Nas - Magic (Discussion Thread)

[HNIC973]

And it’s better than Illmatic

I wouldn't argue

 

[HNIC973]

 

[Izanami]

Is it just me or is nas making these other rappers sound weak in comparison? Especially the way he is able to rap about any topic. Even the rappers that people are saying is the hottest or most lyrical today, nas makes them sound average.

Nas rapping circles around Conway and Benny. Cole and Elzhi are up there.

 

[ThirdAct]

How can you skip Poppa was a playa

Poppa Was a Playa is amazing...I think Nas said recently its one of his favorite songs too

 

[HNIC973]

I can listen to shyt like Nothing Lasts Forever Purple on my deathbed. Certain things are timeless doesn't matter my mood only time will tell if Magic gets to that level. After 3 months I'm not comfortable placing Magic where LT is. Magic is great in own right let's see how it holds up what if they surpass that shyt with KD3?

 

[Pop123]

Lost Tapes has some GOAT Nas songs but i gotta be in the mood to let it run through

Magic i can put on in the whip, gym headphonnes in the crib etc
... The energy different (higher) and its an easier listen.

This wont change with time

Perfectly said, same here.

 

[Mike the Executioner]

Yeah. Before the album dropped, they asked Nas how many tracks are on the album and he said 18 tracks. I've always considered the deluxe the actual version he intended to release. Plus it was released on day 1. It wasn't a deluxe version that dropped weeks later.

Why do I feel like Nas wanted to put out the album with all those songs, but Def Jam said it was too long, so the deluxe version was Nas' way of compromising?

I feel like with a lot of albums from that time, you can take the bonus tracks and use them to replace some standard tracks to make the album better. With Life is Good, the story of the album isn't complete without the bonus tracks. It has to end with "Where's the Love." It's too bad "Trust" only got released on iTunes, that could have also made the cut.

 

[Ziggiy]

Why do I feel like Nas wanted to put out the album with all those songs, but Def Jam said it was too long, so the deluxe version was Nas' way of compromising?

I feel like with a lot of albums from that time, you can take the bonus tracks and use them to replace some standard tracks to make the album better. With Life is Good, the story of the album isn't complete without the bonus tracks. It has to end with "Where's the Love." It's too bad "Trust" only got released on iTunes, that could have also made the cut.

The thing at the time was labels weren’t paying artists for anything over I believe a 13 song album count. Now with streaming everything’s ballooned and these albums are all TOO long and bloated

 

[Mike the Executioner]

The thing at the time was labels weren’t paying artists for anything over I believe a 13 song album count. Now with streaming everything’s ballooned and these albums are all TOO long and bloated

Interesting. I know back in the day, there was only a certain amount of time you could fit on a CD. I actually thought albums were getting shorter over time. Or maybe it's just songs because I don't see many songs with three verses, a hook, a bridge, and a fade out anymore.

It's the one thing that bothers me about albums from that period. You'll have bonus songs that sound ten times better than the songs that made the standard cut and they get left behind. At least these days, artists don't have to do that anymore.

 

[JayBaldacci]

I said before I just ran back LIG last week and he was DEF more bar heavy on that album.

By a long shot... not even comparable.

 

[Piff Perkins]

The thing at the time was labels weren’t paying artists for anything over I believe a 13 song album count. Now with streaming everything’s ballooned and these albums are all TOO long and bloated

Plus in 2012 they were still doling out exclusive tracks to different retail stores. Buying an album at Target might get you different deluxe tracks than Best Buy for instance. I'm sure we all remember those days. Now with streaming more tracks=more consumption=more streams. Assuming people fukk with enough tracks to play them a lot.
HITS Daily Double

Drake and Doja still doing 30k weekly months after album releases, probably off 6-10 tracks on each album.

 

[prophecypro]

Mass Appeal gotta think about putting this out on Vinyl, its too crazy even if just a warm up tape

 

[HHID]

I can listen to shyt like Nothing Lasts Forever Purple on my deathbed. Certain things are timeless doesn't matter my mood only time will tell if Magic gets to that level. After 3 months I'm not comfortable placing Magic where LT is. Magic is great in own right let's see how it holds up what if they surpass that shyt with KD3?

Exactly, I wonder how many Magic tracks are Lost Tapes level. Maybe Speechless, Hollywood Gangsta, The Truth and the second part of Dedicated.

That being said, am I the only one catching 2001 vibes when listening to Hollywood Gangsta, ie when he says "velour fashion, world tour jackets" somehow like "nice cars, living like a star club hopping"

And then "to take it back in time to today.." I just anticipate each and every time "to take it back to Africa, I did it with Biggie.." even 4 months later

I dunno, there's just a certain way he says it...

 

[Sean7]

This album is one of his better ones post 2010s hands down, one of his best in a minute (I did like KD 1 and 2 though), definitely was in rotation the first month I had it and need to go back and listen again tonight.

 

[kes929]

This album is one of his better ones post 2010s hands down, one of his best in a minute (I did like KD 1 and 2 though), definitely was in rotation the first month I had it and need to go back and listen again tonight.

I love all 3