Distant Relatives [Explicit Lyrics]

Nas, Damian Marley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 18, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Republic
• ASIN: B0039ZF8D2
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (143 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,331 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #74 in Music > World Music > Reggae > General AAS
  • #74 in Music > World Music > Reggae > General

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

What we're about to do right now is go back. Back to a time when rap's greatest hits were created in basement soundrooms, not corporate boardrooms. When dancehall and hip-hop music was all about moving the crowd not "moving units." Before Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and Nasty Nasir Jones first began treading the long and winding "Road to Zion." The artists' first collaboration went so well that they decided to do a full album together, and that album is Distant Relatives.

Unlike all previous collaborations between Jamaican and American artists, Distant Relatives is neither a remix nor a featured guest spot on a single track. The recording is a fully collaborative effort filling an entire album, opening new avenues of musical expression. Distant Relatives traces the direct line from dancehall reggae's breakthrough moment forty years ago to the rise of hip-hop several years later--from Run D.M.C. and Yellowman's groundbreaking collaboration "Roots Rap Reggae" through Supercat introducing Biggie Smalls to the world on the "Dolly My Baby" remix and Shabba Ranks and KRS-One joining forces on "The Jam." That line continues right up through Damian Marley and Nas' double-Grammy-winning "Road To Zion."

Distant Relatives is an album created by two serious artists to explore and celebrate the correlations and deep-rooted connections between reggae and hip-hop, tracing both sounds back to the African motherland that is both the cradle of humanity and the wellspring of mankind's music.

And who better to fulfill this mission? The youngest son of the legendary Bob Marley, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley garnered his own place in music history when he became the first ever reggae artist to win a Grammy Award outside of the Reggae category, taking home an award for Best Urban/Alternative performance for his smash 2005 single "Welcome To Jamrock." The acclaimed breakthrough album of the same name also won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

A hip-hop icon since his immortal guest verse on Main Source's 1991 "Live At The Barbeque," Nas burst out of the Queensbridge housing projects, a hotbed of rap artistry since the early '80s. The son of jazz trumpeter Olu Dara, Nas has since gone on to sell over 20 million albums worldwide over the span of his legendary career, and has acted as an ambassador for hip-hop culture throughout the globe.

"When we first started working, I was thinking about what direction we should go in," Nas explained during a recent discussion at the Grammy Museum. "Cause it's all kinda like the same--reggae, rap. But it went to its own thing... We had a few concepts. All basically around empowerment in a way, cause if we're talking about Distant Relatives we're talking about the human family."

The sound of Distant Relatives features live musicians as well as studio production by Damian Marley and his elder brother Stephen Marley, a distinguished award-winning artist and producer in his own right. Featured artists on the album connect other diasporic dots-- New Orleans' own Lil Wayne as well as the critically acclaimed Somali-born, Canadian-raised MC K'NAAN.

"I didn't want it to sound like something that would be typical of me, neither typical of Nas," said Damian Marley, who produced much of the album. "But something where you can still see how there's a middle ground in the music... where you can still hear something that is reminiscent of either of us... It's been really fun. Cause we've been going in the booth together. Especially as a lyricist, it's really like iron sharpen iron. You can't slack off right now. It's a great learning experience for me too." And that experience extends to young listeners who will surely be enlightened and educated about the shared cultural legacy of Africa, America, and the Caribbean.

"The whole process is gonna be fun," Nas adds. "I think we can have fun helping people. When I think about things we wanna do with this album, it's just limitless."

Product Description

International Hip Hop superstar Nas and Grammy-winning artist Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley join creative forces to release this highly anticipated and exciting 2010 collaboration. This is an album created by the two serious artists to explore and celebrate the correlations and deep-rooted connections between reggae and Hip Hop, tracing both sounds back to the African motherland that is both the cradle of humanity and the wellspring of mankind's music. The project features the signature instrumentation and musicianship of Marley with the hard-hitting beats and lyrics of Nas. Distant Relatives traces the direct line from Dancehall Reggae's breakthrough moment 40 years ago to the rise of Hip Hop several years later.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ode to the Motherland!, May 18, 2010

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Distant Relatives (Audio CD)

"Distant relatives" is a collaborative effort by Rapper Nas and Reggae singer Damian Marley (Bob Marley's son). Recorded with a live band, it's a Reggae/Hip hop hybrid which works rather well. Both had previously collaborated on the track "Road to Zion" from Marley's album "Welcome to Jamrock", and from thence came the idea for this. Most of the lyrics revolve about Africa (poverty, AIDS, the diamond trade without sounding corny or heavy handed) and proceeds will go towards building a school in an African country.

"Tribes at war" has African percussion, Arabic strings and a cameo from K'Naan. "Everyone deserves to earn, every child deserves to learn" sings Marley in his world weary delivery while K'Naan asks "I drink poison then vomit diamonds, I gave you Mandela, Black Dalai Lamas, I gave you music, you enthused in my kindness, so how dare you reduce me to Donny Imus?". Damien had previously appeared on the track "I come prepared" from K'Naan's album "Troubadour".

