On paper the worlds of hip hop and reggae should make happy bed fellows. Common themes are plentiful – socially conscious lyrics, a mutual love of jazz cigarettes and a shared predication for bass are just a few. However, reggae’s flirtations with hip hop don’t always work out as well as they could. Many of Jamaica’s most successful stars have dipped their toe in the world of hip hop with less than startling results. All too often the best facets of each genre cancel each other out leaving a homogenous mush of weak reggae and generic rap – just listen to Elephant Man’s hook ups with P. Diddy or Stephen Marley’s work with Wyclef if you need examples.
Thankfully, Damian Marley and Nas have no such issues. Their collaborative concert last week in London proved to be one of the most raw and uncompromising rap performances of the year. Taking elements from their respective musical backgrounds – the live band and dreadlocked flag bearer was clearly taken from Marley’s camp, while the two turntables and DJ clearly came from Nas – the show allowed both artists to play to their strengths. Rushing on stage to the sound of lead single ‘As We Enter’, the pair stormed on as furious ball of energy pumping fists and provoking the crowd to throw their hands up. From the first record there was a tangible chemistry between the two singers as they traded rapid fire verses.
One of the most respected rappers of his generation; it’s no exaggeration to say Nas is a bonafide hip hop legend. His debut album ‘Illmatic’, a striking masterpiece that perfectly captured life in early 90’s New York, remains one of the greatest albums of its kind and his work since has continued to bolster his reputation as one of the most important MC’s to ever pick up a microphone.
Nas’ recent work with reggae star Damian Marley, son of the legendary Bob Marley, has seen him develop his rugged hip hop sound in exciting new directions: the fruits of which were last year’s highly acclaimed ‘Distant Relatives’ LP. We caught up with Nas before his upcoming joint tour with Damian to talk about how the pair first met, his upcoming album and the impeding 20th anniversary of his first album.
How did you first meet Damian?
I don’t really remember when we first met, I guess it was just backstage years ago at different shows. I remember we kicked it backstage at Lollapalooza and The Smokin’ Grooves Tour. (The pioneering US based hip hop festival). That’s where I first met him
Did you and Damian stay tight afterwards?
No. We reconnected on ‘Road To Zion’ on his (Damian’s) last album. And then, I wanted him to record something on my ‘Hip Hop Is Dead’ album, but it didn’t get on the album. We were just talking back and forth once in a while. Our managers; our teams were talking about us working a lot: we came up with an EP idea and that turned into an LP idea.
And obviously that was ‘Distant Relatives’. So with the tour, why was important to use a live band as well as a DJ for the shows?
There’s a different energy, it just becomes everything in one. Rock & Roll, Rap, Reggae… Classical. It becomes a whole musical experience that’s a different level from just a turntable. But we always keep it Hip Hop: you got to have two turntables and a DJ. Read more…
In 2011 the world will see one of the most exciting tours ever hit the road and go global, featuring the international talents of hip hop superstar Nas and reggae legend Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley together on the same bill.
The set will consist of the biggest songs from both artists’ careers as well the bulk of their collaborative studio album, ‘Distant Relatives’, which was released earlier in 2010 to universal critical acclaim. Featuring the signature instrumentation and musicianship of Damian Marley with the hard-hitting beats and lyrics of Nas, the record’s title refers not only to the bond between the artists, but the connection to their African ancestry, which inspired the album both musically and lyrically.
In their latest collaboration, Nas and Damian trace hip-hop’s roots to Africa, where the genre originated as a vital form of cultural expression and was then transported by the slave trade to the Caribbean and the American colonies. It blossomed a half century ago in the dance halls of Kingston, Jamaica, and soon migrated to the park jams and recreational centres of New York City, where the culture became known as hip-hop. This evolution forms the basis of the Distant Relatives project.
The pair will be going from Australia to America; Japan and then Europe and the UK. For a complete list of dates see the Distant Relatives project website here.
Big name collaborations in the world of hip-hop can often be a huge anti-climax. Just take Jay-Z and R. Kelly’s 2004 joint album ‘Unfinished Business’ as an example: two of the most prominent artists of their time coming together to produce a commercial and critical flop. However, if early indications are anything to go by it would seem that the new album from Nas and Damian Marley, ‘Distant Cousins’, has none of these problems.
Nas remains one of the most highly rated rappers of his generation while Damian Marley’s mix of ragga, hip hop and more traditional reggae forms saw him pick up three Grammys and a gold disc for his last album, ‘Welcome To Jamrock’. The first cut from the album, ‘As We Enter’, sees the New York and Kingston pair trade flows over a rolling old-school break. Lines such as “I’ve got The Guns” (from Nas) and “I’ve got the Ganja” (from Marley) show the pair aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel on this track – but when it sounds as urgent and as joyously retro as this there is no need to.
‘Distant Relatives’ is due for release on May 25th and also features collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, K’naan, Stephen Marley and – oddly enough – Joss Stone.
For fans of hip-hop, an artist like Q-Tip needs no introduction. After forming A Tribe Called Quest in 1985 with fellow rapper Phife Dawg and producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, the group found massive success and acclaim throughout the nineties. Along with fellow New York natives De La Soul, the band developed a style of hip-hop that shied away from the masculine, gangster bravado that was associated with the genre at the time. Their intelligent lyrics and jazz infused beats were, and still continue to be, an inspiration for many. From their debut ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm’ – including the well known singles ‘Can I Kick It’ and ‘Bonita Applebum’ – through to their final long player ‘The Love Movement’, A Tribe Called Quest pushed the boundaries of hip hop and paved the way for artists such as KanYe West, Common, The Roots and Pharcyde to name just a few.
After A Tribe Called Quest split up in the late Nineties, Q-Tip delivered his debut album ‘Amplified’. While it could be argued tracks such as ‘Breathe & Stop’ and ‘Vivrant Thing’ were more commercial than anything that Tribe had released, the album was by no means a feckless attempt at mainstream success. After this fans were forced to wait until 2008 for its official follow up, ‘The Renaissance’, an album that was again greeted extatically by critics and fans. But fans of the rapper knew that the hiatus of new music was not down to the man himself, but record company wrangling.
‘Kamaal The Abstract’ was originally set for release in 2001, but his label at the time refused to release it. Deemed too ahead of its time, the record now draws comparisons with Gnarls Barkley, Andre 3000 and N*E*R*D, artists who have all found success since ‘Kamaal’ was originally set for release. After much delay the album has finally been released on RCA , although now in a remixed and re-mastered state. We were lucky enough to grab an interview with the legendary MC and get his thoughts on the album’s release, his plans for the future and chat about the forthcoming A Tribe Called Quest movie.
