Nas - Magic 2 (Discussion thread)
- Thread starter Dylmatic
- Start date
Funcrusher
All Star
There's is something off about the mix. Certain parts of the beats don't hit right, whether I'm in the car or on headphones. It's worse on headphones tho. Maybe one of the producers here can explain better.
They're scared of that phone call they might get from Mr. Roc Nation brunch.
The same closet full of merch hoodies and Ts. Plenty on vinyl and CDs. Own ever KD on vinyl but this Stationhead and streaming instruction shyt is embarrassing and unnecessary for an artist like Nas.
Best rap performance I’ve heard all year. Instant classic.
Young Scrap
Pro
I swear just for the sake of Stanning y'all cats will say anything on this site, do you realize "Stillmatic" has at least 7 all time classic Nas songs on it and you actually said KD2, 3 and Magic can definitely compete with "Stillmatic." Smfh
Stillmatic Intro
Ether
You're Da Man
Rewind
One Mic
2nd Childhood
Destroy & Rebuild
Haven't ran back the album in a while but which song specifically?
JayBaldacci
All Star
remove Destroy And Rebuild and add What Goes Around and Every Ghetto... but the 2nd 3rd and 4th albums are more consistent.
Funcrusher
All Star
Quick summary from how I experience it:
Office hours - drums
Black Magic - bass
Motion - drums
Bokeem Woodbine - drums
Magic Johnson - bass
Slow it down - both drums and bass
Pistols - both drums and bass
My issue with the drums is that they sound pasted over the track, it reminds me of the days of lower bitrate mp3s. The bass on tracks like Black Magic and Magic Johnson sounds distorted, but not intentional.
On tracks where both are an issue like Pistols on your album cover there seems to a lack of balance between the two, and especially the drums suffer for it.
It makes for an unpleasant listen, I wouldn't go as far as saying it hurts my ears but enough to not want to listen to it on headphones anymore.
Rapmastermind
Superstar
Rapmastermind's "Magic 2" Review
Intro – 3.5 MICS
Abracadabra 5 MICS
Office Hours – 4.5 MICS
Black Magic – 4 MICS
Motion – 5 MICS
Bokeem Woodbine – 4 MICS
Ervin Magic Johnson – 4 MICS
What It Really Means – 4 MICS
Slow It Down – 5 MICS
Pistols on your Album Cover – 4.5 MICS
One Mic, One Gun – 3.5 MICS
Mic Average: 4.27
NaS and Hit-Boy continue their Critically Acclaimed 5 Album Run. (6th One halfway Done?)
After several days of bumping this. I really enjoyed it. The original “Magic” is slightly better, but this isn’t that far off. I think “Magic” started off much stronger and then kind of tapered off. But this one ends much stronger than the original “Magic” to me. The intro was funny with Don Juan and the circus music, but I’ve been spoiled as NaS has rapped on every intro this era. So for the first song, I loved “Abracadabra”. The beat was tough and NaS ripped it. 50’s short verse is the only reason “Office Hours” isn’t a 5. Everything else about it is fire. And 50’s little 8 bars was still cool. No it’s not better than “Too Hot” or “Who I rep With” but I didn’t expect it to be. They sounded pretty good together too. Also lol @ “You f##kin Fredo’s, your bad for the Family”, lol.
“Motion” is a banger top to bottom, single potential too. The strings remined of “Make U Better” From Fab and “Rainy Dayz” from Raekwon. I felt “Bokeem Woodbine” and “Ervin Magic Johnson” were very solid both beat and rhymes wise. I wasn’t sure what movie he was going to reference for Bokeem. As someone who watched “Jason Lyric” back in the mid-90’s, I got it. The Magic Johnson shoutout was cool as the timing of this song and him becoming a Commanders Owner in Washington. “What It Really Means” was cool too. “Slow It Down” is vintage NaS and probably my favorite track on the album. He ended it hard with “Pistols on your Album Cover” and the KRS sample.
The 21 track, “One Mic, One Gun” was pretty good and didn’t really mess up the flow as it was a bonus cut. But it was probably my least fav though it still worked for the album. If I’m being honest, “The Tide” was much better and Hit-Boy really did good on his verse. I think it should have been added as a bonus cut too as it fits with this album perfectly as well. Considering it came out this year. But a solid 4 MICS from first listen. I’m still digesting the bars, but I feel like NaS is really having fun out here. He doesn’t care what his critics think or what people “Want” him to do. He’s going to do what he feels works for him. If NaS made an LP based off what a few fans think he wouldn’t have a career.
NaS is a true Artist. He won’t make albums based on what a particular fan wants. OG NaS fans want a certain sound. New NaS fans want a certain sound. He can’t please everyone, so he has to make music he feels works. That what an Artist does. Yes they want to please the listeners, but they also have to take the risk (As NaS artfully said). It’s easy to tell NaS what he should do, it’s harder to be there if it fails. NaS is showing us his artistic canvas through these albums. People have been trying “A&R” NaS albums for years and he never listens to you’ll, but you still try, lol. I think Hit-Boy did a remarkable job on all 5 of these albums. I’m very pleased with the whole collaboration. NaS is known to always switch it up every album. So Keeping the same producer was interesting and it worked. Hit-Boy has given NaS so many different sounds and vibes for all 5 albums.
