Magic 3

Artist- Nasir "Nas" Jones

Album- Magic 3

A Review By Brian Salkowski

The album's enormous strength is demonstrated by the highlights on “Magic 3.” The album's first track, “Fever, ” is a brazen, industrial, concrete-heavy introduction; “Superhero Status, ” while generous, also accurately captures Nas' status in hip-hop history; and a revitalized Lil Wayne delivers his best feature in years on “Never Die.”

Although it may be the most vulnerable track on the album, “Pretty Young Girl” combines some horns with kicks and snares and talks about a queen who has entered his life. This comes right before Nas shoots for a triumphal boom bap sound on “Based on True Events” so he can get on his private eye sh*t. ‘Pretty Young Girl,' a tribute to the art form in its 50th year, taps into a period when hip-hop was in its adolescence with its slick scratching and turntable tricks. Nas also had his 50th birthday this year, and the song “Magic 3” depicts the relationship between art and the artist as closely entwined. However, they also have no qualms about avoiding clichés from the Golden Age.

The rolling trap snares in “Sitting With My Thoughts” force Nas to a different zone for his reflective bars, giving the song a chilly, synthetic atmosphere. Its one of my favorites. Nas delivers wisdom and reflects on his life and to question one's own mortality. Its an immersive word fest.

“Jodeci Member” once more delves into Hit-Boy's collection of 1970s soul records, “Blue Bentley” builds on this sound. How can he still discover unique fresh samples in this style, though? Black American creativity is still unending.

While “Sitting with My Thoughts” goes headfirst into the trap area and discusses recovering from every setback, the sequel to “Based on True Events” weaves a roomy backdrop in the fold on top of kicks and snares. While “JoDeCi Member” returns to the boom bap, telling everyone to give him a shot, “Blue Bentley” wants you to declare that his life isn't lighted over a grandiose instrumental with some hi-hats.

Conceptually, “Speechless, Pt. 2” continues where the original “Speechless” left off over two years ago. Its flute-tinged beat makes it apparent that the voice can be changed. The penultimate track, “Japanese Soul Bar,” is a 2-parter with a woozy kickstart and a luxurious switch-up drinking scotch in a bar until dawn before the drumless “1-800-Nas&Hit” ends an era by equating both trilogies to a greatest hits collection. Nevertheless, you can never read his mind. The show comes to a happy but melancholy conclusion with the tenacious “1-800-Nas&Hit.” He contextualizes hip-hop socially through his lyrics, drawing analogies to Malcolm x's speeches. Bold statements, but he is correct – the terminology and source from which the renowned campaigner drew is also used by hip-hop.

This album I was very skeptikal about at first. He released it so quickly after KD3. Any reservations I had were eradicated immediately. “Magic 3” is a large, all-encompassing adventure that primarily emphasizes the advantages of the primary couple. The power of Nas' lyricism on 15 tracks, his natural talent, and his flows remain unmatched. Hit-Boy distinguishes himself from other world-builders by skillfully combining modern concepts with the classic “Illmatic” sound and completely remaking boom-bap. The result is a sonic masterpiece that showcases Nas' growth as an artist while staying true to his roots. The chemistry between Nas and Hit-Boy is palpable, with each track seamlessly blending their strengths to create a cohesive and captivating listening experience. “Magic 3” not only solidifies Nas' status as one of the greatest rappers of all time but also cements Hit-Boy's position as a visionary producer pushing the boundaries of hip-hop.