Nas and Marley mix rap and reggae inspired by Africa

| Wednesday May 26, 2010 00:00

Distant Relatives, is the New York emcee's first collaboration with any artist for an entire album.

It combines some of his trademark tight lyrics and fluid rapping with Marley's Jamaican grooves and simpler phrases, with guest appearances from other top rappers, including Lil' Wayne.

'It was something that I needed to do to help me push forward lyrically,' said the 36-year-old rapper.

'And to be doing a whole album with me and D (Damian), we had a lot to say.  Every song was shared,' Nas, whose full name is Nasir Jones, said in a joint interview with Marley in New York.

A tour begins in California before taking in the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee and then travelling to European cities including Paris, Cologne, Rotterdam, Manchester and Dublin.

The album is an unusual collaboration that was written by both artists and recorded over nine months.

Hip-hop and reggae has mostly been limited to singles before, but devoting an entire album from scratch heralded something new in the mixing of the genres, both artists said.

'A lot of the (past) collaborations were more in the nature of a remix as opposed to two artists really coming together,' said Grammy Award winner Marley, 31, who is the youngest son of reggae master Bob Marley and produced all the songs.

'We did the whole album together and that definitely comes across in the music.'

Featuring guest appearances from Lil' Wayne, up-and-coming Somali rapper K'Naan and British soul and R&B singer Joss Stone, it mixes rock guitar, world music percussion, hip-hop beats and traditional African instruments.It was co-produced by Marley's older brother Stephen.

'We wanted to come up with something fresh and creative and reflect Nas' music, reflect my music, but still not be clones of either,' said Marley.

'The album is multi-layered with the African theme throughout, not just what we are saying but even musically.'The lyrics tackle subjects from African poverty to the diamond trade.

'Africa has been heavy on my mind for years,' said Nas.

'We are mad about things there, we are happy about things there, we are curious to know about roots there ... We can trace all (of) humanity back to one place, and that is one step back to one, togetherness.'