I was gonna come in here and talk about this lol
I saw this plus, they floated out this tweet saying hypothetically what if KD 3 was just 27 summers/spicy/yktv songs. And I said to them "It would be cool to have those joints but you have to balance it out with the core shyt that got the heads to love KD 2 and Magic." And like others they seem to be stuck on the feeling of streaming/sales but I dont think they're realistic about where Nas is in the game right now. Hes an older artist on his own independent label (Still a cat who gets a lot of industry goodwill mind you. Its not hard for him to get younger artists and legends to rock with him but hes still an independent artist which means he doesnt have a major label thats gonna do the powerwork of keeping him on DSP playlists and promo marketing and getting his name out there)
100% Ive seen in previous years them trying to have streaming parties and Im like "Yo I would love if Nas had that kinda pull but hes not Nicki Minaj and Beyonce. Like they are young people that fukk with Nas Ive seen but his base is still older (27 and above) they aint got time for that shyt and its not like he hung around in the 2010s like Kanye and Eminem reinventing his sound and gaining new CaC teenage fans which is those guys are older artist who stll sell (thank god he didnt I think it would have backfired for him. Hes always had a tricky thing balancing his popularity with his hardcores pleasing both and general rap media).
Im having a conversation with them right now and they seem to be pissed Nas doesnt sell more but Im telling them like just going total young aint the answer (It kinda worked with KD 1 ngl but it wasnt like it make Erica and Jeffery in New Hamphsiere go "Yo I gotta get King's Disease on Vinyl bro!")
I think hes doing a lot of things right so far. Hit Boy and him have found music that appeals to both his older/core base (KD 2 and Magic) and young fans who say "yo this is dope" (KD 1) he just has to put the work to get out there visibility wise (Aint like he promoted KD 2 and Magic he cant be mad at the numbers when it was a surprise drop on christmas with NO physical sales/Merch until 4 months later so throw out that 23k number)
I feel like if he smartly works with popping artists that have a big supporting fanbase that will gravitate to whoever they work with without losing his identity on a song he'll be fine ( It worked with the ASAP guys, Em's not a young but you know that stimilus works.... I think in that respects working with a Kendrick or Cole is long due. Hes got records in the vault with Mac Miller and Tyler the Creator, Frank Ocean. Maybe see whats up with that. I think relinking with Tyler, Anderson Paak would be dope, maybe a Kaytandra and The Internet or Thundercat with Hit Boy running point would be dope.I know he a street dude and Im sure Jungle in his ear about working with some drill guys Id be super super careful with that ).
From a marketing standpoint continue to do promos/interviews in the right places (fukk No Jumper but Budden/Rory and Mal/Rap Radar/Shannon Sharpe/All the Smoke as well as the usual places he did before like Breakfast Club, Ebro). Try and do TV (I know no major label can book him but hes Nas if they ask a Fallon/Colbert they gonna say no? Hell he might finally do SNL since he finally did the Grammys) and time it right not like 3 or 4 months later. Maybe even do some North American Festivals again (Slot in coachcella, lollapolloza and I know this sounds wild maybe Rolling Loud? Yeah I know its the inverse of Rock the Bells but they get some older legacy acts on there like DMX/Busta/Dipset/50....I know Nas isnt considered turned up but if Griselda/Joey Badass/Freddie Gibbs can get on there you cant tell me there aint some stage he can slide on ). Lastly liscene his stuff out. Netflix showed that playing your music on shows everyone watches helps a lot (Peep the jump he got from Ozark or what Kate Bush got from Stranger things) hes already someone who gets played in commercials (How many trailers we seen Made you Look in? Also remember the 2020 NBA Finals playing KD 1?)
All that to me makes more sense to market him and an album than just "Yo lets shoot from 80 feet with this NBA Youngboy collabo". Otherwise dont worry about sales, because its fine right now and just get the merch and vinyl which looks fire in time for the fans
I know this is all big big Fanager energy but Im just saying to that person
. Came to YouTube to listen to Stillmatic just happened to come across Magic
, that's not how things work...especially not for someone who isn't a cover of the tabloids every week, constantly in the headlines media whore. Somebody like Nas gotta get his ass out there and promote. IG aint enough, that's really just babies on there who aint even really up on a Nas like that for the most part, hopefully he realizes this now for the next one.
