I can point out its failings all I want, but Nas and Damian Marley are simply enjoyable to listen to and in a period in which hip hop seems to rest in the doldrums the sort-of-trying-something-different fusion of rap and reggae is a bit of a breath of fresh air, even if itвЂ™s a bit dirtied by the actual material. Still, in the end, itвЂ™s a very listenable record. I suppose itвЂ™s a cynical world in which simple, sweet messages come off as silly, but thatвЂ™s hip hop. Its choir-backed chorus is certainly well-intended but, at least to my ears, just comes off as cheesy. Take вЂњMy GenerationвЂќ featuring Lil Wayne and вЂ“ inexplicably вЂ“ Joss Stone. However, the large majority of the album lies in the, sadly, вЂњtries too hardвЂќ region. ItвЂ™s a great cut, worthy even of modern hip hop classic track status. On it, neither artist is in preacher mode, and the two switch back and forth rapidly over a fantastic beat. Then he comes and basically talks to the listener, boring with lines like, вЂњWho wrote the Bible?вЂќ Damian tends to avoid this pitfall better than his counterpart, either forming the backing vocals or simply spitting enjoyable lyrics, such as on the album opener, вЂњAs We Enter,вЂќ which is in fact one of the albumвЂ™s standout moments. ThereвЂ™s a slow build up to his verse, and it just feels like one of those beats heвЂ™d kill. Perhaps the best example of this is NasвЂ™ вЂњverseвЂќ on вЂњPatienceвЂќ, a track with a fantastic beat that samples Sabali. The lyrics, when at their most message-y, often come off as clumsy and heavy-handed. Now Nas and Damian are basically together just rapping/singing, вЂњAfrica Must Wake UpвЂќ (which is in fact the title of the last track). Not to decry or reduce the value of those songs, but those messages were typically indirectly imparted through violence and anger. Think rappers that have made these sort of statements вЂ“ N.W.A, Public Enemy, and so on. Of course the best of the best can do it вЂ“ Nas included (think вЂњUndying LoveвЂќ), but an album with a social message is a beast of a different nature. Think Isaac Brock could have pulled off The Lonesome Crowded WestвЂ™s themes had he been an MC? Doubtful. This might ring particularly true for hip hop, raps come off as cheesy much more quickly than other вЂњseriousвЂќ songs might in other genres. Nas and Damian are reaching out to Africa and its people, apparently the proceeds from the album are even intended to go to building a school in the Congo.ДЄny attempt at a serious message album is a risk. This whole record, by and large, tries to be a message piece. DoesnвЂ™t always make for great music, however. Sure, with the presence he holds in hip hop, he can more or less afford this, and might even deserve it. What then, you ask, is the problem? ItвЂ™s nothing new with Nas: the guy takes himself pretty damn seriously. His presence over the reggae-infused beats and DamianвЂ™s singing is great one the ears, and he can pretty much carry you through the album regardless as to what heвЂ™s saying. ItвЂ™s pretty much understood he can at the very least hold his own, if not out rap, anyone in the game. His flow is absurdly fantastic, smooth and equally in turns forceful. Nas, is both the albumвЂ™s greatest asset and detractor.

Damian is just as much of a presence on the record as Nasir, sometimes вЂ“ yes, really вЂ“ overshadowing the great. Would he be that prominently featured? Many people, attached to Nas, assumed and hoped MarleyвЂ™s presence would be fleeting, just backing up the hip hop godfather.

As buzz amongst the hip hop world grew, the presence of Damian Marley was something of a mystery. Might seem silly, but I wonder if the record execs were less faithful in the record as it couldnвЂ™t be marketed simply as a Nas album. This album received practically no press, at least for an album featuring someone as big of a deal as Nas. Now that the recordвЂ™s out, itвЂ™s yet another hip hop record where the delays really werenвЂ™t warranted. Talk of Distant Relatives began quite a while ago, I recall thinking the album had to be coming soon probably a year ago. Following Untitled, let down, I immediately began rooting around to see what he had up next. You know, whether itвЂ™s the case or not, it feels like weвЂ™ve been waiting forever for this one.

Nas distant relatives full album