The creative union that is Nas & Damian Marley live in London: Part 2

The creative union that is Nas & Damian Marley live in London: Part 1

This musical union dates back to 2005 when reggae artist, Damian Marley, enlisted the help of rapper, Nas to feature on his track ‘Road To Zion’.

Fast forward 5 years and the duo solidified their artistic coalition with joint album Distant Relatives, which was released in May 2010.

Nas and Damian Marley are both in their own rights distinguished artists.

Nas hailing from New York released debut album, Illamtic back in 1994 and it was well received and is dubbed a classic album. Another 8 studio albums have followed and he is currently working on his tenth studio album set for a summer 2011 release. Nas is heavily regarded as a pioneer and often considered as one of the best within the Hip Hop genre.

Damian Marley also affectionately known as Junior Gong, taking after his father the legend Bob Marley who went by the name of Tuff Gong. The artist is of Jamaican descent which is apparent in his musical style of reggae and dancehall. The three time Grammy award winner has been involved in music since a young age, and it was with his second album, Halfway Tree, that he won his first Grammy.

When you have two artists who can individually hold their own, its not always the case that together they will be a success. This formula has been tried and tested in the past and unfortunately it hasn’t always worked.

Take the case of rapper Jay Z and R&B crooner R Kelly who joined forces to do a collaborative album back in 2002. Although the album did well chart wise, the artists encountered many problems with one another which lead to R Kelly being banned from the tour, which then resulted in a law suit between the two artists.

However with the case of Nas and Damian Marley it does work as they seem to genuinely have a lot in common and have formed a sound friendship on the basis of this, and together they are a force to be reckoned with.

Distant Relatives is a great album fusing Hip Hop, Reggae and adding African and humanitarian themes. Selling 57,000 copies in its first week the album charted at 5 in the US Billboard Charts and in the UK Album Charts it peaked at 30.

As a long time Nas fan I was immediately excited about this album and rightly so because I loved it, and though I wasn’t too familiar with Damian Marley I could only name a few of his tracks, subsequently I also became a fan of his. So obviously when I heard on the radio back in that the duo would be returning to London is part of the second leg of their Distant Relatives tour (unfortunately I missed the first one) I booked tickets immediately.

After excitingly counting down the days (my tickets were booked 7 months in advance) it was finally Thursday the 31st of March and accompanied by my friends, Serena and Marsha - we made our way to Wembley Arena.

After queuing for almost an hour, we realise we didn’t have to queue at all and that we were at the wrong entrance (just typical!). We made our way to the correct entrance and was led into the foyer where we waited for another 20minutes before being shown to our really good seats.

Entertained by a DJ playing old school Hip Hop and Reggae we talked amongst ourselves and bubbled in our seats.

It was 7.21pm precisely when the lights went out to much applause, the only light that was now visible was the red glow of the stage and with that on came supporting act reggae artist Spragga Benz. The slim artist with his dreads wrapped up in a black headdress kept us entertained whilst audience members whined (some of us opting to buss a lil’ slow whine in our seats) to the dancehall riddims. I wasn’t very familiar with Spragga Benz but he had a lot of energy and worked the stage well. His performance took a more serious turn when he paid respect to British reggae artist, Smiley Culture, who recently died under suspicious circumstances which involved the police and rebuked Babylon. Spragga Benz explained to us that the next song that he was going to perform was in honour of his 17 year old son who had been killed in police custody two years ago in Jamaica. As he began to perform ‘Leave All Vebgeance’ he asked the audience to flash their lighters and immediately tiny spots of light illuminated the whole arena. It was a very touching end to his performance and I was moved that he shared such a personal moment with us.

Next up was DJ Semtex who came on and continued the vibes by playing some serious old school Hip Hop - I don’t think we sat down once whilst Semtex was on as he played tune after tune.

Supporting act Erykah Badu brought greetings of peace and love as she came on stage, adorned with what looked like 24inches of weave accompanied with a trendy bowler hat, she wore hareem pants with braces and a gorgeous Burberry black mac which later on in her performance she casually discarded on the stage floor. As someone who personally loves shoes, I must shout out her shoe game as Ms Badu was wearing a sexy red strappy number.

I was straight out of my seat as she began to perform ‘The Healer (Hip Hop)’ which then merged into one of my favourites from Badu, ‘On & On’. At one point she straddled the mic and the audience clapped and whistled at the amazingly kooky woman that stood before us. Other tracks she performed were my favourites ‘Love of My Life’ and ‘Didn’t Cha Know’.

Ms Badu’s performance was drawing to an end but she decided she would keep going, so after cursing out the stage manager dude who stood at the side signalling for her to round it up to our amusement she told us ’I’mma take the risk’ and went into performing ’Soldier’. Before rounding up the song she drew our attention to the revolts currently going on across the world (i.e. Egypt and Tunisia) and began to tell us an uplifting story about a Mexican village that stood up against their tyrant leader and army and were successful in reclaiming their land that had been wrongfully seized. Ms Badu raised her right fist in the air and said ‘all the people against the powers’, thanked the audience, the band and only then did Badu exit the stage on her terms when she was truly ready.

