Rapper-producer duo Nas and Hit-Boy have been on an incredible run for the past two years, releasing two iterations of the solid King’s Disease collaborative album, receiving a Best Rap Album Grammy for the first, and a nomination for the second. Yet, somehow, they still aren’t done yet, looking to finish off the year with another new album, completing a hat trick to close out 2021. The new album, which Nas and Hit just announced on their respective social media channels, is called Magic and has just nine tracks and two features, ASAP Rocky(!) and DJ Premier(!!).
MAGIC is in the air. Midnight et brand new music to vibe to. @hitboy @MassAppealRecs pic.twitter.com/r0qTQzh9I4
— Nasir Jones (@Nas) December 23, 2021
It’s an impressive accomplishment, to be sure, but it’s also a testament to the working chemistry these two have exhibited since being introduced by Big Sean. We should all give way more credit to Sean in general, but especially for being one of hip-hop’s best A&Rs, matching up the Queens icon with a producer that finally brings the best out of him, overcoming the one great weakness of his 25-year catalog.
In addition to cranking out two redemptive albums alongside Hit-Boy, Nas also made significant investments in the music industry infrastructure this year, backing the Audius streaming service alongside Pusha T to increase revenue for artists. In September, he was honored with a key to Queens and his own day in his home borough.