Nas & Damien Marley – Distant Relatives (Review)

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 around Africa, poverty, AIDS, the diamond trade without sounding corny or heavy handed and proceeds from the album 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 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 favor 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 favorite 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.”