"Strong will continue" has a marching beat and electric guitars (with some semi-biographical rapping from Nas touching on his ex and alimony payments) while the beautiful and lilting "Leaders" features Damian's brother Stephen. It sounds like a Bob Marley classic.

"Count your blessings" is a gently stomping horn-peppered number finding Marley thankful for love and assurance, new health insurance, strength and endurance, and urging us to do the same, while "Land of promise" is a cover of a song by Dennis Brown featuring the Reggae legend himself. It is a slow burning Dub with lyrics seeing a new Africa with Ethiopia the capital.

"In his own words" features lovely jangly guitars, hand claps, a choir, and Stephen Marley again, and "Patience" is a beautiful ballad with a mournful lament for a chorus.

"My generation" has a children's choir singing "My generation will make a change" with Joss Stone complementing the choir and Lil Wayne dropping a few verses telling us "This generation I'm a represent, a generation led by a black president... So when you finish reading Revelations, thank God for my generation". Stone repays a favour as Nas appeared on the track "Governmentalist" on her "Colour me free" album.

Closing is the almost seven minute long "Africa must wake up", a lush string-swathed slow burning Dub with another appearance from K'Naan and a great guitar solo. The lyrics teach us Africa is a land that gave the world the first architect, philosophers, astronomers, prophets, doctors, and from where all the world's religions originated. This is my favourite song.

Production is largely handled by Damian whose talent Nas compared to Quincy Jones. As beautiful and moving as the music is, the lyrics are even deeper and educative. "We're all distant relatives, no matter where you're from, where you live, how near how far, Africa, China, Japan, Afghanistan, Israel, we're all family" to quote Nas from "Africa must wake up".

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ALBUM OF THE YEAR, May 18, 2010

By 

iumak - See all my reviews

This review is from: Distant Relatives (Audio CD)

Rapper Nas (Son of Jazz Musician Olu Dara), and Reggae artist, Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley (Son of the legendary Bob Marley) deliver a truly unique listening experience. Though, as artists who excel in their respective fields, it isn't really a surprise to many that their joint LP is pure gold.

The bulk of the production is handled by Marley, and it consists of an array of innovative rhythms never before heard on a rap or reggae album. Distant Relatives opens up with one of these unconventional tracks, simply titled, 'As We Enter'. This is a really bouncy track that is meant to solidify the duo's readiness. I loved this song because of how intense it was and Nas did a great job with the hook. This chorus is catchy but it also establishes the duo's dominance in the worlds of hiphop and reggae. "The kings is [are] back, time to return the crown"

The album doesn't continue down the road of intensity however. After the first 3 tracks or so things get fairly mellow. This isn't bad though, because the songs are still good. Just don't expect to be pumping your fists all the way throughout the LP.

Things start to heat up again at 'Dispear' which clearly has more of an African influence to it. The whole song feels very tribal and aggressive. It's as if someone where being chased through a jungle of some sorts. The lyrics are also very impressive and I'm reminded of the brilliance of Nas' last Untitled LP when I hear him speak again.

After Dispear, things only continue to get better. 'Land of Promise' is an amazing song, and more Reggae/Bob Marley esque than anything else presented to us thus far. I thought it was great because it showed that although these two are doing something completely different, they can still pull back and add elements of their original selves, when needed.

'My Generation' is the infamous song that includes a Lil Wayne feature. Surprisingly, his verse isn't too "different" so he isn't the burden that fans thought he would initially be. The chorus is a lovely culmination of children's voices singing, speaking on how their generation will change the world. Aww

Things end on a beautiful note with the catchy, "Africa Must Wake Up". I first heard this song on a performance video and I was blow away by how good it was. This is also the kind of song that has a good message, which is always an added bonus. The perfect way to close out an amazing, AMAZING CD

Iumak gives this album a 10/10. If you buy one CD this year, let it be this one. Don't download it for free, purchase this however you can. Music is terrible these days (See my other CD Reviews for details lol) so when we get good music, we have to support and appreciate it. I encourage everyone who hasn't tried Distant Relatives out, to go out and buy this right now.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING MUSIC, May 18, 2010

By 

Brandi Singleton - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Distant Relatives (Audio CD)

I am at a loss for words after listening to this album. I can't think of the last time I have heard such a powerful, complete, well-rounded body of work. This album is a MUST BUY. Nas is at his best lyrically...which is saying a lot since when he is just coasting he is still miles ahead of most rappers. Damian is great lyrically & on the production of this album. This is the most cohesive effort I have heard in years & by far the best two-genre collaboration I have ever heard. This album deserves all of the critical acclaim, Grammy's and everything else. It is THAT good.