The Weekly Coos

This past Thursday, September 14th, Nas turned 50 years of age. And to bless us, like how I blessed my friends by smoking them out on mine, he dropped the third installment of his Magic series, and if this is the last one-to-one collaboration with Hit-Boy, a great send-off at album number six. Between King’s Disease and Magic, I’ve been more bullish with the latter, but maybe it’s that some of the boom-bap beats in the latter series felt dry; however, as it comes to a close, Hit-Boy brings his all, keeping your interest afloat through each production adding up to more consistent and captivating work. I do feel that after some time, Nas feels like he is running out of what to rap about and thus feels like he isn’t having as much anymore with some of his decisions on the content and how to approach it. Here, Nas brings technical virtuosity to balance out what could have been another tried rendition in the Magic series, further making me a fan of Magic 3. 

Maybe I’m cynical. As a fan, I feel like we set standards for these artists we revere, and sometimes they may be lower cause their output is insane. Over the past three years, Nas has seemingly fallen into this threshold, and it may be why I’ve been more bullish on the Magic series, but as I’ve noted, Magic 3 is different. It doesn’t feel swift, at times hollow – based on the levels of boom-bap we’ve heard previously. Granted, I wasn’t the strongest proponent of the production of Magic 2, but there is enough there to return to, as it was more this lack of ingenuity over quality. However, that changes with Magic 3 as the Boom-Bap is more a base to build off, feeling more elevated than usual and giving fans something to relish and vibe with as Nas is 2-2 in the third album of a trilogy. The sample size may be diminutive, and when you’ve gotten the inconsistencies with Magic, it’s a significant win, especially with its strong one-two-punch opening and more solid runs from there.

There are some fantastic runs of tracks on the album, though nothing more potent than the run from “Based On True Events” to “Jodeci Member.” Some great introspections and fun are reflected by Nas, exposing further how the pen is mightier than the sword. Starting with “Based On True Events,” parts 1 and 2 are great connections, which get beautifully constructed through Nas’s fantastic storytelling skills; he is detailing with visceral imagery and layering. Part 1 sees Nas looking back at past loves, from a person to his connections to the street, while part 2 has Nas giving us a follow-up where he follows this person he’s met and how their street tendencies lead to their downfall. It’s poignant in relaying varying themes and perspectives from someone who’s through it. He capitalizes on it by following it up with “Sitting With My Thoughts,” which has Nas reflecting on life again, but the flow, emotion, and writing are strong, making it less of a skip. 

Unlike the previous Magic albums, the third is longer – in some ways – feel like they were saving the best for last, but there are some weaker moments like songs “Pretty Young Girl,” “Speechless Pt. 2,” and “Superhero Status.” With these songs, there is little fun or imagination, feeling more yawn-inducing instead of what you get when Nas is breaking apart different aspects of his artistry with “I Love This Feeling” or reflecting on his experiences and how it has shifted his perspectives, like with the potent “No Tears.” On “No Tears,” Nas tells his listeners how he’s become numb to the violence surrounding him, as he has experienced it from varying angles that it became a commonality. It does more than some of these I’ve mentioned before, as they have more to say than your typical flex track. It doesn’t have a crisp contrast to the humbling nature we hear occasionally. “Speechless Pt. 2” is a prime example as Nas continues the intro track of the first Magic and does little except add to what he has achieved since the first one. Unfortunately, as good as the writing, there is little to latch on to, especially in the emotional department.

This past Thursday, September 14th, Nas turned 50 years of age. And to bless us, like how I blessed my friends by smoking them out on mine, he dropped the third installment of his Magic series, and if this is the last one-to-one collaboration with Hit-Boy, a great send-off at album number six. Between King’s Disease and Magic, I’ve been more bullish with the latter, but maybe it’s that some of the boom-bap beats in the latter series felt dry; however, as it comes to a close, Hit-Boy brings his all, keeping your interest afloat through each production adding up to more consistent and captivating work. I do feel that after some time, Nas feels like he is running out of what to rap about and thus feels like he isn’t having as much anymore with some of his decisions on the content and how to approach it. Here, Nas brings technical virtuosity to balance out what could have been another tried rendition in the Magic series, further making me a fan of Magic 3. 