One Love Peace Festival returns in honour of Bob Marley

After a 20 year hiatus the One Love Peace Festival returns to London this summer. The festival is being held to celebrate the life of Bob Marley and mark the 30th anniversary of his death.

Notably the most popular reggae artist to have ever lived, Bob Marley gave the world a gift of amazing music with a social conscience. Even after his death in 1981, the singer/songwriter still remains very popular and will be for generations to come.

An array of acts will grace Wembley arena’s stage, including Bob Marley’s son Ky Mani Marley, who will perform some of his father’s hit songs.

To read the full article please visit the Deja Vu FM website here.

Wretch 32 is new Road Safety Ambassador

The teen road safety campaign by Transport for London has been re-introduced this month, and it has enlisted help from artists such as Wretch 32, who is one of the campaigns new Ambassadors.

‘Don’t Let Your Friendship Die on the Road’ aims to make young people aware of the dangers they may face if they are not cautious. Road Safety Ambassadors are promoting the key message, which is that young people need to lookout for one another when they are out with friends.

To read what Wretch 32 and London’s Mayor Boris Johnson had to say about his involvement visit the Déjà Vu FM site here.

Late Nights & Early Mornings by Marsha Ambrosius

British duo, Floetry, sadly parted ways in 2007 and since then the vocalist of the group, Marsha Ambrosius, has released a string of mixtapes, written songs for the likes of Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx and has featured on various songs with some of Hip Hop’s elite.

Whilst the Liverpool native has been busy with these projects, fans have anticipated the release of a solo album and though it has been a long time coming, the singer/songwriter finally presents us with Late Nights & Early Mornings.

One of my favourite songs from this album is, 'Lose Myself'.

For the full album review please visit the Urban World site by clicking here.

Doin' It Again by Skepta

The self-proclaimed King of Grime, Skepta, has released a third studio album - Doin’ It Again -his first release backed by a major label (All Over The World/Universal Records).

Hailing from North London, Skepta, who originally started out as a DJ is popularly known for his roots in the Grime scene, and his involvement in the label/business venture, Boy Better Know.

Listen to one of my favourite tracks from Doin' It Again - 'Do It Like Me'.

To read the full album review please visit the Urban World website here.

The cost of perfection......your life perhaps?

Full hips shoot out from her slim waist, and at the top of her thick thighs sits a well rounded derrière - tune into your favourite Hip Hop video and you’ll see this very image of women that now go by the label of ‘Video Vixens’.

Call it what you like, the sexual gratification of women or the celebration of a more curvaceous female anatomy - arguments aside just as some women aspire to the size zero build, others desire a more fuller figure and will go to extreme lengths to achieve this.

What all these women have in common is their struggle for perfection, and some are more than willing to pay the price - but at what cost?

It was this same ideal that drove 20 year old, Claudia Aderotimi (right), to the US on Monday to undergo the illegal treatment* of ‘bum shots’ where silicone is injected into the bottom.

The student from London desperately wanted a bigger bum as she reportedly wanted to be a Hip Hop dancer, and had previously been turned down for a video after it was discovered she wore bum pads to enhance her behind.

Along with 3 friends she travelled to the US to have the cosmetic treatment done, which was arranged over the internet. The procedure was carried out in a cheap Philadelphia hotel, costing Claudia a reported £1,200 and sadly her life. The preliminary report showed the cause of death was silicone injected into her vascular system, which led to heart failure.

The police are now on the hunt for a transgender woman who they believe administered the fatal injection.

The importance attatched a person's physical appearance is not a new occurrence within society, take a look at Ancient Greece where male athletes with chiselled chests were used in pictures to be depicted as gods and beautiful call girls as goddesses’ - and it mirrors how the media glorify good looks and idolise celebrities for their appearance today.

Statue of Ancient Greek Athlete


However what has changed is the severity of this concern , previously you would have been driven to the gym, now you’re quite likely to be driven onto the theatre table of a cosmetic surgeon to achieve your ideals.

Far from just a female issue, cosmetic surgery is on the increase for both women and men. Figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) show that despite the recession, in 2010 there was a 5% increase of surgical procedures for both sexes and a 7% increase of male participation in cosmetic surgery.

Consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS’ President, Fazel Fatah said: “The public’s interest in aesthetic surgery remained strong in spite of the economic downturn. Procedures showing the more considerable rise during this period seem to be, perhaps not surprisingly, concentrated on the most visible areas of the body: facelifts, breasts and nose jobs”.

Across the pond plastic surgery consultant, Wendy Lewis and author of ‘Plastic Me Perfect’ attributes the particular increase of bum augmentation with the rise of curvy women such as Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Amber Rose being put on a media pedestal because of their voluptuous figures and big bums.