Also I don’t agree with people saying, “He shouldn’t a named it Magic”. Wrong, this album fits the theme perfectly. Also “Magic” and “Magic 2” are the exact same length in time, so the songs are short on both albums. The titles and themes on this album keep it going as well. I don’t know why anyone was expecting some carbon copy of “Magic” because this is a sequel. It’s supposed to be a different vibe as this is Summer and the other entry was Winter. But both albums have a similar structure. “KD II” actually sounded different than “KD”. “Stillmatic” Sounded different than “ILLmatic”. “Lost Tapes 2” sounded different than “The Lost Tapes”. NaS never does sequels that sound like the previous entry. But I liked it and hope there is a “Magic 3” to finish the Trilogy. NaS is turning 50 in September and still dropping heat. We'll see where it comes in sales wise probably similar to the first "Magic". But I have zero complaints. Just appreciative we are getting this type of output this late in his career.
Abracadabra 5 MICS
Office Hours – 4.5 MICS
Black Magic – 4 MICS
Motion – 5 MICS
Bokeem Woodbine – 4 MICS
Ervin Magic Johnson – 4 MICS
What It Really Means – 4 MICS
Slow It Down – 5 MICS
Pistols on your Album Cover – 4.5 MICS
One Mic, One Gun – 3.5 MICS
Mic Average: 4.27
NaS and Hit-Boy continue their Critically Acclaimed 5 Album Run. (6th One halfway Done?)
After several days of bumping this. I really enjoyed it. The original “Magic” is slightly better, but this isn’t that far off. I think “Magic” started off much stronger and then kind of tapered off. But this one ends much stronger than the original “Magic” to me. The intro was funny with Don Juan and the circus music, but I’ve been spoiled as NaS has rapped on every intro this era. So for the first song, I loved “Abracadabra”. The beat was tough and NaS ripped it. 50’s short verse is the only reason “Office Hours” isn’t a 5. Everything else about it is fire. And 50’s little 8 bars was still cool. No it’s not better than “Too Hot” or “Who I rep With” but I didn’t expect it to be. They sounded pretty good together too. Also lol @ “You f##kin Fredo’s, your bad for the Family”, lol.
“Motion” is a banger top to bottom, single potential too. The strings remined of “Make U Better” From Fab and “Rainy Dayz” from Raekwon. I felt “Bokeem Woodbine” and “Ervin Magic Johnson” were very solid both beat and rhymes wise. I wasn’t sure what movie he was going to reference for Bokeem. As someone who watched “Jason Lyric” back in the mid-90’s, I got it. The Magic Johnson shoutout was cool as the timing of this song and him becoming a Commanders Owner in Washington. “What It Really Means” was cool too. “Slow It Down” is vintage NaS and probably my favorite track on the album. He ended it hard with “Pistols on your Album Cover” and the KRS sample.
The 21 track, “One Mic, One Gun” was pretty good and didn’t really mess up the flow as it was a bonus cut. But it was probably my least fav though it still worked for the album. If I’m being honest, “The Tide” was much better and Hit-Boy really did good on his verse. I think it should have been added as a bonus cut too as it fits with this album perfectly as well. Considering it came out this year. But a solid 4 MICS from first listen. I’m still digesting the bars, but I feel like NaS is really having fun out here. He doesn’t care what his critics think or what people “Want” him to do. He’s going to do what he feels works for him. If NaS made an LP based off what a few fans think he wouldn’t have a career.
NaS is a true Artist. He won’t make albums based on what a particular fan wants. OG NaS fans want a certain sound. New NaS fans want a certain sound. He can’t please everyone, so he has to make music he feels works. That what an Artist does. Yes they want to please the listeners, but they also have to take the risk (As NaS artfully said). It’s easy to tell NaS what he should do, it’s harder to be there if it fails. NaS is showing us his artistic canvas through these albums. People have been trying “A&R” NaS albums for years and he never listens to you’ll, but you still try, lol. I think Hit-Boy did a remarkable job on all 5 of these albums. I’m very pleased with the whole collaboration. NaS is known to always switch it up every album. So Keeping the same producer was interesting and it worked. Hit-Boy has given NaS so many different sounds and vibes for all 5 albums.
Also I don’t agree with people saying, “He shouldn’t a named it Magic”. Wrong, this album fits the theme perfectly. Also “Magic” and “Magic 2” are the exact same length in time, so the songs are short on both albums. The titles and themes on this album keep it going as well. I don’t know why anyone was expecting some carbon copy of “Magic” because this is a sequel. It’s supposed to be a different vibe as this is Summer and the other entry was Winter. But both albums have a similar structure. “KD II” actually sounded different than “KD”. “Stillmatic” Sounded different than “ILLmatic”. “Lost Tapes 2” sounded different than “The Lost Tapes”. NaS never does sequels that sound like the previous entry. But I liked it and hope there is a “Magic 3” to finish the Trilogy. NaS is turning 50 in September and still dropping heat. We'll see where it comes in sales wise probably similar to the first "Magic". But I have zero complaints. Just appreciative we are getting this type of output this late in his career.
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It's a great song.
Ok. So I listened to this again all the way. This might be the most straight through listening album this year. I love the Ransom Album but there are songs with features on there I'm skipping. This I don't feel the need to.
Nothing is Original!!!