touched by the message.

After the release of Hooked On The Truth, Aviad was invited to appear on Sid Roth’s television program, “It’s Supernatural,” and personally invited by Carman to be interviewed on TBN’s “Praise The Lord.” Tour engagements followed, leading to a cooperative effort with Joffi Denmark, who arranged a 17-event music ministry tour for Aviad to share at Christian boarding schools throughout Denmark. “I was the first Jew that the majority of the youth had ever met, let alone a fellow brother in Yeshua. Most of them never even heard the name ‘Yeshua’ and some were not as aware of His connection with the Jewish people. God moved during those concerts. When we all joyfully shouted the name of Yeshua in unison, I felt that God was bridging a connection between the greater Body of Messiah with their Jewish brothers and sisters, inspiring them to pray for the salvation of Israel and to be His hands and feet when visiting The Land. I was blessed to be a part of the work that God is doing in that country and by the work God was doing in my heart, giving me a hunger to share The Good News, as well as equipping believers as how to share the truth with Jewish people.

Fire Starter, Aviad’ second album, takes the message of salvation to a deeper level, challenging believers to “get on fire for God” and to go out and proclaim the Good News; that God is with them, and to be a light in a fallen world. Aviad felt led to collaborate with other like-minded music artists. He featured evangelical Holy Hip Hop rap artist and lyricist, Mahogany Jones, on the explosive hit, Fire Starter. Sharon and Joel Wilbur performed on the Synthpop driven Yeshua On The Radio song.

On his most recent release, Forgiven, Aviad incorporates the Word of God into songs and Scripture readings. The album opens up with the ever-controversial Isaiah 53 Scripture reading, which sounds like Aviad is speaking Scripture in a space ship that ends up blasting off into outer space. The lyrics to Good News To Mission Control incorporates passages from Isaiah 53, as does the lead song Forgiven that borrows from the words of Paul (sent by Yeshua) in the book of Galatians. The Scripture readings on the album incorporate passages of The New Covenant, where Yeshua mentions Moses and The Prophets to His fellow Jews in Jerusalem. This album makes it clear that Yeshua has a lot more to do with Torah and Israel rather than Christmas Trees and Easter Eggs. Yehovah’s Only Son opens up with John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

“As I’m singing any song from my albums, you will always hear Yeshua Messiah mentioned. For the first 29 years of my life, nobody ever told me that Yeshua is my personal Messiah. With the talent and tools He has blessed me with, along with the help of those who support this music ministry, Yeshua’s message is coming through. The sound of truth is being proclaimed and heard."

Taken from www.aviadcohen.com

[Cube of Thunder]

April 7, 2011

Free Music Streaming of The New: Scripturesonics Vol. 1 The Good News

Shalom, it's Aviad Cohen! Hope all is well by you I have decided to stream the entire new album: Scripturesonics Vol. 1 The Good News online at AviadCohen.com Perhaps it will be for a limited time or maybe even permanently. The Word is important for people to hear. In addition, if you would like to purchase the album on CD and/or MP3 format, visit the online Shop.

Please link people to: http://www.aviadcohen.com/scripturesonicsvol1.cfm where they can listen to the album in its entirety. Let's get Yah's Word out together and share with people about who Yeshua Messiah is. This album is packed with important Scriptures that will get people to think and inspire them to read The Holy Scriptures. All of the Scripture on this new album can also be viewed here.

Your support of this music ministry is very important and greatly appreciated. If you feel led by The Holy Spirit to give to this ministry, visit the Donate page. I have also included options for Gift Cards if you also feel led to give in that way as well.

There are also items that I am selling here, including music keyboards, studio monitors and much more. These items are not being used over here and I would like to sell them to raise funds to help make ends meet.

If you or someone you know would like to hire me on to build and design their website, visit www.ACMediaServices.com to view my portfolio of work, to find out more about the services I have to offer and to contact me in regards to their production and design needs.

As for what is going on in the world today, I was led to read the following Scripture today:

Matityahu 24:3-14

24:3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”

24:4 Yeshua answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray. 24:5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will lead many astray. 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.

24:8 But all these things are the beginning of birth pains. 24:9 Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake. 24:10 Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another. 24:11 Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray. 24:12 Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. 24:13 But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. 24:14 This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Also, Ezekiel Chapter 38 is interesting to read and explore.

Have a blessed day and keep sharing The Good News!

Your brother in Yeshua Messiah,

Aviad Cohen

[Cube of Thunder]

April 7, 2011

Happy Passover l Free Revelation 22 MP3

Need Help To Make Karaoke Videos For YouTube

Shalom, it's Aviad Cohen May you have a blessed Pesach (Passover) and rejoice in Yeshua Messiah, the final atonement for our sins and Passover Lamb. May we reflect on His death, burial and resurrection. I would like to share some Scriptures, especially for those of you are signed up to receive my newsletter and are seeking to know more about Yeshua Messiah, The King of The Jews and why many Jews believe that He is their Lord and Savior.

Mark 14:12-26

14:12 On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?”

14:13 He sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and there you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, 14:14 and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, ‘The Rabbi says, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 14:15 He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Get ready for us there.”

