Damian Marley and Nas Explore Their Roots on Distant Relatives

It’s not the first time the two have worked together. Nas rapped on “Road to Zion,” off Jr. Gong’s 2005 Grammy-winning record, Welcome to Jamrock. Nas, who traditionally uses programmed beats was forced out of his comfort zone by Marley, who uses live instrumentation in the studio. But the two embraced their disparate styles, spending time listening to “what each other grew up on,” Marley said. “He would play me some Smif-n-Wessun, some Slick Rick, some KRS [One]. I would play him some Shabba Ranks, some Michigan & Smiley.” It’s safe to say the disruption benefited Nas, who has lived in the shadow of his 1994 debut and magnum opus, Illmatic. A sense of urgency has returned to his voice.