May 18 2010
Reconnect the Disconnected
Tomorrow marks a day that many people might not pay attention to; its a day that many won’t circle on their calender or recognize as a day of importance. Tomorrow is Malcolm X’s birthday, a day that should be celebrated for one of the greatest revolutionaries this world has ever seen. I’m not choosing to bring up this annual recognition as a patronizing reminder, but because something special happened on this day of May 18th 2010, and hopefully this momentous occasion will be recognized in accordance with the soul of our fallen patriarch that made it all possible. The highly anticipated Nas and Damian ”Jr Gong” Marley collaboration accordingly titled “Distant Relatives” was released today. While many listeners out there might pass this off as just another album, it is imperative that the significance of this masterpiece is not overlooked. These two artists who are arguably the best in their respective genres have come together in an attempt to reconnect the spirit of Reggae and Hip Hop music back to its eternal roots in Africa. When the goals of this collaboration became clear to me I was a little nervous. How would they sound together? Will they be really spending time in the studio? Could they complete such a monumental task? After listening to the album a few times I can safely say that all my questions were answered and the results were soul shattering.
One aspect of Reggae music that I’ve always loved and respected was its insistence on remaining in sync with the continent of Africa. As a place that has been ravaged by colonialism, slavery, poverty and genocide, the rich culture of African society has been ripped of its very essence while its people have been separated, divided and conquered. Yet legendary Reggae artists like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and many others of the past and present have always expressed their love for the mother of civilization. Unfortunately I cannot speak of the same cultural embrace when mentioning Hip Hop music. Although its origins were rooted from poverty and the struggle for equality when brought to the forefront by pioneers such as KRS-1, Rakim, Afrika Bambaataa and Public Enemy, the true crux of the music has been lost as the younger generation became more infatuated with the glamor of American society and disinterested with our lost brothers and sisters on the African continent. Obviously there are a number of factors that have contributed to this disunity; its difficult to connect with people when the very history that merges the cultures has been abolished and buried into near non existence. But the fact remains that African-Americans have built a stronger connection with the latter of the hyphenated ethnic classification. Now we have two legends in music that have challenged this detachment while attempting to initiate a wake up call to people of color all across the globe.
I didn’t want to approach this as an album review; I believe that everyone should listen to this album and just enjoy the music without hearing snippets or samples. Don’t think of this as a Nas album or a Damian Marley project as individuals, but recognize the collaborative effort of two talented musicians that decided to attack a taboo subject matter. This is not a Hip Hop or a Reggae album, but a near perfect fusion of the two that represents some of the best aspects of black music I have heard in a long time; it needs to be understood how important this project really is. The two complimented each other well while implementing relevant subject matters such as leadership, friendship, god, land and culture. The music is soulful, passionate, ancestral and spiritual. I was excited and skeptical originally and tried not to hold my expectations of the album too high. I had decided that I would respect the effort even if I wasn’t pleased with the album, but to my surprise it was everything that I wanted and more. Today “Distant Relatives” was released, tomorrow is Malcolm X’s birthday, and I couldn’t think of a better way to honor our ancestors.
