Maps of Music
Magic 2 (2023)
Where the lyrics of Magic 2 take you, and where it was really made.
Nas announced this sequel to his 2021 album Magic after almost a week of Instagram teasing, and 50 Cent revealed his own feature on the same platform.
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Overview
- Magic 2: sixteenth studio album by American rapper Nas
- Released 21 July 2023 through Mass Appeal Records
- Sequel to Nas's 2021 album Magic
- Fifth consecutive Nas album produced by Hit-Boy, following the King's Disease trilogy
- Guest appearances from 50 Cent and 21 Savage
- All tracks written by Nasir Jones and Chauncey Hollis (Hit-Boy) and produced by Hollis
- CD version release date 24 November 2023, according to Discogs
Background
- Nas teased the album on Instagram for almost a week before announcing it on 18 July 2023
- The announcement revealed the title and artwork
- 50 Cent used Instagram to reveal that he would feature on the track "Office Hours"
- The album continues the Magic name and the producer partnership from the King's Disease trilogy
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · fr.wikipedia.org
Tracklist
| 1 | Intro | 0:40 |
| 2 | Abracadabra | 2:47 |
| 3 | Office Hours | 3:52 |
| 4 | Black Magic | 2:36 |
| 5 | Motion | 2:53 |
| 6 | Bokeem Woodbine | 3:00 |
| 7 | Earvin Magic Johnson | 3:28 |
| 8 | What This All Really Means | 3:00 |
| 9 | Slow It Down | 3:31 |
| 10 | Pistols on Your Album Cover | 3:23 |
| 11 | One Mic, One Gun | 2:49 |
Sources: musicbrainz.org
Artist
Formation
- Born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones on September 14, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City; raised in the Queensbridge Houses, Queens.
- Son of jazz and blues musician Olu Dara; began as "Nasty Nas" in 1989 and recorded demos under Large Professor.
- Made his recording debut on Main Source's 1991 song "Live at the Barbeque"; signed with Columbia Records in 1992.
Career
- Debut album Illmatic (April 19, 1994) is regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums; selected for the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
- It Was Written (1996) debuted atop the Billboard 200; single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" featuring Lauryn Hill brought mainstream success.
- Feud with Jay-Z (2001–2005) via the diss track "Ether"; Stillmatic and God's Son helped restore his critical standing.
- Released Hip Hop Is Dead (2006) and Distant Relatives (2010) with Damian Marley, whose royalties went to African charities.
- King's Disease (2020) won his first Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
- Released King's Disease II, Magic, King's Disease III, Magic 2 and Magic 3, all produced by Hit-Boy.
- Announced Light-Years with DJ Premier, a 2025 collaborative album.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Metacritic: average score 71 out of 100 from seven professional reviews, "generally favorable reviews"
- Clash's Robin Murray called the album a bravura feast of word play, combined with some of the most effective beats of Nas's career
- Clash found that Nas carries the energy of his 90s recordings into a fresh era
- Pitchfork's Dylan Green described it as a low-stakes mid-career rap album that shows a genre icon is still in decent shape
- Pitchfork wrote that some lines feel forced, as if read from browser tabs during the recording
- AllMusic's Paul Simpson wrote that not every track is this strong, but moments such as "One Mic, One Gun" can compete with the best of the King's Disease material
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- The Discogs release notes mark track 11 as a bonus track.
- "Office Hours" samples The Dells' "I Can Sing a Rainbow/Love Is Blue".
- "Abracadabra" contains part of a 2018 Radio Rahim interview with Deontay Wilder.
Sources: fr.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com