It’s OK to be slightly suspicious of Distant Relatives, the upcoming collaboration between rapper Nas and reggae scion Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley—it’s got some potential for preciousness, even if both men know how to bring the grit. Their sincerity, however, is indisputable: The goal is to celebrate the historic links between Afro-Jamaican music and American hip-hop, and if the album doesn’t do the job, they’re willing to host a seminar or two. —Joe Warminsky

Read the full City Lights pick here; performance deets after the jump:

NAS AND MARLEY PERFORM AT 7 P.M. AT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S GROSVENOR AUDITORIUM, 1145 17TH ST. NW. $25. (202) 857-7700.