Nas & Damian Marley releasing an album, touring (dates), playing Williamsburg Waterfront (presale)

Nas @ Emo’s during SXSW 2010 (spazyaz)

…Nasty Nasir Jones and Damien “Jr Gong” Marley – pursuing a blend of hip-hop and dancehall that started on the “Road to Zion” recorded for Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock – made the most of their abbreviated set [at Emo’s/SXSW on Wed. March 17th]. “I want to dedicate this to my brothers who are locked up unjustly,” said Nas, before launching into his early freestyle “One Love.”

This segued naturally into Bob reggae classic “One Love (One Heart)” with Damien stepping into his father’s footsteps over a recorded sample courtesy of DJ Green Hornet. Snippets of “Rock Steady” and “Exodus” were also performed in a thrilling combination of styles. [Houston Press]

Nas & Damian Marley‘s “Distant Relatives Tour” will travel North America and Europe this summer in support of their album of the same name, set to come out May 18th on Universal Republic. Singer Nneka will be opening.

They play one of the non-free shows at the Williamsburg Waterfront this summer, on Saturday, July 31st. Tickets go on Internet Presale today (Thursday) at 10am (password = RELATIVES) and general sale Friday, April 2nd at noon.

The other show set for the new series of pay shows at the Waterfront is Faith No More on July 5th. More TBA.

Videos (including one from their Emo’s gig), all tour dates and the new album cover art are below…

Nas & Damian Marley – As We Enter

NAS & DAMIAN “JR GONG” MARLEY – Distant Relatives – TRAILER

Nas & Damian Marley – 2010 Tour Dates
May 2nd West Palm Beach, Fl – Sunfest
May 21st Arcata, CA – Arcata Community Center
May 22nd Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater
May 23rd Seattle, WA – Showbox Sodo
May 25th Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
May 26th Santa Barbara, CA – University of California, Santa Barbara
May 28th Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
May 29th Las Vegas, NV – The Joint
May 30th Valley Center, CA – Harrah’s Rincon – Open Sky Theater
May 31st Los Angeles, CA – UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival
June 2nd Santa Fe, NM – Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre
June 8th Houston, TX – House of Blues
June 9th Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Outdoor Amphitheater
June 11th Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music Festival
June 12th Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
June 13th Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues – Lake Buena Vista, FL
June 27th Brussels, BE – Couleur Cafe Festival
June 28th Paris, FR – Paris Hip Hop Festival
July 1st Arendal, NO – Hovefestival
July 3rd Cologne, DE – Summerjam
July 4th Gdynia, PL – Heineken Opener Festival
July 6th Copenhagen, DK – Vega
July 7th Hultsfred, SE – Hultsfred Festival
July 9th Frauenfeld, CH – Openair Frauenfeld
July 10th Montreux Vaud, CH – Montreux Jazz Festival – Miles
July 11th Rotterdam – Holland North Sea Jazz
July 13th Hamburg, DE – Stadtpark
July 14th Munich, DE – Tollwood Festival
July 16th Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy
July 17th Dublin, IE – Tripod
July 20th Hammersmith, UK – Hammersmith Apollo
July 23rd Gräfenhainichen, DE – Splash Festival
July 31st Brooklyn, NY – Williamsburg Waterfront
August 1st Bridgeport, CT – Gathering of The Vibes Festival
More Tour Dates (including Africa) Will Be Announced