Nas ”Magic 3” Album Review

Magic 3

Nas

• Genre: Rap
• Date: 14 Sep, 2023
• Content: explicit
• Track(s): 15
• ℗ 2023 Mass Appeal

The Queensbridge rapper achieved one of the most profoundly enduring debut albums in culture, but his post-millennial work saw the rapper lose his footing. Indeed, One of the most well-established tropes in American hip-hop is the Nas redemption arc. After entering a time of creative rest, Nas teamed up with producer Hit-Boy and unexpectedly landed upon a thrilling golden streak. Setting aside “Illmatic,” Nas’ music has been the most consistently exhilarating of his discography over the past ten years. Six albums have resulted from the studio collaboration, including a trilogy of “King’s Disease” and “Magic,” which alternate between absorbing homages to the music of his golden era and a forward-looking outlook. ‘Magic 3’ is Nas and Hit-Boy’s last album and is regarded as their best.

Album Art

The album Art has Nas pose for the camera while donning dark glasses and looking fly—like magic—on the cover, a black-and-white, blurred image.

Tracks And Features

The album’s enormous strength is demonstrated by the highlights on “Magic 3.” The album’s first track, “Fever, ” is a brazen, industrial, concrete-heavy introduction; “Superhero Status, ” while generous, also accurately captures Nas’ status in hip-hop history; and a revitalized Lil Wayne delivers his best feature in years on “Never Die.”

Although it may be the most vulnerable track on the album, “Pretty Young Girl” combines some horns with kicks and snares and talks about a queen who has entered his life. This comes right before Nas shoots for a triumphal boom bap sound on “Based on True Events” so he can get on his private eye sh*t. ‘Pretty Young Girl,’ a tribute to the art form in its 50th year, taps into a period when hip-hop was in its adolescence with its slick scratching and turntable tricks. Nas also had his 50th birthday this year, and the song “Magic 3” depicts the relationship between art and the artist as closely entwined. However, they also have no qualms about avoiding clichés from the Golden Age.

The rolling trap snares in “Sitting With My Thoughts” force Nas to a different zone for his reflective bars, giving the song a chilly, synthetic atmosphere. Before “Jodeci Member” once more delves into Hit-Boy’s collection of 1970s soul records, “Blue Bentley” builds on this sound. How can he still discover unique fresh samples in this style, though? Black American creativity is still unending.

While “Sitting with My Thoughts” goes headfirst into the trap area and discusses recovering from every setback, the sequel to “Based on True Events” weaves a roomy backdrop in the fold on top of kicks and snares. While “JoDeCi Member” returns to the boom bap, telling everyone to give him a shot, “Blue Bentley” wants you to declare that his life isn’t lighted over a grandiose instrumental with some hi-hats.

While “Sitting with My Thoughts” jumps right into the trap area and talks about getting back up after every setback, the sequel to “Based on True Events 2” weaves a roomy backdrop in the fold on top of kicks and snares, popping someone at the location of a transaction once more. While “JoDeCi Member” returns to the boom bap telling everyone to try him, “Blue Bentley” pushes you to declare that his life isn’t lit over a grandiose instrumental with some hi-hats.

Conceptually, “Speechless, Pt. 2” continues where the original “Speechless” left off over two years ago. Its flute-tinged beat makes it apparent that the voice can be changed. The penultimate track, “Japanese Soul Bar,” is a 2-parter with a woozy kickstart and a luxurious switch-up drinking scotch in a bar until dawn before the drumless “1-800-Nas&Hit” ends an era by equating both trilogies to a greatest hits collection. Nevertheless, you can never read his mind. The show comes to a happy but melancholy conclusion with the tenacious “1-800-Nas&Hit.” He contextualizes hip-hop socially through his lyrics, drawing analogies to Malcolm X’s speeches. Bold statements, but he is correct – the terminology and source from which the renowned campaigner drew is also used by hip-hop.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	TIME
1	Fever	2:47
2	TSK	3:04
3	Superhero Status	2:51
4	I Love This Feeling	3:17
5	No Tears	3:11
6	Never Die (feat. Lil Wayne)	3:10
7	Pretty Young Girl	2:20
8	Based On True Events	2:44
9	Based On True Events, Pt. 2	3:14
10	Sitting With My Thoughts	3:00
11	Blue Bentley	2:35
12	Jodeci Member	2:47
13	Speechless, Pt. 2	3:05
14	Japanese Soul Bar	3:01
15	1-800-Nas&Hit	4:37

Album Summary

As “Magic 3” soars to ever-higher peaks, Nas and Hit-Boy’s last collabo may be their best work. “Magic 3” is a large, all-encompassing adventure that primarily emphasizes the advantages of the primary couple. The power of Nas’ lyricism on 15 tracks, his natural talent, and his flows remain unmatched. Hit-Boy distinguishes himself from other world-builders by skillfully combining modern concepts with the classic “Illmatic” sound and completely remaking boom-bap. The result is a sonic masterpiece that showcases Nas’ growth as an artist while staying true to his roots. The chemistry between Nas and Hit-Boy is palpable, with each track seamlessly blending their strengths to create a cohesive and captivating listening experience. “Magic 3” not only solidifies Nas’ status as one of the greatest rappers of all time but also cements Hit-Boy’s position as a visionary producer pushing the boundaries of hip-hop.

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