Nas has returned with his new album Magic 3, and it features a heavyweight collaboration with Lil Wayne that finds the rap veterans proving just why they’re considered “icons.”
Anchored by a hard-hitting, Smokey Robinson-sampling beat from Hit-Boy, the aptly-titled “Never Die” hears Esco and Weezy showcasing their age-less lyrical talents on what some fans (and even rappers) are hailing as their finest joint effort yet.
“We ain’t gon never die, icons in real time/ Why did I wait this long to let y’all in my ill mind?” Nas begins his opening verse.
The Queensbridge native then toasts to his longevity by calling himself both the “new N.Y.” and “old N.Y.,” and compares himself to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James when it comes to delivering in the clutch.
In addition to namedropping Pooh Shiesty, Malcolm X and Tom Cruise, Nas also compares himself and Wayne to a classic ’90s rap group, spitting: “The brand new Brand Nubians, N-A-S and Wayne/ Don’t threaten me with a good time, we’re here to stay.”
After a brief breather, the bars-fest continues as Lil Wayne picks up the baton and proceeds to spit a dazzling guest verse packed with slick wordplay and internal rhymes, not to mention the swagger of an almost 25-year veteran.
“Why everybody like wine? Nobody flow like mine/ I’m sonnin’ these n-ggas, got me coachin’ n-ggas like Prime/ Tongue, I never bite mine, got dough like Taekwon’/ To spend all this money, I’ma have to spend a lifetime,” he raps.
After nods to JAY-Z’s “99 Problems” and Zion Williamson’s famous appetite, the Young Money honcho brings it home by declaring: “Low credit, high crime, open mind, tight rhymes/ When they hear my lines, these rappers gotta catch up like Heinz/ Weezy and my slime Nas, ain’t nobody like us/ Like bygones, gotta let icons be icons, hi moms.”
“Lil Wayne went crazy on this Nas/Hitboy album [fire emojis],” L.A. rapper Problem tweeted shortly after the song’s release, while The Cool Kids’ Chuck Inglish wrote: “Wayne over cooked that verse for Nas. Me and @SirMichaelRocks trying to figure out if there has been a better guest verse. I’ll fight. @Hit_Bo you a diff type of n-gga dog.”
“Nas & Lil Wayne both snapped on this. Love seeing two legends come together & deliver great music,” another user gushed, while someone else compared them to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in their Los Angeles Lakers prime.
“Never Die” marks Nas and Lil Wayne’s fifth collaboration following Busta Rhymes’ “Don’t Touch Me (Remix),” Rich Boy’s “Ghetto Rich (Remix),” “My Generation” from Nas and Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives and Wayne’s Tha Carter IV outro.
The pair haven’t been shy in giving each other their flowers over the years, with Nas including Wayne in his Top 5 “new generation” rappers during an interview with REVOLT in 2016.
As for Magic 3, Esco’s latest album arrived on streaming services on Thursday night (September 14) coinciding with his 50th birthday. Lil Wayne is the sole guest feature, while the project is produced entirely by Hit-Boy, much like the rest of the series.
Magic 3 actually serves as Nas and Hit-Boy’s final album together, concluding a prolific, Grammy-winning run that has seen them release six albums together in three years — with King’s Disease being their other trilogy.
“I want to thank everyone for taking this ride with @hitboy & I. It’s been nothing short of Magical!” the Illmatic MC wrote on Instagram when announcing the album earlier this week. “Forever Grateful, Enjoy!!”
Hit-Boy added in his own Instagram post: “The final Nas and Hit-Boy album Magic 3. Just know we gave it our all. tbh we haven’t taken much time from working on music together since we linked in 2020.
“We tap in daily to work or just to chop it or every other day at least i would say.. having this type of musical bond with an artist of this caliber is a producers dream.”
He continued: “I want to thank Nas for taking in my ideas and embracing them and me. you can’t force this type of energy. i’m right here whenever forever bro!!”
