Nas - Magic 2 (Discussion thread)

[pez]

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.

It's weird. But I think most people stream (I do) and your measure of relevancy is streaming. With that said. I never streamed any single album more like like 100 times so I never registered a sale to anyone. And I listen to music all the time. LOL.

 

[Knucklehead]

With very few exceptions if the 15-24 demographic isn’t interested your music isn’t gonna chart.
Nas is older than most of these peoples parents. They don’t care.
You can sit there streaming all day and empty your bank account buying physicals and it won’t make a difference

 

[pez]

With very few exceptions if the 15-24 demographic isn’t interested your music isn’t gonna chart.
Nas is older than most of these peoples parents. They don’t care.
You can sit there streaming all day and empty your bank account buying physicals and it won’t make a difference

Exactly. Don't even worry about the numbers. There are other metrics that making this a successful project for Nas and Hit. I don't know it but I seen Hitboy get a box of gold bars for KD3 and I seen Hit's house in the Big Hit music video. He's doing good.

 

[InstantKlassik]

These dudes bumped into the GAWD in traffic and fanned out

That EARVIN MAGIC is stoopid

 

[Ziggiy]

It's weird. But I think most people stream (I do) and your measure of relevancy is streaming. With that said. I never streamed any single album more like like 100 times so I never registered a sale to anyone. And I listen to music all the time. LOL.

I think the “idea” is that multiple fans streaming is supposed to get the artist to the “sale” faster but its still a bullshyt algorithm. One of the reasons why I feel Nas doesn’t care about sales these days is because he called it out himself on KD3. He knows this shyt is fugazi and he doesn’t respect it.

Its why fans have to “resort” to streaming parties. Even though, to be fair, being able to congregate under one app like Stationhead and listen to the album together with different fans across the world IS fun. In the Magic 2 streaming party there are fans from India, Europe, and South Africa all tuning in. The Plug chick gave South Africa props saying they’re streaming the hell out of the album. The social aspect is really cool.

But it shouldn’t be NECESSARY to get an artist 1 damn “sale”.

With very few exceptions if the 15-24 demographic isn’t interested your music isn’t gonna chart.
Nas is older than most of these peoples parents. They don’t care.
You can sit there streaming all day and empty your bank account buying physicals and it won’t make a difference

Nas features with younger artists stream VERY well. The One Gun One Mic song shot STRAIGHT to number one on Apple Music as soon as it released. Nas has proven he can bridge the old school with the new. Its just a matter of more effective marketing and also working to make sure things like physicals and bundles are ready to go on the website from day 1.

 

[Slim Charles]

These dudes bumped into the GAWD in traffic and fanned out

That EARVIN MAGIC is stoopid

aint that the fan in the next vid kickin it with Nas? seems like Nas must have been like 'yo come chill with us'

 

[HNIC973]

Release that OG I AM album when he finally decides to take a break or in between releases. It's time Sony/Columbia released Illmatic anniversary projects IWW reissue 2 years ago. Nas mentioned it for a reason. Bundle it on his site whatever they got my $$$$. Every OG Nas fan will eat that shyt up. No promo marketing needed just mix the songs to 23 standards original trackslisting. Little to no promo outside of IG make it happen

 

[kes929]

Office Hours is on the rap caviar playlist, which is a good thing. If we do stream on Spotify or Apple definitely stream that song.

 

[ArchStanton]

I think the “idea” is that multiple fans streaming is supposed to get the artist to the “sale” faster but its still a bullshyt algorithm. One of the reasons why I feel Nas doesn’t care about sales these days is because he called it out himself on KD3. He knows this shyt is fugazi and he doesn’t respect it.

Its why fans have to “resort” to streaming parties. Even though, to be fair, being able to congregate under one app like Stationhead and listen to the album together with different fans across the world IS fun. In the Magic 2 streaming party there are fans from India, Europe, and South Africa all tuning in. The Plug chick gave South Africa props saying they’re streaming the hell out of the album. The social aspect is really cool.

But it shouldn’t be NECESSARY to get an artist 1 damn “sale”.



