Nas - Magic (Discussion Thread)

[up in here]

While I personally don’t give these cac reviews much credence when it comes to their ratings or the things they say, the thing that actually bothers me is that their ratings hold ranking in the wider sphere of things which can influence or limit the success and reach of our artists.

A “critically acclaimed” album gets more push and reaches more people. The specific forms of black success that they push don’t often encourage self reflection and pro blackness in the way Nas does. He is an anti establishment rapper who made it and they hate that. They prefer their thug rappers to be ignorant, their commercial rappers to chase trends and their conscious rappers to be non threatening.

Nas is a street dude and an intellect. He encourages artistry and creativity, black empowerment, solidarity, black self worth. He encourages black kids to read books about history, black nationalism, pan-african movements. He praises jazz and blues in the same sentence as giving props to drill rappers and trap music. He doesn’t play into colorism and black on black hate, he embraces all black people, light or dark, ADOS or not. He connects a lot of the dots of blackness. He encourages us to believe in ourselves.

that’s why they hate Nas and try to keep him down. They don’t want to see more rappers like Nas. Imagine if our top 10 or top 20 most successful rappers where in the same vein. Imagine the impact that would have on our youth.

 

[DaveyDave]

I listened to the new Juan Ep yesterday. They took about 30 mins or more to get to the point as they always do rambling on about nonsense and their lives and what they had for dinner last night and whatever the fukk. I skipped through that shyt. Rosenberg mainly cries about how he’s such a real head and he actually likes the album and all that, walking back what he said originally. The majority of the end is him crying about not being chosen for some XXL cover with powerful Hip Hop people or something. This dude has his head so far up his ass it’s crazy.

Cipha posted on Facebook the other day asking if they should have live callers into a Juan Ep show. Wtf decade are these guys living in they have YouTube and everything at their disposal, LIVE comments from around the world and they’re asking about people calling in.

 

[mson]

While I personally don’t give these cac reviews much credence when it comes to their ratings or the things they say, the thing that actually bothers me is that their ratings hold ranking in the wider sphere of things which can influence or limit the success and reach of our artists.

A “critically acclaimed” album gets more push and reaches more people. The specific forms of black success that they push don’t often encourage self reflection and pro blackness in the way Nas does. He is an anti establishment rapper who made it and they hate that. They prefer their thug rappers to be ignorant, their commercial rappers to chase trends and their conscious rappers to be non threatening.

Nas is a street dude and an intellect. He encourages artistry and creativity, black empowerment, solidarity, black self worth. He encourages black kids to read books about history, black nationalism, pan-african movements. He praises jazz and blues in the same sentence as giving props to drill rappers and trap music. He doesn’t play into colorism and black on black hate, he embraces all black people, light or dark, ADOS or not. He connects a lot of the dots of blackness. He encourages us to believe in ourselves.

that’s why they hate Nas and try to keep him down. They don’t want to see more rappers like Nas. Imagine if our top 10 or top 20 most successful rappers where in the same vein. Imagine the impact that would have on our youth.

They just don't hate Nas. They hate what he represents.

 

[Asicz]

Yeah, very consistent on hate... Sort of sounds personal. Now they hating on Hitboy's beats too

The saccharine melodies of “Hollywood Gangsta” and “Wu for the Children” each sound a half-chord off-key, and when he tries to conjure golden-era ambiance with digitized synths, it lends the air of a Vegas revue. Not to play fantasy sports, but DJ Premier is literally right there doing the turntable cuts on “Wave Gods.” Did no one think to ask him for some loops?

This is actually spot on to me.

This why I have a problem with alot of Hit Boy stuff and I haven't revisited the Magic l.p. except for the first track so far 'Speechless'

But hey Hit Boy keeps Nas in the studio and I believe the more Nas actually is motivated and desires to be in the studio , the better because he eventually imo will bless us with something ill.

 

[kes929]

This is actually spot on to me.

This why I have a problem with alot of Hit Boy stuff and I haven't revisited the Magic l.p. except for the first track so far 'Speechless'

But hey Hit Boy keeps Nas in the studio and I believe the more Nas actually is motivated and desires to be in the studio , the better because he eventually imo will bless us with something ill.

 

[Thief's Theme]

lol @ pitchfork

they don't even try to hide their hate... when Obama came out with playlist at the end of the year, pitchfork put Lauryn Hill (w/out Nas) in the headline - even though it isn't her song

 

[JustCKing]

While I personally don’t give these cac reviews much credence when it comes to their ratings or the things they say, the thing that actually bothers me is that their ratings hold ranking in the wider sphere of things which can influence or limit the success and reach of our artists.

