Nas Magic Album Review

Nas has given us a present this holiday season with his second release of 2021, “Magic”. This 9-track outing is very simple, it relies on up-tempo beats and pared-down verses but also genius because it’s the formula in which Nas shines best. Imagine pouring your favorite Nas albums into a coffee press and as you press the plunger down, you see cuts like “Summer on Smash”, “Like Me”, the whole “NASIR” album filtered out. The resulting Coffee would be the perfect analogy for Nas Magic.

Nas Magic Album Analysis (3 Random Songs)

Speechless

What makes Speechless such an excellent opening track is the pompous instrumentation backing Nas’ flow. During the verse, the kick, snare, and hi-hat form a very assertive, pompous, and laid-back foundation that is complemented by a very ominous yet minimal string, bass, and keys arrangement. The closed hi-hat is used very sparingly in between the kick and snare which gives the track it’s laid-back feel, the open hi-hat that hits at the “4 and” every second measure of the loop gives the beat it’s swag. 

During the hook, the kick takes a brief intermission before rejoining the composition with a running hi-hat and bass line that gives the track a more upright feel for the remainder of the hook. In typical Nas fashion, he blesses the track with a procession of skillful bars that delight even when they do not combine to drive an overall narrative. 

Dedicated

Nas and Hit Boy give us a dose of summer nostalgia with the smooth 90’s era feel of Dedicated. The RnB style vocal sample paired with the crisp drums gives a modern take on the sped-up sample which many Nas traditionalists should find appetizing. Nas doesn’t disappoint with his bars either. He spits about his ambitious pursuits, his priorities, and in true Nas form effortlessly weaves guidance and education to the young and old alike. One excerpt demonstrates why Nas is such a stalwart in Black art:  

“People ask me what books to read

Destruction of Black Civilization, that’s history

Journal of Chris Columbus

That’s what interests me”

Nas – Dedicated

Lines such as the above separate Nas from other MCs. He seamlessly goes beyond worldly exploits and provide listeners with “chicken soup for the soul”. That’s not to say that other MC’s are incapable of doing such, it’s just that Nas does it while being able to engage and entertain simultaneously. 

But the warm 1990’s vibe is short lived as around the 2:00 mark the track descends into a dark funereal boom-bap face-scrunching lyrical showcase. Nas complements the vibe with a grimey flow that gives a bittersweet ending that keeps you playing the song over and over.

Make sure you read Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams!

Hollywood Gangsta

Life is Good was Nas’ transition from grimey street poet to wise “grown man” MC and Hollywood Gangsta continues this proud tradition. Nas begins the track by painting the picture of single parent households raising children who grow up (in Nas’ words):

“Holdin’ sticks without a hockey puck”

Nas – Hollywood Gangsta

He uses this trife life sculpture to provide contrast to his current life of opulence. At first listen, it sounds like Nas has traded in his Ox Tail for Caviar, but he puts that to rest in the same verse with the bar:

“I put the real in real nigga that’s on my momma though”

Nas – Hollywood gangsta

After Nas sets the scene of hood dysfunction vs. growth and opulence, he gets to the main point of the track which is:

“Hollywood Gangsta, goons with ’em everywhere

I’m the opposite, smooth not spreading fear”

Nas – Hollywood Gangsta

This is Nas once again showing contrast between hood dysfunctions and his life of opulence. While others seek to intimidate with large entourages, Nas stays low key as it better suits his lifestyle of private planes, chopper rides, and eating at fancy restaurants with attractive women.  

In Hollywood Gangsta, Nas seems to display the same internal struggle we all face when experience and maturity begin to pull us away from hood dysfunction. We feel the constant need to assert ourselves as authentic. This is evident in the following lines: 

” I seen both ends of the ladder, ain’t see no silver platter”

“Silver spoons never fed Nasir I’m on top and I surprise em”

“I put New in New York, I’m Home

All of the watches stay on Eastern time zone”

“Esco relaxed in the hood ain’t come with a shooter”

Nas – Hollywood Gangsta

This is Nas’ way of informing the listener that he too is a product of the life he now uses as a baseline for his growth. 

Score

Life Factor (Out of 6 Points)

The Life Factor score pairs the album to common moments in life to give listeners a view of when the album is most appropriate.

This is an album that is perfect for when you’re on the go. There are a few tracks that you can listen to when sedentary, but they can be distracting if the environment calls for you to focus e.g. work or school.

Skill Factor (Out of 6 Points)

Instrumentation 6

Beats are perfect for Nas. No experimental beats like Summer on Smash or the entirety of NASIR. 

Lyrics 5

All tracks are lyrically sound but more themed and story-based tracks are needed e.g. “I Gave You Power”, “Rewind”, “Black Girl Lost”. Nas’ last 3 works have relied too much on a procession of random bars with minimal narrative connection. 

Flows 5

At certain points Nas’ flow is off-beat which is common for Nas when attempting to fit too many words in a bar. 

Summary

This album is proof that in his late 40’s Nas still has some of his best years ahead of him. It’s also proof that NASIR was nothing more than a minor relapse in Nas’ lifelong addiction to mediocre beats. While we are thoroughly impressed with this album, we know that Nas has more to give. We would like to see Nas include more narrative-driven songs instead of relying on random bars tangentially related to the hook. 

If you haven’t, you need to give Nas his flowers. While many great MCs have diminished lyrically over the years, Nas has kept his skill in tip top shape. He has also managed to consistently weave a thread of Black consciousness and empowerment in all his music which is rare in an industry full of marionettes. 

“KD3 on the way, this just to feed the buzz”

We give Nas – Magic, 5 out of 6ZEROS.

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