Magic 2

Description

Listening to "Magic 2" and the four previous albums, one inevitably thinks of the best productions crafted by Just Blaze (Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, Eminem) in the early 2000s. Updated and refined boom-bap? Yes, in a way. However, these eleven new tracks, some of which rely on the most effective beats from Nas's career (Pistols On Your Album Cover), cannot be limited to this simple observation: when Abracadabra openly draws from West Coast funk, Bokeem Woodbine shows a debt to Jamaican sound systems. What a joy it is to hear a man who, despite being a millionaire, still hits the mark when it comes to ego trips, touching on the intimate, or reflecting on the nature of art within the African American community (What This All Really Means). This precision - in the voice, the rhymes, the productions - is anything but trivial: it reflects the wisdom and experience of a rapper who, alongside Hit-Boy, is able to articulate the great truths of this world today. Starting with this one: at 49, Nas still seems as relevant as ever and continues to surprise in a field where he excels, raw, technical rap without pretension. (jack.canalplus.com/) || For fans of JAY-Z, MOBB DEEP, REAKWON, THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G., GHOSTFACE KILLAH.