Nas & Damian Marley
Nas and Damian Marley play the roles of motivational speakers on their collaboration, Distant Relatives, an LP that uplifts without inducing yawns and rolled eyes. The wave of hype the legendary MC and the son of a legend rode into the albums release wouldve been a kiss of death for lesser artistsexpectation being synonymous with disappointment in the music biz. But Nas and Marley stand tall with youth-oriented anthems (Promised Lands, which mirrors Nass I Can, off 2002s Gods Son) and continent-centric calls-to-arms (Africa Must Wake Up). Its not all motivation and revolution, however. As We Enter boogies with rapid rhyme-trading between Nas and Marley, and Patience burns slowly with a global influence buoyed by Marleys patiently-delivered poetry. With Nneka. KEVIN CAPP
Sun., May 23, 8 p.m., 2010
