Magic is the fourteenth studio album by American rapper Nas. It was released on December 24, 2021, through Mass Appeal Records. It serves as the third consecutive Nas album that is produced by Hit-Boy, following King's Disease and King's Disease II.[1] The album features guest appearances from ASAP Rocky and DJ Premier.[2]
| Magic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 24, 2021 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 29:16 | |||
| Label | Mass Appeal | |||
| Producer |
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| Nas chronology | ||||
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Background edit
On December 23, 2021, Nas announced the album, revealing the title, artwork, and tracklist.[3][4] On the song "Ugly", Nas confirmed the third installment of King's Disease, saying "KD3 on the way, this just to feed the buzz."[5]
Critical reception edit
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 78/100[6] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| Clash | 9/10[8] |
| HipHopDX | 4.3/5[9] |
| Pitchfork | 6.8/10[10] |
| Exclaim! | 9/10[11] |
| Beats Per Minute | 87%[12] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 78, based on eight reviews, indicating widespread acclaim.
In the review for AllMusic, Fred Thomas felt that "The nine-track album Magic is cut from a similar cloth as the King's Disease installments that preceded it but works as more of a stopgap release to tide over listeners as King's Disease III is being finalized. Hit-Boy's thick, straightforward, and somewhat retro-stylized production again offers as much of a voice here as Nas' fluid rhyming and wizened lyricism."[7] Concluding the review for HipHopDX, Riley Wallace wrote, "despite how direct the lyricism is, it plays like two friends riffing in the studio and building off each other's energy; listeners can hear how much Nas loves what he's doing. The fact Hip Hop fans are getting appetizers of this caliber to hold us over until an inevitable third entry in the series is, in itself, Magic."[9] Reviewing the album for Clash, Niall Smith declared that, "On 'Magic', Nas seems as tuned into the culture as ever before, fulfilling his prophecy as rap leading lyricist, almost as if he's ushering in a new prime of his career. In the years to come, the 'King's Disease' era ('Magic' in particular) will likely be ranked among the upper echelons of Nas' discography. With a solid foundation of beats, introspective lyricism, and a sharp pen at his disposal, Nas might be the only rapper to have two releases in the best albums of the 2021 conversation. Magic."[8]
Pete Tosiello was more critical in his review for Pitchfork, claiming that "You could knock Magic for being backward-facing, but then again, all of Nas's music is backward-facing. It's charming when he revisits his own gospels, but the nostalgia act would be easier to swallow if it weren't so resentful."[10]
The track "Wave Gods," featuring A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier, garnered widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike. Praised for its seamless fusion of the distinct styles of both acclaimed rappers Rocky and Nas, the song captivated audiences with its dynamic blend of lyricism and production. Rocky's and Nas's collaborative efforts on "Wave Gods" showcased their unparalleled talent and versatility, further solidifying their status as influential figures in the hip-hop industry.
Commercial performance edit
Magic debuted at number 27 on the US Billboard 200 with 22,000 album-equivalent units.[13]
Track listing edit
All tracks written by Nasir Jones and Chauncey Hollis (Hit-Boy) and produced by Hit-Boy, except as noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Speechless" | 3:06 | ||
| 2. | "Meet Joe Black" | 2:51 | ||
| 3. | "Ugly" |
|
| 3:18 |
| 4. | "40-16 Building" | 2:55 | ||
| 5. | "Hollywood Gangsta" | 3:15 | ||
| 6. | "Wu for the Children" | 3:18 | ||
| 7. | "Wave Gods" (with ASAP Rocky and DJ Premier) |
| 3:10 | |
| 8. | "The Truth" | 3:27 | ||
| 9. | "Dedicated" | 3:52 | ||
| Total length: | 29:16 | |||
Charts edit
| Chart (2021–2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14] | 173 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[15] | 58 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 34 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[17] | 18 |
| UK R&B Albums (OCC)[18] | 5 |
| US Billboard 200[19] | 27 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[20] | 11 |
References edit
- ^ Saponara, Michael (December 23, 2021). "Nas & Hit-Boy Announce New Album 'Magic' Featuring A$AP Rocky & DJ Premier". HipHopDX.
- ^ "Nas Announces Surprise Project 'Magic' With Hit-Boy f/ ASAP Rocky and DJ Premier". Complex.
- ^ Daly, Rhian (December 23, 2021). "Nas announces new album 'Magic' arriving tonight". NME.
- ^ "Nas to Drop 'Magic' Project Tonight". Rap-Up.
- ^ Walker, Joe (December 24, 2021). "Nas & Hit-Boy Confirm 'King's Disease 3' Is on the Way". HipHopDX.
- ^ "Magic by Nas Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ a b Thomas, Fred (December 24, 2021). "Nas - Magic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ a b Smith, Niall (January 12, 2022). "Nas: Magic Album Review". Clash. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Wallace, Riley (January 12, 2022). "Nas: Magic Album Review". HipHopDX. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ a b Tosiello, Pete (January 12, 2022). "Nas: Magic Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ Alavo, Samuel Mauffette (January 4, 2022). "Nas Deepens His Legacy by Making 'Magic'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ McMullen, Chase (January 10, 2022). "ALBUM REVIEW: NAS – MAGIC". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ Blake, Cole (January 3, 2022). "Nas & Hit-Boy's 1st Week Sales For "Magic" Are Here". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Nas – Magic" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ "Nas Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Nas – Magic". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
- ^ "Nas Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "Nas Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2022.