Nas Remains A Lyrical Wizard But Hit-Boy Could Use Some New Tricks On ‘Magic 2’

    In a career that stretches more than 30 years, Nas has unloaded classic albums and collected platinum plaques while becoming a veritable businessman and an emblem for rap’s golden era. Just as impressively, he’s helped push the notion of aging gracefully to new levels. After releasing the pristinely lackluster Kanye West-produced album Nasir in 2018, he connected with Hit-Boy to create a series of compelling LPs that combined modernized boom bap soundscapes with a hungrier Nas, a combination that yielded some of his most inspired work over the last 20 years.

    The Queensbridge legend looks to continue that trend with Magic 2, a sequel to his second 2021 release. While spurts of drab production prevents this one from reaching the heights of any King’s Disease albums or the first Magic, it’s a snapshot of an artist who’s still retained his game shape.

    Working at its best, Magic 2 pairs competent Hit-Boy production with acrobatic flows and self-mythology that collapses the distance between block-dweller and a venerable rap elder statesman. For “Office Hours,” he turns a Dells sample into the battleground for a revolution, letting off vivid flashes of ’80s ephemera while painting a portrait of a forceful, but benevolent Godfather in a world full of Fredos. While his 50 Cent reunion for the track isn’t as grand as you’d hope — enjoyable as it was, Fif’s verse falls well-short of a full 16 — it’s a touch of yesteryear that gives off the impression of a man who’s come full circle with his own career. On “Pistols On Your Album Cover,” he pays homage to Boogie Down Productions while interpolating a famous lyric from his one-time rival Tupac Shakur for a solemn juxtaposition of the past and present. Cruising over a tranquil Hit-Boy beat, Nas serves up a poignant mosaic of day-to-day survival, broken dreams and the ironic dual tragedy that accompanies gunshots: “Single mothers on that EBT just tryna feed they seeds/Scammers and boosters livin’ nice off of EDD/CCTV, all the cameras’ll shoot ya/Soon as you let a shot off, it’ll damage your future.”

    Even-keeled and imbued with the type of perspective that can only be accrued over decades, tracks like “Office Hours” and “Pistols On Your Album Covers” are quintessential Nas; ferocious, yet regal — nostalgic, but forward-thinking. His couplets can be incisive and venomous or warm and yearning. Sometimes, he just talks his shit, as he does on “Motion,” the best song Magic 2’s got to offer. Here, he unloads a flurry of luxurious vignettes that are as show-offy as the techniques he uses to distill them; his rhymes ricochet off one another like a cueball: “The flesh a vessel, I’m not obsessed with death/I manifest what’s best, I’m ghetto tested, bless.” Combining those bars with an easy-to-remember hook and a beat that’s once eerie and exhilarating, “Motion” is one of those ones.

    Nas’ knack for sharp observations and even more lethal rhymes remains intact, but the soundscapes skew a bit too bland, with Hit-Boy using predictable samples and even more predictable ways. “Earvin Magic Johnson” feels like an end-of-semester assignment for Soul Samples: 101; “Slow It Down” sounds like a leftover 9th Wonder beat Murs and Little Brother didn’t think was good enough. “Black Magic” includes an interesting sample of Memphis rap, but it ends up playing out like a customary Nas-Hit-Boy track, which isn’t bad, but things can be a little one-note. It’s generally fine, but the collective effect is colorless, making the album feel more monotonous than it should. Musically, it’s a clear step down from King’s Disease III. The production there could be bland too, but there were splashes of surreality and brighter samples that made Nas’ words pop.

    Still, Magic 2 has a high floor as a rehashing of a proverbial tried and true formula of a Nas and Hit-Boy collaboration. It can still be magical, but you’re left with the sense that Hit could use a few new tricks.

    60 thoughts on “Nas Remains A Lyrical Wizard But Hit-Boy Could Use Some New Tricks On ‘Magic 2’

    1. The reviewer is crazy… hit boy was in his BAG… and Nas has just as much vigor as he’s ever had…. I will admit there’s better projects out of him and hit boys discography tho

      4 out of 5

    2. Not the best out of their collaborations, but way better than most of the hip hop records that have been released this year. Escobar season has returned 🙌

    3. It’s crazy that this might be the weakest of the 5 albums yet I still can’t give it less than 4/5. Nas is just too good, top 5 dead or alive.

