Photo by Marcela Laskoski on Unsplash
The music world is abuzz as the celebrated rapper Nas returns with an exciting sequel to his 2021 release, ‘Magic.’ The brand-new album, ‘Magic 2‘, is a testament to the enduring creative partnership between Nas and Grammy-winning superproducer, Hit-Boy.
The highly anticipated ‘Magic 2‘ spans a total of 11 tracks, showcasing Nas’s lyrical prowess and Hit-Boy’s stellar production. The album features guest appearances from acclaimed artists including the renowned 50 Cent and 21 Savage. They lend their talents to the tracks “Office Hours” and “One Mic, One Gun,” respectively.
The tracklist also includes nods to Emmy nominee Bokeem Woodbine (known for his roles in ‘Fargo’ and ‘Wu-Tang: An American Saga’) and NBA legend Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, further adding to the album’s eclectic appeal.
Interestingly, the collaboration with 21 Savage comes following a period of controversy. The ‘Her Loss’ MC had previously sparked debate by suggesting Nas was “not relevant.” However, this collaboration proves that art can transcend disputes. 21 Savage raps “when you turn a legend, no such thing as relevance” on their joint track, indicating a newfound respect for Nas’s legacy.
In a post on Instagram, Nas expressed his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “Excited to collaborate with my young brother and I hope more artists use turbulent moments and turn them into a time to make new art.”
The fruitful partnership between Nas and Hit-Boy has yielded an impressive five albums to date. In an Instagram post shortly before the release of ‘Magic 2‘, Hit-Boy shared a studio clip of the pair laughing about their prolific output.
“I ain’t thought Hit even wanna work in 2019,” Nas confessed with a smile. To which Hit-Boy responded, “Why I feel like we just getting going?”
The December 2021 release ‘Magic’ was the third consecutive Nas project that Hit-Boy produced. This followed the successful releases of ‘King’s Disease’ in August 2020 and ‘King’s Disease II’ in August 2021.
Nas’s previous album, ‘Magic,’ debuted at No. 27 on the Billboard 200, collecting a commendable 22,000 album-equivalent units. This was an impressive feat considering the album consists of only nine tracks and features guest appearances from ASAP Rocky and DJ Premier.
His latest release, ‘Magic 2‘, follows closely on the heels of ‘King’s Disease III,’ which debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. This success gave Nas his 15th top 10 album, tying him with longtime rival-turned-collaborator Jay-Z.
In the lead-up to the release of ‘Magic 2‘, Nas teased his fans with a series of intriguing Instagram posts. The first post featured a video of rainfall and thunderstorms with Nas’ logo appearing amidst a cloudy backdrop, while the second post showed a vintage clip of magician Houdini performing an escape trick.
Finally, Nas revealed the release date and cover art for ‘Magic 2‘. The artwork cleverly juxtaposes Nas’s younger and older selves, both sporting a pair of headphones, symbolizing his enduring presence in the music industry.
Nas’s latest release, ‘Magic 2‘, is yet another testament to his enduring legacy and the creative synergy he shares with Hit-Boy. As fans around the world tune in to experience the ‘magic,’ one thing is clear: Nas is far from irrelevant; he continues to be a driving force in the music industry.
