Nas & Damian Marley: Distant Relatives

Collaborative efforts are suspect to begin with. When two artists come together, you’re not sure what to expect; a perfect storm, or just a storm. Distant Relatives not only has two artists coming together, but two genres mixing as well with Hip-Hop and Reggae. With the central theme of the album being Africa, Nas and Damian Marley do an excellent job of blending both their styles together to create a satisfying album.

The album starts out with a bang in, “As We Enter”. The hype track boasts Nas and Marley rapping in a back and forth manner, similar to Run and DMC. This beginning is such a contrast to the rest of the album, but it’s appropriate; almost symbolic as they enter kicking in the door, letting the world know who’s arrived. This song is an example of the tracks on this album that lean more to the rap side of the genre scale. “Nah Mean” also exemplifies this, with a certain swagger in Escobar’s voice that makes him shine on the record. “My Generation” is an amazing song. Backed by a children lead chorus, along with Joss Stone, the record gives off an uplifting emotion that is rivaled by few. It also has a traditional, 3 verse setup, rare on this LP, with the 3^rd verse coming from Lil’ Wayne who flows effortlessly on the song,

“If you weather that storm, then that rain brings sun/ Been a long time comin’ a know change gon’ come/ Man I gotta keep it movin’ to the beat of my drum/ Last night I set the future at the feet of my son”.

And while you can argue that “Strong Will Continue” drags on a little too long, or is more reggae than hip hop, Nas salvages all this with an amazing final verse,

“Got Mazaradi’s and Ferrari’s/ Only like a woman who’s a rider/ But only hoes want me/ Single life crazy/ Nigga’s wives on me/ I say stay faithful/ They say they man corny/ So Im, stuck with some married woman, so fine/ Cheating, while they husband rushing on the 40 yard line/ Wonder if, this is what my ex did the whole time/ Good niggas seem to always end up with some hard times”

The production is handled by Damian Marley and Stephen Marley, and it’s evident. The whole album maintains a laid back, Jamaican-esque vibe, some songs more than others. “Count Your Blessings” is a feel good song that has Bob Marley, I mean Damian Marley, written all over it. With guitar strings strumming away and a hook sung with genuine thankfulness, the track is definitely a standout. “Land of Promise” and “Leaders” also showcase the reggae side of the album, with the latter having a cruising-down-Jamrock feel to it. The great thing about this album is the flexibility it has. You’ll think you’re listening to a reggae album until Nas breaks through the headphones with a verse. Also, you may lose track of the lyrics of the song, just for sheer appreciation of the overall sound and production. For instance, the last song on the album, “Africa Must Wake Up” has a great message behind it, evidenced by the title. However, you may not catch it on the first listen, because you’re too busy jamming to the percussion and guitars. It’s that type of album.

Reggae and Rap have always been like cousins, as you can probably find Bob Marley next to Blackstarr on your iPod. So it’s only right that these two Distant Relatives are brought together seamlessly. Does this album get a bit preachy at times? Sure, but it’s very scarce. The album proclaims a bold message with the Africa issue, while maintaining a groovy bounce that keeps the listener attached. Nas and Damian Marley deliver a great album with this project, one that has fans shouting AOTY.

8.5/10

As We Enter

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Leaders

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My Generation

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