14:16 His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

14:17 When it was evening he came with the twelve. 14:18 As they sat and were eating, Yeshua said, “Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me—he who eats with me.”

14:19 They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, “Surely not I?” And another said, “Surely not I?”

14:20 He answered them, “It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish. 14:21 For the Son of Man goes, even as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

14:22 As they were eating, Yeshua took bread, and when he had blessed, he broke it, and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.”

14:23 He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it. 14:24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. 14:25 Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the Kingdom of God.” 14:26 When they had sung the Hallel, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Mark 16:14-20

16:14 Afterward he was revealed to the Eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn’t believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world, and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation. 16:16 He who believes and is immersed will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. 16:17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; 16:18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

16:19 So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 16:20 They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.

Revelation 13:8-10

13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. 13:9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 13:10 If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the holy ones.

You can read the book of Mark in The Brit Chadasha (The New Covenant) here. Last night I was reading parts of the book of Daniel and Revelation. The Holy Scriptures is intense and fascinating at the same time. The biggest part of it all for me is that it is real. What has happened, what is happening and what is to come in written in the Word of Yahweh.

Scripture put to cinematic sound design and electronic music is rare to find and so I have included a free download of "Revelation 22" which I produced for my Fire Starter album. Follow the instructions on the bottom of this email in order to download the track.

In adddition, you can listen to the entire new Scripturesonics Vol. 1 The Good News album online here. This album along with the other titles are also available for purchase on CD and MP3 format, in the online shop.

This week I tried to find a solution to create Karaoke videos of my songs to put on YouTube so that people can read the lyrics, listen to the instrumental versions with background vocals and sing along to them. I do work on a Mac computer and even though there are some PC format softwares that can do this, it would be nice to find a high quality solution for this that is cost effective. If you or someone you know can help me do this, it would be great to put it out online. Funds are also limited at this time, so I can't get into a big production in regards to this but it would be nice to make available for free online. The audio tracks are ready and I have the lyrics as well but it would be nice to have a very accurate bouncing ball on the lyrics so people know how and when to sing them. It would also be nice if the font was nice and the background of the video was unique and high quality. Contact me here if you can help.

Your support of this music ministry is very important and greatly appreciated. If you feel led by The Holy Spirit to give to this ministry, visit the donate page. Thank you in advance.

If you or someone you know would like to hire me on to build and design their website, visit www.ACMediaServices.com to view my portfolio of work, to find out more about the services I have to offer and to contact me in regards to their production and design needs.

Have a blessed day and keep sharing The Good News!

Your brother in Yeshua Messiah,

Aviad Cohen

[Cube of Thunder]

April 18, 2011

CD and MP3 Sale: 15% To 25% Off Aviad Cohen Music & New Psalms Album Info

Shalom it's Aviad Cohen! I would like to share with you about some new updates. Thank you in advance for reviewing this newsletter.

CD and MP3 Sale: 15% To 25% Off Aviad Cohen Music

All CDs (excluding Hooked On The Truth - since I only have 5 copies left of this title) are available for 15% off the retail price. This offer includes single CDs as well as 3 CD Sets and 4 CD Sets of the new Scripturesonics Vol. 1 The Good News album. CD 10 Packs are discounted at 25% off the retail price. This is a great deal since it will enable you to purchase the albums at a discounted rate in order to give them out as gifts to people you are witnessing to. In addition, MP3 album downloads are available for 15% off the retail price. Visit the online Shop to purchase these albums.

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New Psalms Album Project Fundraiser

Aviad Cohen is considering pursuing a new album project titled "Scripturesonics Vol. 2 Psalms of War". It will be a project that will incorporate Scripture narration from the book of Psalms put to composed cinematic music and sound design. Visit the page containing more information about this project and to listen to conceptual audio samples here.

At this point he is considering to create Psalm 23, Psalm 121 tracks and then he will be doing research as to which other Psalms to be put to music and sound design for this album.

The estimated budget for this project is $10,000 for vocal recording sessions, vocal edit production, music and vocal mixing and mastering as well as the duplication of 200 CDs to start. This would also include finances to support Aviad Cohen during the time where he will be composing the music and working with his team on this project as well.

This would be an album that would appeal not only to followers of Yeshua Messiah but also to non-believers, including unsaved Jews.

The time frame for producing such an album is approximately 3 months.

You can help to financially support this new album production if you feel led to. Please visit the Donate page in order to do so.

A signed CD will be sent to those who give towards this project.

If for example 100 people give $100 each, the funds will be available to move forward on this project.

Aviad Cohen has a track record of producing 4 albums to date.

All funds for this project will be placed in a separate bank account and until $10,000 is acquired, then he will go ahead on the project. If the amount required to produce this album has not been raised, he will then refund all who have given towards this project. He will be taken an account of all who have specifically given towards funds for this project, so monetary returns will be expedited if the complete amount is not acquired within a month or so.

The team that he works with are all followers of Yeshua Messiah, so it is a joy to work with fellow believers on album projects.

Thank you in advance for considering supporting this new album endeavor.

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Have a blessed Pesach and keep sharing The Good News of Yeshua Messiah!

Aviad Cohen

[Da System Check]

Thanks voor het bijhouden, Cube!