By Caroline Shin
Special to DNAinfo
CENTRAL PARK — Thousands of fans crowded into Central Park Summerstage Thursday evening for a glimpse of hip hop and reggae stars Nas and Damian Marley.
The pair took the Rumsey Playfield stage around 8:15 p.m., performing songs from their newly released album, Distant Relatives, for a sold-out crowd that organizers from the City Parks Foundation said topped 6,000.
The Central Park performance was the end of the pair's world tour for the album.
Trinidad-born, Brooklyn-raised rapper Theophilus London performed the show's opening act, hyping up the crowd for the headliners.
"The energy was just ridiculous. It was all just wild and beautiful," said fan Kris Bennett, 29, who was accompanied by his girlfriend, Maya Santana, 21, of Brazil, who had already seen Nas and Marley — the son of Bob Marley — perform once before.
Energy bounced from Nas to Marley as they took turns with joint and solo performances, delivering a thumping “Road to Zion” that got the fans’ hands raised, and a self-reflective “Count Your Blessings.”
“I don’t feel lucky,” said Nas, “I feel blessed to be here.”
In an amusing switch-off that ended the show, Nas took to the bongos during Damian Marley’s rendition of his father's classic reggae hit, “Could You Be Loved.”
With lyrics about world hunger, world peace and a general thankfulness and positivity to boot, the star duo had the crowds happy, up and on their feet.
Ethan Curry, 18, and Jack Singleton, 17, both wearing the album's t-shirts, arrived an hour before the start of the show to secure a good spot.
"I loved the show," Singleton said.
