GRAMMY-Award-winning rap icon Nas unveils the music video for “I Love This Feeling” from his latest album, Magic 3.
Directed by Leff, the video captures the introspective essence of the track, showcasing Nas’s reflective journey while imparting wisdom to aspiring artists. With poignant visuals and lyrical depth, Nas inspires both self-reflection and admiration for his enduring legacy in hip-hop.
Hit-Boy is one of five Producer of the Year nominees at the 2024 Grammys. But if you ask him, it’s already in the bag. TMZ caught up with Hit-Boy, who revealed he wants to win this time.
“You just gotta look at the discog I went crazy on albums, really giving people a sound so we’ll see,” Hit-Boy said.
You can hear it below.
One of the testaments to Hit-Boy’s year is his work with Nas. Nas and Hit-Boy have concluded their two rap trilogies, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be collaborations in the future. Speaking in a clip shared on Instagram, Nas stated he now knows he could return to create more together.
“For me, there’s an emotional moment because to complete something beyond what you thought you were even working on, we didn’t know we’d do six albums,” said Nas. “So to be at this point, it’s satisfying, it’s gratifying, it’s a feeling of accomplishment on another level for myself as an MC, and I’m lucky enough to work with some of the greatest producers in the world.”
When Nas raises a glass of champagne these days, there are so many things he could be celebrating. For one, he just finalized his collaborative double trilogy series with Hit-Boy with the release of Magic 3, bringing their legendary run to a triumphant close. Also, there’s the Queens MC’s 50th birthday, which fittingly and almost perfectly coincides with the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop. For his latest music video, he combined all of these elements together to make an extravagant and joyous tribute. The track “Fever” was a perfect fit for this, both as Magic 3‘s opening cut and one of its most effective homages to the game and to the Queens legend’s life.
Specifically, the visual covers his 50th birthday party in New York, which held so many stars within and outside of the genre. Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Raekwon, Slick Rick, DJ Premier, Hit-Boy, Fat Joe, Black Thought, and even Robert DeNiro pop up as cameos in the video, along with many others. They all attended Nas’ huge party, and other names like Kendrick Lamar also stopped by to pay their respects and congratulations. For one of the greatest MCs to ever live, we can expect nothing less luxurious, victorious, and special.
In addition, if you didn’t already think “Fever” was a lavish and evocative song, its music video will certainly convince you. For example, the sampled strings in the instrumental pair perfectly with images of fancy dishes, tuxedos, and expensive bottles of liquor and spirits. When you hear the “Represent” callback to one of Nas’ classic hits and see Preemo on the screen, you can’t help but feel goosebumps. All in all, it made for something that almost feels like a send-off, but we know that the Mass Appeal head honcho will always have gas in the tank.
Meanwhile, Magic 3 finished off what might become one of the best runs and collabs in the 2020s decade. It’s something that producer Hit-Boy dreamt of ten years before they linked up, and the fruits of their labor were golden. Here’s hoping they continue to chase those dreams, which age can never fade away. For more updates and the latest news on Nas, come back to HNHH.
Nas and Hit-Boy have concluded their two rap trilogies but that doesn’t mean there won’t be collaborations in the future. Speaking in a clip shared on Instagram, Nas stated he now knows he could return to create more together.
“For me, there’s an emotional moment because to complete something beyond what you thought you were even working on, we didn’t know we’d do six albums,” said Nas. “So to be at this point, it’s satisfying, it’s gratifying, it’s a feeling of accomplishment on another level for myself as an MC, and I’m lucky enough to work with some of the greatest producers in the world.”
In a monumental celebration of his 50th birthday, Nas, the iconic wordsmith of Hip-Hop, gifts the world with the grand finale of a remarkable trilogy – “Magic 3.” This magnum opus, brought to life by Nas’ longtime collaborator and production maestro, Hit-Boy, comprises 15 brand-new tracks. As the final chapter in their legendary partnership, “Magic 3” solidifies the duo’s status as one of Hip-Hop’s most prolific and dynamic pairings.
This project marks the sixth album crafted by Nas and Hit-Boy in just three years, following their previous triumphs in the “Magic” series. The saga began with “Magic” dropping on Christmas Eve in 2021, followed by the explosive release of “Magic 2” this past July, featuring heavyweight collaborators like 50 Cent and 21 Savage.
What makes “Magic 3” even more extraordinary is that it lands on Nas‘ 50th birthday, aligning perfectly with the golden jubilee of Hip-Hop itself.
True to his word, Nas teased fans with a cryptic video captioned “The Finale” on his social media, leaving the Hip-Hop community in anticipation. The official announcement of “Magic 3” arrived on September 12th, 2023, adding to the mystique surrounding this project.
Throughout their collaborative journey, Nas and Hit-Boy have gifted fans well over 70 tracks, featuring remarkable guest appearances from the likes of A$AP Rocky, Eminem, Lauryn Hill, and The Firm. Their exceptional streak of high-quality music has undeniably etched its name into the annals of Hip-Hop history, leaving fans wondering about Nas’ next move in his illustrious career.
As we eagerly dive into “Magic 3,” here’s a glimpse of the tracklist, promising a sonic journey like no other:
1. “Fever”
2. “TSK”
3. “Superhero Status”
4. “I Love This Feeling”
5. “No Tears”
6. “Never Die” Feat. Lil Wayne
7. “Pretty Young Girl”
8. “Based On True Events”
9. “Based On True Events Pt. 2”
10. “Sitting With My Thoughts”
11. “Blue Bentley”
12. “Jodeci Member”
13. “Speechless Pt. 2”
14. “Japanese Soul Bar”
15. “1-800-Nas-&-Hit”
With “Magic 3,” Nas and Hit-Boy invite us to witness the culmination of an extraordinary era in Hip-Hop, leaving us with a sense of anticipation for what lies ahead in the legendary Nasir Jones’ storied career.
