Nas - Magic 2 (Discussion thread)

[Jamaro85]

Breh it literally took me YEARS to even half way figure the shyt out. Its the most asinine system ever.

Back during when KD2 was released Nas was number 1 on both iTunes AND Apple Music for pretty much the whole week but came in at number 3 on Billboard. Thats when I was kinda over the whole charade.

Yes, Pure sales count “lower” than Streams, and not all streams are created equal. If you have the free version it counts less than the premium paid versions. YouTube views count less as well. And on websites Physical sales don’t count UNTIL they actually ship and with the demand for CD/Vinyl outpacing the pressing factory availability, an independent artist like Nas isn’t going to trump millions upon millions of demand for say a Taylor Swift or Harry Styles physicals.

The game is all fukked up out here. But again, if you purchased the album with your hard earned money, then you DID support and nobody can take that away. I always buy via iTunes and then buy physicals on the website. I’ve also purchased multiple digital copies from the Nas website.

This go round I tuned into the streaming party because I had time, this was a good month for Nas to release music for ME personally because I haven’t been too busy. And like I said earlier the plug provides valuable info. I’m going to try to tune in on Thursday night too because David Kim (Engineer for all of the Magic and KD albums) will be on answering questions. So that will be informative.

But again not EVERY fan has the luxury of time.

Streaming has messed the game up man. A casual Nas fan might give the album even say 5-6 spins, 11 tracks, not approaching the realm of a sale. But in another time they may have bought the album, even if only for a few listens.

Obviously everybody suffers from this new age reality, but being independent obviously hurts without a machine pushing you in multiple avenues/channels. And some speculate about the streaming farms, which seem like something labels would utilize if the cost was worth the return. I'm not saying Nas would do monster numbers if streaming weren't here, but I feel like he's the type of artist that is hurt the most from this new era. Clearly still has plenty of fans who come to the shows, unfortunately the availability of streaming prevents a lot of them from buying the album.

 

[Prolific_1011]

 

[prophecypro]

Someone mentioned that streaming means more to sales than an actual sale, and I don't understand it at all. I bought the album digitally, I gave him an album sale. I have tried to leave it streaming on Spotify when I'm not busy, but I would have to stream 1500 track plays before I register a sale. I don't understand why you wouldn't encourage people to actually buy the album instead of wasting time racking up a bunch of streams that hardly amount to anything.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but unless you are reaching critical mass commercially you aren't going to get much out of streaming numbers.

Fwiw it’s doing well on Spotify’s global album charts

Was #3 in the UK
#5 global
And I think it was like 2 in the US one

 

[Goat poster]

Nas says "I'm from the hood that started the yeer"

I coulda swore that was some uptown/Bronx shyt.

 

[spliz]

Someone mentioned that streaming means more to sales than an actual sale, and I don't understand it at all. I bought the album digitally, I gave him an album sale. I have tried to leave it streaming on Spotify when I'm not busy, but I would have to stream 1500 track plays before I register a sale. I don't understand why you wouldn't encourage people to actually buy the album instead of wasting time racking up a bunch of streams that hardly amount to anything.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but unless you are reaching critical mass commercially you aren't going to get much out of streaming numbers.

Bottom line is if u wanna support by purchasing an album. Do it. All that other shyt for the birds. I always purchase AND stream an album from an artist I like. If u know ur not the streaming type. It’s best to purchase the album. Anyone telling u different is an idiot.

 

[spliz]

Nas says "I'm from the hood that started the yeer"

I coulda swore that was some uptown/Bronx shyt.

Yurr

 

[kes929]

You know I don’t get the impression, that Nas himself is particularly fed up with his current station in the rap game. Not like he was on say, Stillmatic or even heavily annoyed like say Hip Hop Is Dead. I think he’s just explaining and cleaning up certain narratives that have kind of been allowed to run unchecked all of these years. The I Am bars directly address one of his most controversial periods where he was called everything from a sell out to uninspired, lazy, etc. He’s letting us know that he DID put a lot of hard work into the double album concept and that its dismantling bothered him.

Its the same thing, on a smaller scale, that he did with Death Row East. Same thing with Wu For The Children. All of these songs address questions or criticisms that have followed him throughout his career. I take this round of projects, amongst other things, as a way of setting the record straight.

That’s a good point

 

[kes929]

The streaming game has messed things up. The music has been phenomenal but he won’t get his numbers unless he goes out his way to get major features on every project moving forward. That’s very unfortunate but that’s how it’s feeling.

 

[spliz]

The streaming game has messed things up. The music has been phenomenal but he won’t get his numbers unless he goes out his way to get major features on every project moving forward. That’s very unfortunate but that’s how it’s feeling.

It’s simple. But they was shytting on people for saying it. Son is independent. If he wants more streams. They gotta work harder on promo on THEIR end. Not come at the core die hard fans. Cause to be honest. It takes FAR more than them to sell records especially in this era. Son gotta be strategic with his feature choices. His singles. His music videos. His interviews. Etc etc. if he wanna sell records. Especially in this era.

 

[Ziggiy]

The streaming game has messed things up. The music has been phenomenal but he won’t get his numbers unless he goes out his way to get major features on every project moving forward. That’s very unfortunate but that’s how it’s feeling.

