Ever since its birth on the gritty, late-1970s streets of New York's South Bronx, hip-hop has enjoyed a tangled and complex relationship with reggae. Now a monolithic, global presence, rap music's history is almost universally accepted as falling into a conveniently and uniquely American narrative of hardscrabble multiculturalism and pioneering creative drive. However, the reality is that the world's first block parties happened in Kingston and the earliest rappers were, in fact, Jamaican. There is even a plausible case for suggesting that, were it not for the importation of Caribbean dancehall culture to the United States, which brought with it mobile soundsystems and deejays (MCs), the very foundations of hip-hop would, to this day, remain unlaid.
Both genres have long been uneasy bedfellows, each willing to take inspiration from the other but only occasionally achieving the kind of fusions they, by rights, should be eminently capable of making. By way of evidence, for every fresh and vibrant blend, there exist countless lukewarm guest appearances and lacklustre collaborations in which Jamaican artists are drafted in to add a dash of jerk-spiced exoticism to the tried and tested formulae of US hip-hop and R&B.
Distant Relatives, the latest in a long line of reggae/hip-hop hybrid projects, teams two titans of each style: Bob Marley's youngest son, Damian, and one of the most critically acclaimed rappers of all time, Nasir "Nas" Jones. As an album, it sets out its conceptual stall early. The title refers to its authors' shared membership of the African diaspora and the commonalities of the styles with which each is synonymous. While Afrocentric ideology and the remembrance of colonial misdeeds are integral to reggae's Rastafarian credo, such concerns also form a core strand of hip-hop's DNA, from the Native Tongues collective to the DJ and producer Afrika Bambaataa's community-action group, the Zulu Nation.
Hip-hop's heritage of grassroots activism is also reflected in Distant Relatives' backstory. Proceeds from the album will be used to fund development projects in Africa, including the construction of a new school in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo. So, at its most basic levels, this is both an exercise in global fusion and a charity fundraising venture. For many people - this reviewer included - finding out that a record falls into either of these categories is just cause for trepidation. Happily, Marley and Nas defuse such cynicism rapidly, expertly commingling musical styles and approaching serious issues with vibrant, incisive and above all joyful wordplay.
The opening As We Enter is a gloriously uptempo reggae skanker - with a difference. While Marley and Nas's lyrical interplay is a pleasure in itself, the most striking thing about this song is its instrumentation, which incorporates a large sample of the Ethiopian jazz maestro Mulatu Astatke's 1971 track Yegelle Tezeta. Given the album's main themes, this is a wonderfully apt interpolation, one that links hip-hop's collaging of dusty jazz and soul breaks with roots reggae's spiritual connection to the East African nation.
Tribes At War, meanwhile, is more explicitly Jamaican, lifting a ghostly vocal refrain from the reggae singer Little Roy's roots standard Tribal War, then adding African percussion, a soaring string section and woozy synthesiser lines. Mirroring Little Roy's version, Marley's lyrics address the futility of conflict, whether street against street or nation against nation. Unlike the original, though, this is a globalised, 21st-century take on the form, one in which Marley's contemplative vocals give way to militant hip-hop flows by Nas and the Somali-born guest rapper K'naan.
Count Your Blessings appears to be an attempt at light relief, Marley's blend of optimistic vocals and summery acoustic guitar strumming providing a direct reference to his father's musical legacy. Unfortunately, it is also one of the few moments where the collaborative aspect of Distant Relatives falls flat. While Marley's part is considered, polished, sensitively rendered, Nas's contributions feel tacked on at best, at worst like unwelcome interruptions. If nothing else, someone should certainly have told him that, no matter how much you might want it to, "Earth, Wind [and Fire]" will never rhyme with "Gershwin".
Still, these minor concerns disappear with the opening bars of Land of Promise, a track that is both the album's standout moment and, in its own way, a lesson in reggae history. The song opens with snippets of an interview with the legendary Dennis Brown, an artist referred to by Bob Marley himself as the "crown prince of reggae", and a figure who many believed would go on to become the genre's international ambassador after Marley's death from cancer in 1981. While Brown's career never quite reached those heights, he did visit Africa for the first time shortly after Marley's passing.
This journey proved a key point in the singer's life. He returned to London so inspired that he rushed to into the studio with the British band Aswad. The song that resulted from this impromptu session - the soundsystem anthem Promised Land - is liberally sampled here. Echoing the structure of Damian Marley's previous global triumph Welcome To Jamrock, a track that reinterpreted Ini Kamoze's classic World A Music, Brown's vocals and Aswad's rubbery bass lines provide the backbone of the song. However, the chemistry between Marley and Nas is what lifts it to the next level. Both artists are clearly having the time of their lives, and their excitement is infectious.
Similarly, the melodic hook of Patience is provided by a chunk of the Malian husband and wife duo Amadou & Mariam's 2008 gem Sabali. Lifting vast slabs of previously released songs may sound lazy and uninspired to many ears, especially those accustomed to the more fragmented cut-and-paste aesthetic of hip-hop. However, this style of production echoes a tried and tested reggae technique, known as "versioning", wherein backing tracks (or "riddims") are recorded and then voiced numerous times by a variety of different artists. Taking inspiration from such well-loved source material is also, as Marley and Nas prove throughout Distant Relatives, a sure-fire way to engage an audience.
This sense of enthusiasm and approachability is written all over Africa Must Wake Up - an initially laid-back piano and strings number that gradually builds into what in most other hands might be a predictable, schmaltzy showbiz-style finale. Luckily, Marley and Nas walk the fine line between sentimentality and emotive power in sure-footed style. This sense of balance is the album's defining characteristic. Despite its all-star cast and worthy intentions, Distant Relatives is, above and beyond anything else, a good record. In fact, if you're generous enough to ignore Joss Stone's appearance alongside Lil Wayne on My Generation, there's barely a bad moment on it. What is especially gratifying, though, is Marley and Nas's bravery. Collaborations are fraught with peril for any artist and, approached unwisely, are capable of doing untold damage to a performer's career. Here, both men have delivered an immensely enjoyable piece of work; an album that is generous in its aims and with its rewards.
John Eden is the founding editor of Woofah, a London-based reggae and British MC culture fanzine. His work also appears in The Wire and FACT magazine.
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WWE Evolution results
- Trish Stratus and Lita beat Alicia Fox and Mickie James in a tag match
- Nia Jax won a battle royal, eliminating Ember Moon last to win
- Toni Storm beat Io Shirai to win the Mae Young Classic
- Natalya, Sasha Banks and Bayley beat The Riott Squad in a six-woman tag match
- Shayna Baszler won the NXT Women’s title by defeating Kairi Sane
- Becky Lynch retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match
- Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women’s title by beating Nikki Bella
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
South Africa squad
: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Tottenham (Alli 61'), Davies (70')
Red card Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)
Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
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UAE gold medallists:
Omar Al Suweidi (46kg), Khaled Al Shehhi (50kg), Khalifa Humaid Al Kaabi (60kg), Omar Al Fadhli (62kg), Mohammed Ali Al Suweidi (66kg), Omar Ahmed Al Hosani (73), all in the U18’s, and Khalid Eskandar Al Blooshi (56kg) in the U21s.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
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The specs
A4 35 TFSI
Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed S-tronic automatic
Power: 150bhp
Torque: 270Nm
Price: Dh150,000 (estimate)
On sale: First Q 2020
A4 S4 TDI
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 350bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh165,000 (estimate)
On sale: First Q 2020
Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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