Music Review: Nas and Damian Marley – Distant Relatives
Nas and Damian ‘Gong Jr.’ Marley
Distant Relatives
Republic Records
Out now
Super-groups rarely equal the sum of their talented parts on a whole album, so excuse me if the idea of Nas and Damian Marley didn’t send me into an orgasmic tailspin of joy. Nas has saddled “The Great Horse of Average” since 2002′s God’s Son, while Damian Marley is yet to realise the potential hinted by Welcome to Jamrock. All the same, here we are smack in a new decade with Distant Relatives, a collaboration between two great forces of hip hop and reggae. Does it buck the trend?
Things start good and fresh. First single and track on the album As We Enter is the kind of hip-hop you’d pay good money to dance to; sweet funky horns introduce a bumping keyboard rhythm while Nas and Damian trade gorgeous verses back and forth. Sharp, witty, with only a weak chorus cutting it from the elite class of classic banger status.
If the album was a Greek army, As We Enter would be its Trojan horse; theme-wise the album is a lot more weighty than the first track would lead you to believe. Tribal War is an appeal against violence, Marley excelling on stirring chorus, Nas maintaining his own high standards, guest K’naan doing what guests should do: stealing the limelight from both of them. On Leaders, Nas gives a touching tribute to a ghetto role model, whilst Friends (about ‘real,’ erm, friends) produces an assured turn from Damian.
Lyrically this album is near faultless; in turns honest and menacing (Dispear has Nas on ruthless form) also, insightful and touching (Count your Blessings is a highlight). Take a moment to consider; this is a positive high profile mainstream rap album in the 21st century, now with eighty percent less schmaltz or preachy-ness. That alone deserves merit.
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The partnership between Nas’s veteran East Coast rap style and Damian’s patois flow excels (not that this was unexpected, seeing as they already worked together on Road to Zion) and tracks like Nah Mean and the aforementioned As We Enter produce a satisfying union. An excellent album with few misfires (Joss Stone should leave hip-hop alone, Hip Hop should keep child choirs from their choruses) but considering everything going against all collaborations of this sort, that’s minor. A triumph.
