Nas continues his prolific run with his 16th studio album, Magic 2. Since the release of Nasir in 2018 — his first under his Mass Appeal label — the legendary rapper has been on a resurgent run. That’s to say nothing of Nas’ status within hip hop. However, the last few years have seen the fabled rapper get the mainstream acknowledgment his career deserves, winning his first grammy-award in 2021 for King’s Disease.
Magic 2 is Nas’ 5th collaborative project with Hit-Boy in the last 3 years
Magic 2: Nas and Hit-Boy Continue to Create
In like manner, Magic 2 sees Nas’ continue his career victory lap. The 11-track album is another collaborative effort with now-frequent cohort Hit-Boy. This latest release is the duo’s fifth combined effort in the last 3 years, beginning with King’s Disease. Short and succinct, the album’s only two features — 50 Cent and 21 Savage — showcase Nas’ range in the current hip hop landscape.
Notably, burying the hatchet with a former rival and fellow Queens native in 50 Cent on “Office Hours.” The two rap legends last worked together in 2002, with Nas featuring on two songs on 50 Cent’s mixtape Guess Who’s Back? In like manner, Nas exchanges bars with one of contemporary rap’s hottest stars in 21 Savage on the album outro “One Mic, One Gun.” In effect demonstrating the versatility in cadences and flows during this latest Hit-Boy run.
All in all, the grammy-winning producer has been instrumental in Nas fortifying his legacy. Despite his icon status and classic albums, the Queensbridge native has maintained a reputation for not picking the best beats. Together with Hit-Boy Nas has gone a long way towards shedding the skin of being another older rapper. With a healthy mix of contemporary sounds and boom bap records Magic 2 sees Nas and Hit-Boy continue to create more well… Magic.
On February 24, Nas took the stage at Madison Square Garden (MSG) for his highly-anticipated One Night Only: King’s Disease Trilogy concert. This was the first time the Queensbridge native played The Garden. The concert included songs from all three of his King’s Disease albums, along with some of his biggest hits from over the years.
The first half of the performance kicked off with Nas performing tracks from King’s Disease I, II and III, including “Blue Benz” and “27 Summers,” both of which were met with a thunderous applause from the crowd. Other songs he performed from the trilogy albums included “I’m on Fire,” “Spicy” and “Reminisce.”
After delivering an energetic first half of the concert, Nas took a brief intermission before returning to the stage for the second half of the show. This time around, he performed some of his most iconic hits, including “If I Ruled the World,” “Hate Me Now,” and “NY State of Mind.”
Nas’s first Madison Square Garden show was truly a star-studded affair, thanks to his impressive lineup of special guests. Hit boy, the celebrated producer and rapper, joined Nas on stage for “Michael & Quincy.” The legendary Mary J. Blige also made an appearance, bringing her soulful voice and electrifying presence to the stage for “You Remind Me.” Meanwhile, AZ, one of Nas’s longtime collaborators, wowed the audience with his impeccable flow on “Life’s a Bitch.” And last but not least, Slick Rick, the iconic rapper and storyteller, joined Nas for a performance of “Hey Young World.” Together, these special guests helped make the show an unforgettable experience that will be remembered for years to come.
Nas – MSG – February 24, 2023
Setlist: King’s Disease, Blue Benz, Car #85, 27 Summers, Ultra Black, Spicy, YKTV, The Definition, Get Light, Death Row East, The Pressure, I’m On Fire, 40 Side, Store Run, Rare, Speechless, Wave Gods, Thun, Michael & Quincy (Feat Hit Boy), Reminisce, Your Remind Me (Feat Mary J. Blige), 30, Legit, NY State of Mind, Life’s A Bitch (Feat AZ), It Ain’t Hard To Tell, Hey Young World (Feat Slick Rick), The World Is Yours, The Message, Street Dreams, Represent, Hate Me Now, Made You Look, One Mic, Hot Boyz, Oochie Wally, You Owe Me, Memory Lane, Get Down, If I Ruled The World
Hip-hop icons Wu-Tang Clan and Nas announce the 2023 co-headline run of their N.Y. State of Mind Tour, spanning multiple continents and stopping at the Barclays Center on Sept. 27.
Wu-Tang Clan
Last year the group went on a sold-out run of the 2022 N.Y. State of Mind Tour, being nominated for Pollstar’s 2022 Hip Hop Tour of The Year. Founded in New York City’s Staten Island in the early 1990s, the Wu-Tang Clan is comprised of members RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, and the deceased Ol’ Dirty Bastard (ODB). Considered by many to be the most significant hip-hop group of all time, the group has three platinum albums among their eight LPs, and the group’s complete anthology (including solo albums) has more than 85 full-length releases. They are also entrepreneurs and successful cultural influencers, with an empire that features everything from clothing lines and video games to books, and more.
