Say you're an executive at a record label looking to find a reggae artist. Which of the following do you think is most likely to be the best bet?

• 1. a Jamaican guy with dreadlocks
• 2. a black woman born and raised in Harlem
• 3. a Hasidic Jewish guy born in Pennsylvania

Enter Matisyahu, a Hasidic Jewish reggae sensation who is quickly gaining popularity (and rightfully so -- this guy is seriously talented, check out this video). Aside from his talent (his good product), what allowed Matisyahu to gain the critical acclaim and popularity that he has?

He followed, perhaps by accident, one of the golden rules of disruptive innovation: bring your innovation to nonconsumers, not those who are currently consuming. Matisyahu brought reggae music to an Orthodox Jewish crowd, and now that he's got that core base, he's able to expand and keep getting new fans -- even non-Jews like myself -- and is now getting serious attention, performing regularly on late night talk shows (see his performance on the Jimmy Kimmel show here) and at large venues like Madison Square Garden.

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