Nas & Damian Marley announce 2011 dates

Due to the enormous success of their 3 summer shows, hailed by critics and fans alike as 'gig of the year', hip hop superstar Nas and reggae legend Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley have announced 3 UK dates for spring 2011. Tickets are on sale now and will be performing in London, Manchester and Glasgow.

The set will consist of the biggest songs from both artist's careers as well the bulk of their collaborative studio album, Distant Relatives which was released earlier this year to universal critical acclaim. Featuring the signature instrumentation and musicianship of Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley with the hard-hitting beats and lyrics of Nas, the album title refers not only to the bond between the artists, but the connection to their African ancestry, which inspired the album both musically and lyrically.

In their latest collaboration, Nas and Damian trace hip-hop's roots to Africa, where the genre originated as a vital form of cultural expression and was then transported by the slave trade to the Caribbean and the American colonies. It blossomed a half century ago in the dance halls of Kingston, Jamaica, and soon migrated to the park jams and recreational centers of New York City, where the culture became known as hip-hop.

This evolution forms the basis of the Distant Relatives project which, in addition to the album, also includes a documentary film, performances and a series of public discussions, the first of which took place in conjunction with National Geographic Live in Washington, DC last December. The album was produced by Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley and also features several guest appearances from Lil Wayne, who appears on the track "Generation," K'NAAN on 'Africa Must Wake Up' and Tribal War,' and Stephen Marley on 'Leaders' and 'n His Own Words.'

For performance dates and more information please go to www.distantrelatives.com.