Hip-hop singer combines social issues with music
Jamaican rapper Damian Marley and hip-hop artist Nas have been educating the nation about political strife in Africa and America for years, bringing the public's attention to the many issues these areas face. Their new album, Distant Relatives, is an effort that is starting to make some noise on the University of Iowa campus.
Cedar Rapids resident David Haley, a Damian Marley and Nas fan, is quite familiar with the message that the duo are trying to get across to the American public.
"What I get from their album is a real call to attention to Africa and issues that are going on," he said. "Most reggae and conscientious hip-hop promote unity. We are all Africans when it comes down to it."
The duo will perform in the IMU Main Lounge at 9:30 p.m. today; admission is $25 for UI students and $32 for the general public. Jon Hackbarth, SCOPE's director of talent, said he's excited about the show, and said he believes the album is "ridiculously good."
"We're the only college right now that's booked on this tour," he said. "It's a big deal for us to get them to come to Iowa City."
Around 1,900 tickets were available for the show, and he expects a sold-out crowd by the time the two hit the stage. People who wish to attend the performance should stop in the IMU ticket office for ticket information.
Hackbarth, who listed the songs "Friends" and "Count Your Blessings" as his favorite tracks from the album, said the duo will play a two-hour set with an hour together and then other portions of the show separate with their older material.
"They sample a lot of acoustic stuff," he said. "They're kind of all over the place, which is really cool to see."
UI sophomore Eric Schmittgens, a big fan of Nas' older music, said that because the artists haven't come out with a new album lately, he's excited about Distant Relatives.
"I like the whole reggae type of background," he said.
The 20-year-old doesn't know if the album is better that Nas' previous releases, but added he likes the feel of this latest release. He describes Nas' music as a harder type of rap that some people don't like, noting Nas is very lyrical and always has good beats. The reggae twist that Marley brings serves to add to Nas' hip-hop sound.
Damian "Junior Gong" Marley is the youngest son of reggae legend Bob Marley, and he uses a vocal technique called "toasting," the father to what is known as rap. It usually involves "rapping" in monotone over rhythm provided by a DJ. Toasting was developed in the 1950s by Count Machuki, a Jamaican DJ who also is credited with creating beatboxing.
Haley said fans listening to the album will notice the time and effort the two took in developing their message. He also likes the song "Tribal War" with guest K'Naan, which is an outcry to the fighting that people all over the world experience.
Another guest on the album is Marley's brother Stephen Marley, who appears on the tracks "Leaders" and "In His Own Words." Other guests include Dennis Brown, Joss Stone, and Lil Wayne.
The album, which débuted at No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, sold more than 57,000 copies in the first week alone. The success of the album and buzz about the show on campus ensure that fans will have an interesting show.
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