Maybe I’m cynical. As a fan, I feel like we set standards for these artists we revere, and sometimes they may be lower cause their output is insane. Over the past three years, Nas has seemingly fallen into this threshold, and it may be why I’ve been more bullish on the Magic series, but as I’ve noted, Magic 3 is different. It doesn’t feel swift, at times hollow – based on the levels of boom-bap we’ve heard previously. Granted, I wasn’t the strongest proponent of the production of Magic 2, but there is enough there to return to, as it was more this lack of ingenuity over quality. However, that changes with Magic 3 as the Boom-Bap is more a base to build off, feeling more elevated than usual and giving fans something to relish and vibe with as Nas is 2-2 in the third album of a trilogy. The sample size may be diminutive, and when you’ve gotten the inconsistencies with Magic, it’s a significant win, especially with its strong one-two-punch opening and more solid runs from there.

There are some fantastic runs of tracks on the album, though nothing more potent than the run from “Based On True Events” to “Jodeci Member.” Some great introspections and fun are reflected by Nas, exposing further how the pen is mightier than the sword. Starting with “Based On True Events,” parts 1 and 2 are great connections, which get beautifully constructed through Nas’s fantastic storytelling skills; he is detailing with visceral imagery and layering. Part 1 sees Nas looking back at past loves, from a person to his connections to the street, while part 2 has Nas giving us a follow-up where he follows this person he’s met and how their street tendencies lead to their downfall. It’s poignant in relaying varying themes and perspectives from someone who’s through it. He capitalizes on it by following it up with “Sitting With My Thoughts,” which has Nas reflecting on life again, but the flow, emotion, and writing are strong, making it less of a skip. 

Unlike the previous Magic albums, the third is longer – in some ways – feel like they were saving the best for last, but there are some weaker moments like songs “Pretty Young Girl,” “Speechless Pt. 2,” and “Superhero Status.” With these songs, there is little fun or imagination, feeling more yawn-inducing instead of what you get when Nas is breaking apart different aspects of his artistry with “I Love This Feeling” or reflecting on his experiences and how it has shifted his perspectives, like with the potent “No Tears.” On “No Tears,” Nas tells his listeners how he’s become numb to the violence surrounding him, as he has experienced it from varying angles that it became a commonality. It does more than some of these I’ve mentioned before, as they have more to say than your typical flex track. It doesn’t have a crisp contrast to the humbling nature we hear occasionally. “Speechless Pt. 2” is a prime example as Nas continues the intro track of the first Magic and does little except add to what he has achieved since the first one. Unfortunately, as good as the writing is, there is little to latch on to, especially in the emotional department.

As for the Lil Wayne feature, it’s one of the significant highlights, along with some of Nas’s great introspective joints. For one, it’s one of the rare tracks where flexing is at a peak and doesn’t feel tried. Additionally, Lil Wayne’s flow brings much-needed flavor and fun to the mix and, in doing so, makes Nas bolster his delivery to have fun as well. Like it, “Jodeci Member” sees Nas bringing this unique touch to the track by envisioning himself with oozing class and swagger like Jodeci. It does what “Superhero Status,” “Pretty Young Girl,” or “Japanese Soul Bar” does minimally or at all. Nas is more eloquent and casual, sounding rudimentary, incurring a  missed opportunity. Take “Japanese Soul Bar,” for example; it is direct and flip-floppy between flex and reflection while lacking enough energy to entertain what Nas wants to relay, or that’s how it felt to me. He uses homage to relay his status as an independent rap figure, reflecting his shifts between labels big and small, successes to now leading an independent label. “Superhero Status” is similar; you have Nas bolstering his status and talent, yet it’s mainly timid with its creativeness and isn’t well written. It’s just there.

They sound too similar to the varying flexes we hear, becoming more of a yawner than anything. They are slight disappointments that have come with the series, but here, more misnomers are immersed and blended within the flow for the first few listens before you notice what doesn’t work for you. I enjoyed this more than expected, and that’s a great thing, especially with how I felt about past albums. Give Magic 3 a spin, even if you were similar to me and bullish on previous releases, as this did change how I felt about the series as a whole; it’s a remarkable conclusion.