Concert Review: Nas and Damian Marley

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT > FEATURES

By Velv Somersault

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Aug. 4, 2010

Nas and Marley

Photo by Sheron Barber

Upon arrival at the Nas and Damian Marley show last Thursday (July 29) at the House of Blues at Showboat in Atlantic City, the line of concert goers was enormous and venue security was tight.

While waiting in the Music Hall for the show to start, I overheard a few conversations about people being a bit weary of how the concert was going turn out. I thought to myself that they must not have heard the duo's album, Distant Relatives, which dropped this past May.

It's a phenomenal album and I just knew that they had to bring that energy across in a live performance.

DJ Greenlantern made an entrance, getting ready for the show. The set he spun was a dope mix of hip-hop and reggae classics. He knew just how to hold off the crowd as we all anxiously waited for the headlining act. He played an a capella version of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” and the whole crowd recited along in unison.

While waiting for the show, I caught up with the band’s bassist, Shiah Coore, who was “excited to be in Atlantic City” and hoped that we were “ready to be blessed with good music.”

DJ Greenlantern gave Nas and Marley — one of the late Bob Marley's sons — a formal introduction as the show was about to start. Nas and a man holding up the Jamaican flag ran out on stage waving it around and you could hear Damian Marley's melodious voice carry throughout the hall, which put a hush on the audience.A

After the first song, “As We Enter”, Marley exited the stage and that oh-so familiar beat from Nas’s classic "If I Ruled The World" came on and the Hall went crazy. After Nas finished his "Hip-Hop is Dead" and “Nas is Like,” Damian came back out to perform a few more singles from Distant Relatives. At one point during the show Nas pulled out what looked like an antique African tribal spear while he did the single "Africa Must Wake Up.”

Damian also had a solo set, which included “The Mission,” "Could You Be Loved" and “Welcome to Jamrock,” one of his well-known hits. The crowd was out of control once the two were back on stage together and ganja smoke filled the entire Music Hall. Everyone felt like a true Rastafarian that night.

Together the duo also performed "Dispear" and "Count Your Blessings," both from their recent release. At one point, Damian shouted, "Count your blessings, people who have running water, shoes and a roof!" This was a humbling moment for myself and I believe for most of the crowd as well. It reminded me to "give thanks," as the Distant Relatives tour crew kept saying backstage throughout the night.

The duo finished up by doing a few classic covers together and performing "Road to Zion," which was the pair's first joint effort featured on Damian’s solo album, Welcome to Jamrock.

Nas and Marley's stage presence together is unparalleled; they took over the House of Blues last Thursday night and will be a tough act to follow closing out the summer. They got their distant-relatives message across and the whole crowd felt further connected after the show.

We are all distant relatives.