Nas, Damian Marley Hope to Inspire With ‘Distant Relatives’

When Nas and Damian Marley sat down to discuss their collaborative album 'Distant Relatives' -- available online and in stores today (May 18) -- the pair emphasized that the project was about "making good music" while, possibly subconsciously, educating the masses.

"Reggae music over the years has always been a voice for social awareness," Marley told The BoomBox. And Nas, when it comes to hip-hop, is no stranger to social awareness. The rapper, after all, professed that 'Hip Hop is Dead' in 2006 and fought (but lost) to name his last solo album the n-word. But Nas insists that he and Marley aren't trying to make a statement on 'Distant Relatives.'

"I don't think me and D thought we would change the world with the record," Nas added. " I think that during these times we're in, there's good music to go along with the times. You can put this record on when you're just chillin', or when you're trying to get inspired."

Watch the video interview after the jump to hear more about the pair's new album. For more on the origins of 'Distant Relatives,' check out Part 1 of this two part interview.

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