Nas features with younger artists stream VERY well. The One Gun One Mic song shot STRAIGHT to number one on Apple Music as soon as it released. Nas has proven he can bridge the old school with the new. Its just a matter of more effective marketing and also working to make sure things like physicals and bundles are ready to go on the website from day 1.

The problem with day one physicals--which I agree would be nice--is Nas seems to be recording this stuff and releasing it almost as soon as it's ready. I think that is part of the appeal for him--we know he was recording as late as July 6th for Magic 2 (and most likely later) as that is the day Mutulu Shakur passed. Even though Nasir was ridiculously rushed, I think the 'record it, release it' part from that album carried over to where he is at now.

 

[Pop123]

With very few exceptions if the 15-24 demographic isn’t interested your music isn’t gonna chart.
Nas is older than most of these peoples parents. They don’t care.
You can sit there streaming all day and empty your bank account buying physicals and it won’t make a difference

They will read this but not retain it for some reason, lol. Or maybe it’s just willful ignorance and they know this already but still wanna act like a 50 year old should/can be doing 100k+ first weeks.

 

[Mr Hate Coffee]

Never heard this song before. Where the fukk did Hit Boy find this? I never even heard of these nikkas but they got that classic Memphis sound.

 

[Ziggiy]

Release that OG I AM album when he finally decides to take a break or in between releases. It's time Sony/Columbia released Illmatic anniversary projects IWW reissue 2 years ago. Nas mentioned it for a reason. Bundle it on his site whatever they got my $$$$. Every OG Nas fan will eat that shyt up. No promo marketing needed just mix the songs to 23 standards original trackslisting. Little to no promo outside of IG make it happen

I think thats easier said than done. From what I know they hadn’t officially locked down the tracklisting before the album was leaked and a lot of those songs ended up on Lost Tapes 1 or he reused verses from those songs on other official releases.

That coupled with sample clearance issues, it might be “impossible” to release a double album that was meant for 25 years ago

 

[kes929]

I think the “idea” is that multiple fans streaming is supposed to get the artist to the “sale” faster but its still a bullshyt algorithm. One of the reasons why I feel Nas doesn’t care about sales these days is because he called it out himself on KD3. He knows this shyt is fugazi and he doesn’t respect it.

Its why fans have to “resort” to streaming parties. Even though, to be fair, being able to congregate under one app like Stationhead and listen to the album together with different fans across the world IS fun. In the Magic 2 streaming party there are fans from India, Europe, and South Africa all tuning in. The Plug chick gave South Africa props saying they’re streaming the hell out of the album. The social aspect is really cool.

But it shouldn’t be NECESSARY to get an artist 1 damn “sale”.



Nas features with younger artists stream VERY well. The One Gun One Mic song shot STRAIGHT to number one on Apple Music as soon as it released. Nas has proven he can bridge the old school with the new. Its just a matter of more effective marketing and also working to make sure things like physicals and bundles are ready to go on the website from day 1.

Even spicy and wave gods streamed well. Replace me also I believe. Where is epmd 2 at with streams?

 

[JayBaldacci]

Stillmatic man…tryna tell ‘em bro. Stillmatic >>>>> IWW, . His 2nd best album. I love all the albums with Hit but none of them can compare. I could argue “Poison” is a top 30 Nas joint too , I’d exchange that for Destroy and Rebuild on your list. Every rapper should study Stillmatic, learn how to make a complete rap album, all different concepts and ideas on every record…and all done flawlessly besides like 3 joints

Stillmatic isn't better than IWW... it just had the fortune of dropping during weaker time of music. If stillmatic dropped in 96 it would have gotten 4 mics tops.

 

[Pop123]

Stillmatic isn't better than IWW... it just had the fortune of dropping during weaker time of music. If stillmatic dropped in 96 it would have gotten 4 mics tops.

IWW got 4 mics too I believe (not that mics mean anything to me but just following your lead). I know I’m in the minority, it’s all good, I stand sternly on it tho. Stillmatic, minus like 2 joints, maybe 3, is an A+ album imo