Stream Magic 3 in full below:
Not bad. Not amazing. Can’t say I’m a fan of the HitBoY production, I think thats my problem. Nas is dope for sure, but his rhyme schemes kinda bore me at this point. Just been so consistently the same for so long. For those who truly love it, great for them, he has been very consistent over the years. It’s tough for me to name the last hiphop album I really loved. I enjoy PROF. At least he sounds like no one else, very different. Not knocking Nas at all, just kinda bored of the sound, maybe if the beats were different.
Stfu body that doesn’t like hit boys production on this is just a Straight hater. Just say you don’t like Nas because his greatness taste like ass for you
I agree. I think Nas is one of the greatest MCs ever, but he’s lost a lot of what made him great. His flow struggles now and he seems desperate to make the younger generation like him. Name-dropping every young pop artist he can think of. And Hit-Boy’s production sounds stiff and local. I’m glad Nas is still doing his thing, and I WANT to like these new projects of his, that’s why I listen to them every time they drop. But they all have the same flaws. The songs sound unfinished. His flows sound sloppy and unpracticed. He doesn’t really know what to rap about. He has fake confidence and it comes off as uncomfortable. This is my opinion as a Nas FAN since 1994, and a hiphop lifer, so you little fanboy new school nerds don’t get your backpack in a bunch. Peace.
I didn’t read anything you had to say. Nas is the Goat and he has a million for ever bump on your face. # dealwithit
You sound dumb right now and shows you only half listened. You still stuck in 1994 and it shows . This album is about growth and a man reaching 50. Think about that . A rapper just hit 50 and still dropping music. Just state he don’t the music I like anymore and keep it moving. You said he name dropping like he’s doing what the Game does but when you listen it’s rare he name drops. These beats sounds finished . Flows sounds great and he’s spitting. Of course he not going to sound like he did in 94 he’s 50 not 20. Putting all those words and saying nothing looking for flaws when should just enjoy the music.
Nas has some good albums, but at the end of the day he’s one of the most overrated rappers ever. Life is Good, the KD trilogy, the Magic trilogy (including this one), the album with the Marley kid, the Kanye-produced album – they’re all unlistenable. Illmatic is banger because Primo, Large Pro, Q-Tip and Pete Rock dropped beats that even Travis Scott couldn’t fuck up. But Nas choses a lot of wack beats from wack producers, with the self-confidence of a deaf man. He has no trademark sound like DMX, Wu-Tang, DOOM etc, and according to the interviews he seems to be an arrogant prick. He’s only a legend for those who still think Eminem is a rapgod, and 99 Problems was made by Jay-Z. Btw happy birthday to him.
Stfu
You stfu rob. Nas has been overhyped just because illmatic wasn’t as bad as vanilla ice.
U sound stupid
Leaving Nobu last night playing Japanese soul bar is just a different type of feel. This Man’s catalog speaks volumes. Unfortunately, they want this man to make Illmatic 10x in a roll. The same way they want Ye to make another College dropout. Nas spends his leisure on a Yacht in France. Ye is worth a billion dollars. They can never make those albums again. Michael Jackson could never make another Thriller. Appreciate the great music they put out throughout their entire careers. The level of complaining coming from some of these men speaks to their insecurities. Life is about Growth. Great album. Phenomenal production. After 4-5 listens 4.5 out of 5.
Best album of the Nas/Hit boy run imo
Nas is the greatest of all them all period! Dude is untouchable! In my eyes definitely the GOAT without all the money and fame girlfriend. Every song the guy spits has a meaning as to what we should learn. It is truly hip hop music at its best. No club records to shake that buttock with you you youngsters!
After all this time, to be this consistent and dope, is stunning. You do have to operate at a different frequency to feel this music. These albums with him and Hit have been like a journey through the past 3 decades with stories, melodies, classic samples, drums, sonics and selective guests.