Details: Nas & Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives

A press release went out today about Nas and Damian Marley’s upcoming collaborative album, Distant Relatives, due out June 23rd. It looks like Esco is going to channel his character in Belly and take it back to Africa. This might actually turn out pretty great.
The important portion of the press release is after the jump.
The album features the signature instrumentation and musicianship of Marley with the hard hitting beats and lyrics of Nas. Throughout the course of their musical careers, the duo has taught each other and always admired each other’s style. Since first meeting in 1996 the two artists have shared a mutual respect and camaraderie that was most recently showcased on “Road to Zion,” a standout track from Damian’s critically acclaimed album, Welcome to Jamrock. After having such a positive experience working together, they have now joined forces again for Distant Relatives.
The album title refers not only to the bond of Nas and Damian, but the bond to their African ancestry, which inspired the album both musically and lyrically. “Africa is the backbone of the world and the foundation of everything and Africans are in a situation where they need help more than anywhere else,” notes Damian Marley. “We know there are dire situations here in America but when you look at America—with public libraries and free education—these are not opportunities most Africans have. It’s a completely different scale of trying to help people. As humans beings, we’re part of a human family.”
Nas agrees, “As an American, we have so much even in a so-called recession that a neighborhood like Queensbridge or Red Hook is Beverly Hills compared to the way people are living in Nigeria, Sierre Leone, and Ghana,” says the emcee. “So obviously if we making records with that theme, there’s gonna be things I want to build on. I think Africa has a lot to teach us.”
The two will also tour behind the project, with international dates to be announced shortly.
This entry was posted by eskay on Tuesday, April 7th, 2009 at 10:39 pm and is filed under Miscellaneous. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.




April 7th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
*daps Tribe*
Nas and Damien made one of the better Nas tracks in recent history
April 7th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
This is a good look. As long as Nas doesnt choose the beats this could turn out to be a classic.
Damien (Or stephen) marley Ft Mos def - Hey bbaby >
April 7th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
one love
April 7th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
This might actually turn out pretty great.
==========================
I struck me as odd @ first, but the more I think about it, the iller the whole concept sounds. If Nas lets Damien & Saalam Remi handle the production & just writes rhymes, this could be great album.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
[...] via Nahright [...]
April 7th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Classic pic right there on some ansel adams ish
April 7th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
its just funny how no one wants nas to pick the production, haha.
could be a classic in the making.
—
http://hurryupnbuy.wordpress.com
April 7th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Nas won
Nah lost?
April 8th, 2009 at 12:24 am
No one knows who’ll win til’ the album comes out.
April 8th, 2009 at 1:29 am
who cares?
April 8th, 2009 at 2:45 am
This album might be good, but I wanna know if Dr. Dre & DJ Premier hit him up about those albums her talked about.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Looking forward to this…
Its something different at least and being that Damien is involved its not going to be any nonsense talking…
I must admit Nas’s ear for beats are shot - better yet hit or miss.
June 24th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
[...] of their Distant Relatives collaborative [...]
July 27th, 2009 at 11:56 am
this album is gonna be one of the tightest albums of the year, i mean u got two of the best lyricist’s in music right now. and i aint quite sure why ya’ll are hatin on nas’s beatmaking abilitys or lack their of, but i dunno if you have realized this yet hes an MC not a DJ, i dunno if he has even ever produced a song in his life. give the man his due, NAS best rapper alive.
P.S. : if u think the carter three has any good lyricism, what-so-ever, ur opinion is for the birds