It’s simple. But they was shytting on people for saying it. Son is independent. If he wants more streams. They gotta work harder on promo on THEIR end. Not come at the core die hard fans. Cause to be honest. It takes FAR more than them to sell records especially in this era. Son gotta be strategic with his feature choices. His singles. His music videos. His interviews. Etc etc. if he wanna sell records. Especially in this era.

“Man, I would love to work with both of them,” Metro said when asked where a Nas or Hov feature ranks for him. “I have this long list written out of all the people I would love working with. Working with Nas on the Spider-Verse, was the first time I got to do something with him. My mom loved him and used to play his songs all the time. So, I used to go out and buy his albums when I was young.”

Metro Boomin Lists Jadakiss Among His Dream Collabs After Landing Nas For 'Spider-Verse'

Metro Boomin opened up about who his dream collaborations would be and put both Jadakiss and Nas on his list, the latter of whom he got to work with recently.

hiphopdx.com

Nas has so much respect amongst the youth DUE TO his older fanbase. Metro’s mom basically made him a Nas fan. Durk, Don Tollivor, BLXST, most of the young artists Nas has worked with have gone out of their way to say how much of an honor it is to work with him. His feature game on both KD1 and KD2 was genius, not JUST for the commercial aspect, but also because they felt like natural collaborations. While Swizz based productions and collabs like Summer On Smash come off a tad bit forced, YKTV and Replace Me sound organic.

Nas Morales and Replace Me are amongst the most streamed joints from this current era of Nas career. Of course i’d never suggest that Nas force himself to do ANYTHING he doesn’t want. But Replace Me should have gotten a little bit more push. The video was dope, why not a do a Kings Disease themed Tiny Desk? Bring Tollivor and Big Sean on to perform, it would do numbers and add legs to the album. Do that Colors program with Lauryn Hill. Do a Drink Champs interview alongside Hit Boy.

These would all exponentially increase attention to the albums, which would increase streams

 

[Primetime21]

The streaming game has messed things up. The music has been phenomenal but he won’t get his numbers unless he goes out his way to get major features on every project moving forward. That’s very unfortunate but that’s how it’s feeling.

It’s simple. But they was shytting on people for saying it. Son is independent. If he wants more streams. They gotta work harder on promo on THEIR end. Not come at the core die hard fans. Cause to be honest. It takes FAR more than them to sell records especially in this era. Son gotta be strategic with his feature choices. His singles. His music videos. His interviews. Etc etc. if he wanna sell records. Especially in this era.

I agree with both of you. There’s too much finger pointing at fans when really they need to evaluate their marketing approach. Like Ziggy said, he had time for the streaming parties this go round - most people do not. Relying on fans to turn up for that kind of stuff is an exercise in futility and it shows the marketing team doesn’t understand the behavior of their core consumers.

The majority of fans just want to enjoy music organically, they will purchase, they will stream at the gym, in the car, etc. but they aren’t sleeping with playlists on, they arent playing 35 secs of a song and skipping to try to game the system and count more streams. Instead of accepting that and changing their approach (like strategic features to bring in a wider audience, more promo) they continue to say Nas fans dont know how to stream. Im changing that narrative to Nas’ team doesn’t know how to market. I remember before HHID or Untitled release Def Jam brought Nas on video for a 30 min Q&A with fans, a cool little engagement that brought more excitement to the release. That’s marketing, and its also the type of thing this team doesn’t think to do.

 

[Young Scrap]

Dude you're in a thread where Motion has been called the best n worst song on the album. So what does that tell you.....

Some of you like using Stan to discredit n devalue opinions . Only sports n politics has definite scores.

Somebody can feel just as strongly as you in the opposite direction. It doesn't mean that their vision is clouded by Nas penis.

Trying to act like Nas is currently dropping projects on the level with some of his Greatest Albums is Stanning, just be honest about the s**t, they solid projects but relax comparing these albums to "Stillmatic"

 

[Pop123]

So much depends on how an album starts…your album can be top-heavy as shyt and get praise even if the bottom is light …that’s far better than it being bottom-heavy with a light beginning.

I think that may be why some of the dissidents feel how they feel about the album. I love “Office Hours” but tracks 1-4 are arguably skippable, some people will just stop listening based off that…or just stamp the whole album as ehh because of it. From Track 5 til the end is strong for the most part. Sequencing matters a whole lot when putting together an album man.

Intro
Abracadabra
Black Magic
Bokeem
Earvin
What this all…
21 Savage joint

I don’t ever need or necessarily want to revisit any of these, . Album like a 75 to me now after running thru it madd more times. I think it’s what I originally gave it, a C+. Next one is gonna be insane I think.

 

[kes929]

I really don’t know the music business and how features go about with budgets I play etc… but imagine if Nas got drake Abracadabra and J Cole on Motion. Both songs I think fit each artist perfectly. That would drastically change the streams. I know it is the music business but I wonder if Nas went to cole and drake, would they even charge him? Maybe they would but it’s just a thought.

 

[kes929]

So much depends on how an album starts…your album can be top-heavy as shyt and get praise even if the bottom is light …that’s far better than it being bottom-heavy with a light beginning.

I think that may be why some of the dissidents feel how they feel about the album. I love “Office Hours” but tracks 1-5 are arguably skippable, some people will just stop listening based off that…or just stamp the whole album as ehh because of it. From Track 6 til the end is strong for the most part. Sequencing matters a whole lot when putting together an album man.

We differ on those first 5 tracks. I think all those tracks are dope, but I know how Nas fan base is when he steps out of that box.