Nas has announced the surprise release of his new album Magic 2. The follow-up to his 2021 Hit-Boy-produced album Magic will arrive on July 21.
Nas shared the cover art for his 16th studio album on social media and captioned it with the release date: “7.21.” Check out the post here.
Back in March, Nas unveiled a music video for “30,” which is featured on King’s Diseases III. The visual arrived after a stirring performance at Madison Square Garden on February 24 to celebrate his collaborative King’s Disease trilogy, which were also produced with Hit-Boy.
Directed by Sarah McColgan, the black-and-white visual is both simple and effective. In an empty warehouse, Nas raps, “A divine creature, ran through dimes, divas/ I turned blocks to beaches/ By the time you see us, we just turned tides even.” Watch the video below.
Magic comprised of nine new tracks, including “Wave Gods,” a collaboration with A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier. Nas had previously spoken about making a third album with Hit-Boy, who he has referred to as his “Quincy Jones”, shortly after the release of King’s Disease II. At the time, he had said that while they had no plans to collaborate again, he wouldn’t rule it out if the time and the idea was right. “I feel like the next thing I do, if I was to work with Hit-Boy on the next thing I do, I think that we might do something that was going to be magical,” he commented.
“I think what we have is magic. And I think the next thing we do would have to be the next page. And that, to me, excites me, that possibility […] I think if we do another one, I’m excited about that idea, but you know, we’re celebrating this one now.” Nas followed that statement with the release of Magic and King’s Disease III, and now, with Magic 2.
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