Junior Gong & God’s Son trade bars effortlessly throughout the track. Gong: “Nzuri Sana! Switch up the language and move to Ghana ”ĭistant Relatives opens with “As We Enter”, a track with booming bass and a Nas laced chorus. Nas: “And my man can speak Patois, and I speak rap star/y’all feel me, even if it’s in Swahili, Habari Gani” The project deserves deep analysis, and I want you to be able to read the lyrics that frame my views of each track, and the album as a whole. So take that as a warning that this is the LONGEST review that I have ever written in my life. I’m going in depth with this review because I truly believe it to be one of the most groundbreaking collaborative albums since John Coltrane & Duke Ellington released their joint album. Then there is the album, which was released 1 day prior to Malcolm X’s birthday. The event was moderated by hip-hop journalist and personality Sway, who began the night by interviewing Nasir & Damian, and broadened the discussion to include DJ Kool Herc, amongst pioneers from both genres. In December, the National Geographic Society sponsored a panel discussion at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC on the bridge between the cultures of Hip-Hop & Reggae, with Distant Relatives as the frame of reference. Through multiple outlets, Distant Relatives explored the connections between Hip-Hop, Reggae, and Africa.

Not only is Distant Relatives an album, it is a documentary.

As a fan of both artists, as a lover of Hip-Hop and Reggae, as a participant in the culture, as a writer, and as a part of the African Diaspora, I believe this album to be a milestone. Nas and Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives project brings this philosophy to the forefront of two genres of music.

It is no secret to many of you that I view art not as a product, but as a vehicle for culture.

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