Booty Envy: Amber Rose poses with former boyfriend Kanye West & Madonna

Example: Bum augmentation

In 2009 this illegal practice of injecting silicone* into the buttocks, took another life -Fiordaliza Pichardo, had been taking the shots to enlarge her rear end and died due to the silicone causing a blockage in her lungs. Speaking after Fiordaliza’s death, a spokesperson for the US Food and Drug Association, Siobhan DeLancey said: “It’s important to note that none of the products that are reportedly being used are approved for this purpose.”

Even with procedures that are legal and approved, there is always a risk to cosmetic surgery. Hip Hop artist and producer, Kanye West lost his mother, Donda West in 2007, after she underwent cosmetic surgery. The 58 year old reportedly had a breast reduction and tummy tuck (approved procedures).

The BAAPS warns anyone considering any cosmetic surgery should ensure they are fully informed and accept the limitations and risks of any procedure and remember, no surgeon or procedure is 100% risk free.

The danger of such cosmetic pursuits of perfection, is not a deterrent for some people, as a quick search on forums will show eager individuals seeking surgeon recommendations. On Look Your Best UK, one girl describes her excitement and anticipation at having a breast op: “Seem's surreal that things are finally falling into place and the ball is finally moving!! All thanks to my darling bf who is paying for my boob job as an engagement present”.

I sincerely hope in her case the cost of perfection, is merely the bill the surgeon hands her boyfriend at the end of her operation, and it doesn't cost more than she's bargained for unlike this unfortunate example.......

Failed Boob Job: Silicone implant pops out through hole that refuses to heal after op

*Injecting liquid silicone for cosmetic purposes is not approved in the UK or US and is an illegal act.

Just a moment

I wrote this a while ago and finally decided to share:

Its 5.50am Friday the 7th of January and I can no longer continue to ignore my thoughts.

I have decided to bring them to life in writing.

Initially I was tucked up in my bed forcing myself to fill out this long and tedious job application form, for background noise I’ve put my iTouch on shuffle, randomly playing tunes from my Nas playlist.

After ‘Made You Look’ my iTouch then plays ‘Just A Moment’ another Nas song that features fellow artist, Quan.

I’ve heard this song many times before, but it now touches me on a whole new level and it is with the opening line by Quan:

“This is just a moment dedicated to my mother.....” - that my notions begin to wander and take me to a dark place that has become familiar territory, a place I have visited every day since that unfortunate day of November 2010.

I have not been motivated to write anything for this blog since that day, since it happened. I’ve sat down a few times, made feeble attempts at brainstorming and researching a number of topics. A week later a glimpse at my notes and they’re still random scribbled words waiting to be given structure and direction.

Now it dawns on me that I couldn’t have possibly wrote about anything without first taking a moment to address the cause of my frequent visits to the dark depths of my mind. I’m not one to normally share my personal inner most thoughts, but this feels necessary.

My beautiful mother departed this world and went on to the next on the 24th of November 2010 at the age of 53.......to even say these words or write them, feels foreign, it is still very hard to believe this is now my reality. It was a sudden death, I wasn’t prepared for it, none of my family were, but I suppose even a death that is not sudden still comes as a shock.

I always think back to that day, I remember the phone call telling me to come home, I remember my heart sinking to my stomach, feeling sick with worry I automatically feared the worst. Then the second phone call which confirmed my fears, at which point I was overwhelmed with hopelessness.......I didn’t know if I was going or coming and at the time I felt like my life had also ended.

I was extremely close to my mum; she was an amazing woman, the heart and soul of my family. An African proverb says that what the child says and does he has heard and seen at home, and everything that I am today stems from the love, guidance and nurture that my mum founded our home upon.

People always say time is a healer and life goes on, but the longing to speak to her, hear her advice, hug her, joke with her once more is going to plague me for the rest of my days. Yet my faith teaches me that we came from God and to Him we return, sadly He calls some of us home earlier than we’d like but I take comfort in knowing that my mum is in a much better place, a place of eternal peace inshaAllah (God willing).

In this difficult time I’m still able to count my blessings – God called my mum back home and though it has broken my heart He ensured that I am surrounded by beautiful people who are helping me get through this. I’m not alone and I’m so thankful for the overwhelming love and support me and my family have received, it gives me positive energy.

Though sometimes I remain swamped by my dark thoughts and I find myself crying at odd times (particularly on public transport which has become an embarrassing habit of mine) - the love I’m surrounded by and the love I feel for my mum even beyond the grave throws me a rope like a sailor capsized at sea, and I’m lifted up out of my grief and take comfort in the warmth.

I’ve learnt a lot from my mum and even in her untimely departure she left me one last lesson and that was to live a life where even in death you live on in the hearts of those you’ve left behind, my mother touched so many people’s lives and I’m eternally grateful that I was one of them. I pray that my impact on this world will like my mother’s, be greater than my life span, so I too can leave behind a legacy of love.

In loving memory of a best friend, a blessing - my dear mother may you rest in eternal peace and for all lost loved ones, can we please have a moment of silence......