    4. This is better than Kd2, 3 and magic1. It was the first time in a while where I wasn’t bored of Hit-Boy’s beats. Most of the time his beats all sound alike, this time there was some variety.

    5. Magic 3 is likely next from Nas and Hit. The beats on Magic 1 hit harder. Nas was more aggressive.

    6. Valid in my opinion. It’s the 4th best in a run of 5. KDI is the worst. KDII>Magic>KDIII>Magic 2>KDI

      Still my all time favorite emcee!

    7. Nas now has dropped 5 dope albums in the last 3.5 yrs. Magic 2 is dope and the only miss for me was BLACK MAGIC. He is literally runnin it back to back to back to back and NOBODY is beside him. 30 yrs in the game and he has shown his versatility in changing flows, cadences, styles and delivery and its STILL dope! Hits production has meshed Nas ill mic skills w dope.music and beats.. What they are doing is phenomenal and you critics need to catch up. If u want 90s Nas u can always rewind Illmatic, It Was Written, and I AM…Nas has grown and now a 50 yr old is outworkin and outrhymin dudes half his age. Its THAT CRAZY!

    8. Nas said before that he likes to test and stretch himself over wide ranging beats. For me the Magic series is Nas experimenting and doing what he want with beats and flows. Magic 1 is my favorite album out of everything they released so far.

    9. Great album I have been listening to it everyday since it came out. I think this is too hush of a review this a great album, I think @PETER A. BERRY’s expectations are missed placed, the standard and quality of work is still at the same level or higher. You just can’t expect KD every time. Then there’s a lack of growth. Both producer and artist should be allowed to experiment.

    10. Been on repeat all weekend. Not a classic but still top tier and better than 90% of anything out there. Giving a 5 because 4 is too low. 4.8.

    11. Nas is a great rapper, a legend.. people need to understand that every album is not going to be great and this is not it..nas gets drowned out by a few beats and sounds off with his lyrics to the type of beats he’s rapping on

    12. Nas is a great rapper, a legend.. people need to understand that every album is not going to be great and this is not it..nas gets drowned out by a few beats and sounds off with his lyrics to the type of beats he’s rapping on

    13. On repeat, production is top tier…where do they find these reviewers…no credibility in this publication.

    14. Album is mid. Anyone saying otherwise is only because they’re on Nas nuts. This album is soft and lazy. Forgettable album to say the least

    15. Album is mid. Anyone saying otherwise is only because they’re on Nas nuts. This album is soft and lazy. Forgettable album to say the least

    16. Nas and hitboy are similar to people you compliment on their shirt so they decide to wear it everyday. They had some ok music together but try something new ffs

    17. I’m conflicted. Hit-boy pulled up some great samples for this project, but simmered the beats down with his poor choice of drums.

    18. The Album is atleast – 4.7 out of 5.
      Very creative album and Nas is lyrically Sharp still..
      The Beats are very innovative and edgy..
      Overall a very Dope album 🔥🔥‼️

    19. The Album is atleast – 4.7 out of 5.
      Very creative album and Nas is lyrically Sharp still..
      The Beats are very innovative and edgy..
      Overall a very Dope album 🔥🔥‼️

    20. I understand the reviewer’s disappointment with the album. It seems that the reviewer may not have a strong understanding of Nas, New York Hip Hop, and the Golden Era. It can be valuable to have reviewers who have firsthand experience with the music they critique. They might provide a deeper perspective. It’s important to recognize that opinions on music can vary, and not everyone will have the same taste or perspective. While I may disagree with the review, it’s still worthwhile to consider different viewpoints and appreciate the diversity of opinions. Nas’ album holds significance beyond just the beats, and I find it as one of his best. To the music reviewer, keep writing music reviews while respecting the differing perspectives of people who lived in that era.

    21. I understand the reviewer’s disappointment with the album. It seems that the reviewer may not have a strong understanding of Nas, New York Hip Hop, and the Golden Era. It can be valuable to have reviewers who have firsthand experience with the music they critique. They might provide a deeper perspective. It’s important to recognize that opinions on music can vary, and not everyone will have the same taste or perspective. While I may disagree with the review, it’s still worthwhile to consider different viewpoints and appreciate the diversity of opinions. Nas’ album holds significance beyond just the beats, and I find it as one of his best. To the music reviewer, keep writing music reviews while respecting the differing perspectives of people who lived in that era.

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