A “critically acclaimed” album gets more push and reaches more people. The specific forms of black success that they push don’t often encourage self reflection and pro blackness in the way Nas does. He is an anti establishment rapper who made it and they hate that. They prefer their thug rappers to be ignorant, their commercial rappers to chase trends and their conscious rappers to be non threatening.

Nas is a street dude and an intellect. He encourages artistry and creativity, black empowerment, solidarity, black self worth. He encourages black kids to read books about history, black nationalism, pan-african movements. He praises jazz and blues in the same sentence as giving props to drill rappers and trap music. He doesn’t play into colorism and black on black hate, he embraces all black people, light or dark, ADOS or not. He connects a lot of the dots of blackness. He encourages us to believe in ourselves.

that’s why they hate Nas and try to keep him down. They don’t want to see more rappers like Nas. Imagine if our top 10 or top 20 most successful rappers where in the same vein. Imagine the impact that would have on our youth.

A critically acclaimed album means absolutely next to nothing now. These publications are no longer tastemakers to where they could actually help or hurt am album. Why? They don't have advance copies any more and have the review up ahead of a release. People have am album within their fingertips. A consumer is more likely to read the reviews on Apple before they would a publication. And Pitchfork writes for a very specific audience anyway. These are underground music snobs that hold "progressive" music in high regard. If you are checking for a Nas album, I'm 100% sure, a Pitchfork review isn't going to sway your opinion one way or another.

A lot of critically acclaimed albums go relatively overlooked. I mean, Big Boi's Sit Lucious got glowing reviews, but limited push. Janelle Monae's Arch Android was one of the most acclaimed albums on Metacritic. Limited push.

Most people here reading the reviews have already sat with the album for weeks. How many people in here actually read a review BEFORE listening to the album. I think most people listen to music before reading reviews, if they read the reviews at all. Reviews serve only one purpose in this age: validation. People want their opinions validated.

 

[UpAndComing]

I'm still kind of weirded out by the release date. Why in December when you already had an album that came out the same year?

Just put out the album with proper promotion in 2022 in Spring

 

[perfectblack999]

I personally don’t care about music reviews.

it’s just funny that reviewers can’t hide their biases.

 

[InstantKlassik]

This thread has been off the rails for about a week now. YIKES.

 

[Izanami]

He only did it to add some fake credibility to his bullshyt article, same way Rosenberg did with the "one on one" tweet.
I don't fall for the okie dok.

UGLY sounds nothing like Good Morning to. It was a clear play to build some clout.

 

[Surreal]

They just don't hate Nas. They hate what he represents.

What does Nas represent?

 

[ThirdAct]

This is actually spot on to me.

Is it? Saccharine is a weird way to describe beats that are funky (Hollywood Gangsta) or soulful (Wu)

 

[up in here]

A critically acclaimed album means absolutely next to nothing now. These publications are no longer tastemakers to where they could actually help or hurt am album. Why? They don't have advance copies any more and have the review up ahead of a release. People have am album within their fingertips. A consumer is more likely to read the reviews on Apple before they would a publication. And Pitchfork writes for a very specific audience anyway. These are underground music snobs that hold "progressive" music in high regard. If you are checking for a Nas album, I'm 100% sure, a Pitchfork review isn't going to sway your opinion one way or another.

A lot of critically acclaimed albums go relatively overlooked. I mean, Big Boi's Sit Lucious got glowing reviews, but limited push. Janelle Monae's Arch Android was one of the most acclaimed albums on Metacritic. Limited push.

Most people here reading the reviews have already sat with the album for weeks. How many people in here actually read a review BEFORE listening to the album. I think most people listen to music before reading reviews, if they read the reviews at all. Reviews serve only one purpose in this age: validation. People want their opinions validated.

I half agree with you. Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and The Grammy’s have never been relevant in hip hop circles. I’m not saying their individual review holds weight, but the aggregate of reviews holds weight. Universal critical acclaim opens doors. Grammy wins definitely open doors.

I’m not saying they gotta like the album at all, the problem comes when their ratings are weighted so heavily that bring down the aggregate score of an album or an artist which affects the wider narrative. Culturally their individual reviews mean nothing and it won’t affect my enjoyment of an album. And times are changing, but that doesn’t mean they still aren’t trying to gatekeep our success. And when they do, I see no reason they shouldn’t be called out for it.

 

[ThirdAct]

I'm still kind of weirded out by the release date. Why in December when you already had an album that came out the same year?

Just put out the album with proper promotion in 2022 in Spring

I look at Magic more as a Lost Tapes type of release or a mixtape that happens to be an album that's a gift to the fans. KDIII will have more promotion.