Nas & Damien 'Jr Gong' Marley - Distant Relatives

‘Distant Relatives’ is a full collaborative effort between Nas and Damien ‘Jr Gong’ Marley which, as the artists explain, “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 mankindʼs music.” (check out their myspace) Such a monumental task has been achieved in this record which comprises a seamless amalgamation of hip hop and reggae beats, along with some very well-written and provocative lyrics.

The album packs a lot into an average-lengthed recording. Exploring a myriad of issues – from diaspora and displacement, to family and friends, and finally to religion and even the origin of humanity – the songs are highly political, deeply reflective, historically contentious, acutely aware of social forces, and didactic enough for an attuned listener to sit up and pay attention. All this without being overly-serious and completely accusatory.

This is an extremely well-composed piece of storytelling. The songs are great compositions in their own right, combining well-written poetic verse, with some extremely funky and varied beats, which range from tribal to up lifting. But together, the tracks tell a poignant and conflicting story of the African people; their history, culture, oppression, and finally their (impending) freedom. For example, the final track, ‘Africa must wake up’, charts the long history of the continent from its glorious past to its displaced present, making some confronting claims throughout. Nas asks, “Who are we today? / The slums/ Deceases / AIDS...Our Diaspora/ Is the final chapter / The ancestral lineage / Built pyramids / America’s first immigrant / The King’s son and daughters / From Nile waters / The first architect / The first philosophers / Astronomers / The first prophets and the doctors was us.”

There is much to say, and much to discover in this extremely unique and multifaceted ode to reggae, hip hop and the African motherland. Needless to say, this is what good music should do – incite passion, provoke revolutionary thought, and instill an awareness of society and, not only its ills but also, its redemptive capacity. [image from http://www.realhiphopsince79.com/]