I’ve never been exposed to that much reggae, at least in the Bob Marley sense.  I’ve had a lot of exposure to the Dancehall stylings of Cutty Ranks, Buju Banton, Elephant Man and the like.  So when I heard that Bob Marley’s son Damian, a.k.a. Jr. Gong, was going to hook up with NaS for a collaboration album, it was exciting to hear some new sounds.

I’ve always been a fan of NaS, since Live at the BBQ.  I do have a bias towards NY emcees because that’s the sound I grew up with.

I have all his solo efforts except The Lost Tapes.  Right now, I have his albums ranked as follows:

1. iLLmatic
2. Hip-Hop is Dead
3. Godson
4. It Was Written
5. Untitled
6. Stillmatic
7. Street’s Disciple
8. I Am…
9. Nastradamus

Distant Relatives is a different beast.  First off it’s a collaboration album.  Secondly, it’s a pure departure from the New York sound we’re accustomed to hearing from NaS.  No Salaam Remi, no L.E.S., no Large Professor, just to name a few consistent collaborators.

From a production standpoint, it might be his best album, which of course you have to credit Jr. Gong (and his brother Stephen) for the amazing musical backdrops.  Very thick instrumentation and uplifting ambiance make this album a pleasure to listen to.  Songs like “Tribes at War” carry an African feel to them that push the listener to visualize the continent.

Here’s a breakdown of each track:

1. As We Enter: An awesome intro.  To show that solidarity, Nas and Gong trade bars on a fast beat to show you the unified effort.  Definitely a good start.
2. Tribes at War feat. K’Naan: Production-wise, this is one of the best on the album.  The instrumentation makes you feel Africa, with the bongos in a tribal pattern, the tonal percussion in the back, the grunt on the down beat, and the chorus of people chanting. The descending strings and the smooth synth are nice touches. All three performers kill it here.  K’Naan’s sequence about conflict was great:

   1, it’s me and my nation against the world //
   2, then me and my clan against the nation //
   3, then me and my fam against the clan //
   4, then me and my brother we no hesitation //

   Go against the family until they cave in //
   5, who’s left in this deadly equation? //
   That’s right, it’s me against my brother //
   Then we point a Kalashnikov and kill one another //

3. Strong Will Continue: This song is very powerful.  The hook and production sounds like a rally of troops, and it’s very uplifting.  It moves you to take action. As Gong’s hook goes: “Only the strong will continue, do you have it in you? ‘Cause we got a journey to go.” The industrial effects combined with the distorted guitars and strings give this track an adventurous feel. The light piano also gives the track a nice touch.
4. Leaders feat. Stephen Marley: This one has that classic reggae feel.  I feel like I should be listening to this in a cloud of smoke lol.  But seriously though, this one talks about leaders and pushing them to change the world rather than use their power and influence for personal gain. Damian possesses such a smooth voice, and with such powerful lyrics, Gong truly shines.
5. Friends: Another reggae feel, and it addresses friendship.  I’m sure we’ve all been through our share of drama with our real and artificial or fairweather friends.  Gong’s choruses in this song are great, because it’s simple and true.  Real friends won’t do you wrong, real friends never change. Nas kills this song, and here’s a powerful sequence:

   Real men, we have a code of ethics, no questions, no jealousies //
   No feminine tendencies we expecting //
   No gossip, no phony logic, no counting your homey’s pocket //
   Spare no expense for legal defense if your homey locked up //

   No keeping tabs on who was the last who looked out //
   Selfishness, that’s a character flaw, no holdin out //
   Yo what happened to the honor? Primadonna drama //
   Teflon love for my dudes who solid //

6. Count Your Blessings: This one is very uplifting, making it a point that you should be happy with what you have.  Nas mentions his son, and how he wishes to raise him the same way Bob Marley did Damian, and even when you’re not at the top and you wish to be, just keep your aspirations high. I like the bongos in this one and the smooth guitars. When the verses come in, the way the distorted guitars come in give you a great sense of purpose.
7. Dispear: At first, I thought they had either misspelled dissapear, or a different way to spell despair.  But it actually means This Spear.  It’s a lot more aggressive than the other songs on the album, and the spear is a symbol of power, violence, and control, and how it has broken down society. Sonically, it sounds like preparing for war. The middle pause with the whispers and animal sound gives you the feel that you’re hunting with that spear, which I thought was a great touch.
8. Land of Promise: More reggae here, reminiscent of Jamrock (Gong’s HUGE hit a few years back), and it pays homage to Africa.  How Africa is real, and how what you perceive in New York and California are nothing comparable.
9. In His Own Words feat. Stephen Marley: This one’s a song for God.  NaS shows his appreciation and faith, despite the negativity that surrounds him and in the world. Production-wise, it’s very uplifting.
10. Nahmean: This one’s about as close to the hip-hop sound you will get on this album.  The head-nod is official on this. Both Gong and Nas go in and destroy this one lyrically, asking what the higher-ups are doing for us.
11. Patience: This track is the most inquisitive, and the most thought provoking.  A lot of history on this song, addressing The Bible and The Qu’ran, as well as the origins of words, numbers, and everything in existence.  Gong was the most eloquent on this track. The instrumentation on this is beautiful along with the sample that goes on in the hook. Very synthy compared to the rest of the album; the atmosphere of this beat mixes in SO WELL with these philosophical questions and thoughts.
12. My Generation feat. Lil’ Wayne and Joss Stone: This is the most uplifting song on the entire album, and I’m sure will be a radio hit.  I know of many people who were disappointed with Wayne being on the album, but he did his part and didn’t bring the song down at all.  The hook is great, and it just an all-out feel good song.  Nas’s first line is great: “Can you blame my generation, subject to gentrification, depicting their frustrations over ill instrumentation?”
13. Africa Must Wake Up feat. K’Naan: This one has that reggae feel.  K’Naan comes in with a Somali verse, and the translation is available in the sleeve.  It serves as a good ending to the album.

I’m very pleased with the album, and it sounds great cover to cover.  It’s a classic.  Nas’s lyrics, combined with Marley’s lyrics/vocals and production make for a very powerful, 5 mic rated, combination. It’s not your typical hip-hop or reggae album, as it fuses both quite well.

Do yourself a favor, and buy the album.

More stuff coming soon!  Stay tuned!

-mnshyn