Nas releases albums faster than his shadow. If Magic 3 is called that, it’s because there was Magic before (2021), then Magic 2 (earlier this year). Another trilogy concluded last year, that of King’s Disease (2020, 2021 and 2022). In short, that’s now six albums in three years for Nas.
The good thing is that the New Yorker does not lose his status by adding these new works to his already well-stocked discography. He only solidifies his dominance (not everything he’s done is great, but most of his work is strong) as one of rap’s best storytellers.
This three-year epic was possible thanks to the collaboration between Nas and the beatmaker Hit-Boy (Beyoncé, Travis Scott, Lil Wayne). The latter announced that Magic 3 would be the last of their albums together. So much the better. We believe that you have to know how to stop at the right time.
On Magic 3, Hit-Boy brings boom bap, soul, funk. The sampling allows for old school vocal patterns that accompany Nas’ rapping wonderfully. The pieces TSK, Superhero Status, Sitting With My Thoughts (a prayer for OGs and young bosses) are some of our favorites, each presenting a different energy, but each time reaching the heart of the target. The only collaboration on the record, Never Die, with Lil Wayne, is also successful.
Nas’ rap remains firmly anchored in another era, without avoiding modernization at all costs. At 50, he participated in a golden age to which we will surely never return, but which he manages to perpetuate in a certain way, maintaining a relevant presence (he is not the only one, of course !).
The East Coast rapper’s proposal is not necessarily refreshing, we don’t learn anything new, but it is a lesson in efficiency and longevity. By doing more with less, Nas delivers rap that doesn’t rely on busy productions to back it up. The productions are repetitive, sometimes tending a little towards ease, but the rapper evolves his stories with an impeccable flow.
If the collaboration with Hit-Boy ends here, we hope to see Nas continue his path.
