Tracy Morgan discovered he's related to longtime friend Nas: 'He started crying, I started crying'

The comedian recounted his emotional experience on PBS "Finding Your Roots."

Tracy Morgan recounted the emotional experience of discovering that he's related to longtime pal and rapper Nas.

The comedian and actor, 55, detailed his upcoming episode on the PBS genealogy series Finding Your Roots during an appearance on the Connect the Dots podcast (below), revealing that Nas, whom he refers to as Esco, is his third cousin.

"I turn the last page, and guess who's sitting there? Nas. Me and Nas is third cousins on my mom's side," Morgan shared. "Me and Esco was always tight before that. I did a show years ago on Comedy Central called One Mic that was for Nas' mom that just passed away, so me and Esco always been tight."

Morgan said the rapper also had an emotional reaction when he learned about their ancestry. "I called him up and I say, 'Yo Esco. Guess what? I just did Finding Your Roots, me and you related.' He started crying, I started crying. And I said to him, 'If you ever need me, I'm there, cuz.' He said, 'Cuz, if you ever need me I'm there.'"

Morgan's episode is expected to air in February, he said.

"They went back 400 years on my father's side and 400 years on my mother's side," he explained of the process. "I thought I was big in my life till I found out what my great, great, great grandmother did. My great, great, great, great, great grandfather's name was Abraham Mack. I know the name of the slave masters who owned us and the slave ship."

"You need to know who you come from before you leave this earth," Morgan added. "Know who you are and where you come from. I did a lot of crying. No matter who you are, you're gonna break down."

Harvard educator Henry Louis Gates Jr. hosts the popular series, which helps celebrities and other influential figures trace their ancestry via DNA testing. Julia Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Jeff Goldblum, Queen Latifah, and Anjelica Huston are among the famous faces who've appeared on the show. Terry Crews and Billy Crudup recently discovered they were relatives as a result of the show, as did Carol Burnett and Bill Hader.

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• Finding Your Roots: Maya Rudolph breaks down over discovery about slave ancestors

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.