Tracy Morgan and Nas are already friends, but an unexpected discovery during a DNA test led them to uncover an even deeper bond.
Morgan discussed his impending participation on PBS’ genealogy show Finding Your Roots, where a DNA test showed that the rap icon is really his third cousin, on the Connect the Dots podcast.
“I turn the final page, and guess who’s there?” Nas. “Me and Nas are third cousins on my mother’s side,” Morgan, 55, stated on the program.
“But me and Esco were always tight before that,” he went on to say. “I did a show called One Mic on Comedy Central years ago for Nas’ mom, who recently passed away. “So Esco and I have always been close.”
Morgan, who is set to feature in the eighth episode of the forthcoming tenth season of the PBS series, titled “Mean Streets,” stated that he later called up a longtime friend to relay the shocking news.
“When I found out after the show on the West Side Highway, I called him up and said, ‘Yo Esco,’ and he said, ‘What up, Trey?'” ‘Guess what?’ I said. He exclaimed, ‘What?’ “And I told Nas, 50, ‘I just did Finding Your Roots, and me and you related,'” Morgan said.
“He began to cry, and I began to cry.” And I told him, ‘If you ever need me, cuz, I’m here.’ ” ‘Cuz, if you ever need me, I’m there,” he added.
Morgan mentioned that the show would debut in February, and he learned a few additional details about his family history in the process.
“They went back 400 years on my father’s side and 400 years on my mother’s side,” he went on to say. “I thought I was famous until I learned what my great, great, great grandmother did.” Abraham Mack was the name of my great, great, great, great, great grandpa. I have the name of the slave lords that owned us and the slave ship right here on my phone.”
“You need to know who you are before you leave this earth,” he added. Understand who you are and where you came from. Knowledge in and of itself. I shed a lot of tears. And you’re going to break down, no matter who you are.”
Maya Rudolph, Neil Patrick Harris, and Julia Roberts are among the numerous celebrities who have participated in Finding Your Roots. Morgan and Nas aren’t the only two famous people who have discovered a DNA link through the show.
Terry Crews and Billy Crudup met for the first time as a family in May after realizing they were related. Bill Hader had previously revealed an email he got from Carol Burnett in which she informed him that they were also cousins.
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. will return with a new season of ten episodes. It will air on PBS on January 2nd.