Nas (Nasir Jones) first reached an international audience when his track “Halftime” was the opening cut on 1992’s Zebrahead movie soundtrack. His first full-length album arrived in 1994, Illmatic, becoming RIAA platinum, featuring “It Ain’t Hard To Tell,” “The World Is Yours,” and “One.” In 1996 he released the breakthrough double-platinum It Was Written with his first major crossover singles “Street Dreams” and “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That).” He has released many albums since then, his 2012 album, Life Is Good earned him 4 Grammy nominations including Rap Album of the Year, and is certified RIAA gold. He won the “Best Rap Album” Grammy at the 2021 awards for the 2020 release King’s Disease. King’s Disease.
The 32-date global tour kicks off on May 9 in Auckland, New Zealand at Spark Arena, and will be stopping at the Barclays Center on Sept. 27. Tickets will be available beginning with American Express Early Access on Feb. 28 in select North American markets. Additional presales will be available throughout the week before the general on-sale starting March 3 at 9 a.m. Fans in North America can also purchase VIP Packages, which may include premium tickets, access to the VIP Lounge, a limited edition numbered tour poster, and more. For more information, go here.
2023 N.Y. STATE OF MIND TOUR DATES:
AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND
Tue May 9 – Auckland, NZ – Spark Arena
Fri May 12 – Brisbane, AU – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Sat May 13 – Sydney, AU – Qudos Bank Arena
Sun May 14 – Melbourne, AU – Rod Laver Arena
EUROPE
Fri June 2 – Stockholm, SE – Avicii Arena
Sat June 3 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena
Mon June 5 – Berlin, DE – Parkbuhne Wuhlheide
Tues June 6 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
Wed June 7 – Paris, FR – Accor Arena
Fri June 9 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
Mon June 12 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Tue June 13 – London, UK – The O2
NORTH AMERICA
Wed Sep 20 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Fri Sep 22 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
Sat Sep 23 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place
Sun Sep 24 – Tampa, FL – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino^
Tue Sep 26 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
Wed Sep 27 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Fri Sep 29 – Atlantic City, NJ – Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall
Sun Oct 01 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Mon Oct 02 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
Wed Oct 04 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
Sat Oct 07 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Sun Oct 08 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Tue Oct 10 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
Fri Oct 13 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
Sat Oct 14 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
Mon Oct 16 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Tue Oct 17 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Wed Oct 18 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sat Oct 21 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
In the culmination to their countdown of hip hop’s best ever rappers, — as part of a collaborative effort to celebrate Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary — Billboard and Vibe have named Jay-Z the number 1 rapper in the history of hip hop. The rollout began with a January 11 reveal of the rappers ranked 50-41. Each week since, the two publications have revealed 10 more rappers, with the top 10 released on Wednesday.
This latest designation caps off an eventful week for Hov who was not only nominated for 5 Grammys, but also returned to the music award show’s stage as performer after an 8-year absence. The 24-time Grammmy winner performed alongside hip hop heavyweights DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, John Legend, and relative newcomer Fridayy on their thrice nominated hit-record “God Did” at the 65th annual Grammy Awards. The Brooklynite also extended his lead as the rapper to receive the most-ever Grammy nominations with 88.
Impact of Rankings
While Jay-Z’s coronation caused plenty of social media stir, the rest of the top 10 created many talking points itself. Filling out spots 2-10 are Kendrick Lamar, Nas, 2Pac, Eminem, The Notorious B.I.G., Lil Wayne, Drake, Snoop Dogg and Nicki Minaj. Notably, Kendrick Lamar–fresh off his 2023 Grammy win for Best Rap Album — was a point of contention. The Compton bred rapper leapfrogged the likes of 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G. and Eminem. The formers have long held a spot on hip hop’s Mount Rushmore, while the latter is the highest selling rapper of all-time. Similarly, Nas’ ranking is a well-deserved honor for someone who hasn’t always gotten his due. Although, he’ll have to settle for third behind his once-rival, Jay-Z.
Meanwhile, Queens native Nicki Minaj was the highest-charting woman on the list. Others cracking the top 50 include, Missy Elliot (19), Lauryn Hill (30), Lil Kim (31), Queen Latifah (44) and MC Lyte (47).