Hit-Boy says that he dreamt of collaborating with Nas for nearly a decade before the release of their Grammy-winning project, King’s Disease. In a post on Instagram, Thursday, he reflected on their partnership and shared a note he made to himself about his goal back in 2011. The post comes after the release of their final album together, Magic 3.
“Thought this might motivate at least 1 of y’all out there so peep,” Hit-Boy began in the caption. “this note in my phone is from September 11th 2011 before i ever met @Nas . i wrote down and put into the universe that i wanted to produce a rihanna single and just 3 songs on a Nas album. Fast forward 12 years later and i’m 6 ALBUMS in with the God himself wow. How did we get here?!!”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 12: Nas and Hitboy attend Pass The Mic Concert at Hard Rock Hote – Times Square on May 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images)
From there, he confirmed that Magic 3 is their final album together. “The final Nas and Hit-Boy album Magic 3. Just know we gave it our all [prayer emoji] tbh we haven’t taken much time from working on music together since we linked in 2020 we tap in daily to work or just to chop it or every other day at least i would say.. having this type of musical bond with an artist of this caliber is a producers dream.” He concluded: “I want to thank Nas for taking in my ideas and embracing them and me. you can’t force this type of energy. i’m right here whenever forever bro!!” Check out the full post below.
Magic 3 marks the sixth straight project from Nas that Hit-Boy has produced. Their first effort, King’s Disease, arrived back in 2020. It won Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Even at 50 years old, Nas continues to outrap many other artists in the game, especially when he lays down his bars over beats by Hit-Boy. In less than a year they’ve given us King’s Disease III, Magic 2, and now, Magic 3, all of which have only helped to expand the “Hood 2 Hood” hitmaker’s fanbase. His newest LP landed on streamers this past New Music Friday (September 15), markedly boasting just one guest feature from Lil Wayne on “Never Die.”
Besides that, Nas manages to captivate us on his own with his clever rhymes, reflecting on everything from the type of women who have been known to catch his eye to solidifying his status as one of the most prolific figures in hip-hop. On the 15-song tracklist, our favourite title – “Pretty Young Girl” – is located right in the middle, and it appears Spotify listeners are digging the song too.
“I think she right for me and I don’t even know her / I mean the one time I seen her, she was naturally glowin’,” Nas gasses up his dream girl in the later part of his verse. “That’s why I made this song, told the label promote it / So she can hear it, ’cause even if she don’t like rap / This still gon’ find her right where she’s at,” he continues, clearly trusting in divine timing to bring her into his life.
Listen to Nas’ “Pretty Young Girl” above, then check out his full Magic 3 album on Spotify/Apple Music. What are your top three favourite titles from the New York MC’s latest collaboration with Hit-Boy? Let us know in the comments, and find more HNHH release recommendations on our weekly Fire Emoji playlist update below.
Earlier this week Nas announced that his series of albums with Hit-Boy was coming to a close. He released the third album in the Magic series and his 6th Hit-Boy produced album overall last night. Its predecessor Magic 2 dropped just a few months ago and delivered a pretty high-profile feature in 50 Cent. Magic 3 also brought a pretty big name along for the ride. When Nas revealed the tracklist to the project a few days ago fans were hyped to see that Lil Wayne popped up for a feature.
Turns out, Lil Wayne’s performance lived up to the fan expectation. TheHipHopWolf Instagram account collected some tweets praising Wayne for his appearance on the album’s track “Never Die.” “Wayne completely f*cking snapped on Nas album. my god,” one of the fans they found tweeted. “I’m a huge nas fan but Wayne ate his lunch” and “Nah Wayne lost his miiiiiind on this Nas song lmao,” two other fans agreed. The reception of the album as a whole seems to be very positive with some fans calling it the best in the Magic series to date. Check out some of their reactions below.
Earlier this week, Lil Wayne popped up at the VMAs for a pair of performances. He kicked the entire show off with his new single “Kat Food” and his Swizz Beatz collaboration “Uproar.” He also joined in on the massive celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary which also featured Nicki Minaj, who was doing double duty as host. The massive performance featured performers from every era of hip-hop coming together to perform their classics.
Lil Wayne also attended the show with a special secret lady. When MTV cameras tried to find out who Wayne was holding hands with backstage, his security quickly shut them down. What do you think of Lil Wayne’s guest verse on Nas’ new album Magic 3? Let us know in the comment section below.
Happy birthday to Nas, whose star-studded 50th birthday bash’s guest list speaks to his legendary career outreach. Many hip-hop icons reunited to celebrate the Queens icon, and new footage from the event shows some of them off. Among many others, Esco hosted Fat Joe, Mary J. Blige, Slick Rick, Diddy, N.O.R.E., and mainstays like his close collaborator Hit-Boy. Of course, the duo wasn’t just celebrating Nasir Jones’ special day, but also the release of their sixth and final collaborative project, Magic 3. With all this in mind, it was a ceremonious occasion no matter who you were or what your relationship to the game is.
In fact, celebrations like these are a heartening display of the unity that the older guard of rap displays these days. For example, Nas kicked it with Diddy, who also released an album of his own this week that’s directly competing with Magic 3. In addition, many of these figures were involved, whether directly or otherwise, in feuds and scuffles throughout their careers. It’s amazing to see them come together after all these years, with pioneers like Slick Rick and the legends that emerged after the “Represent” MC.
When it comes to those, there’s no one that people point to more as the lyricist of note today (and yesterday and tomorrow, at this point) than Kendrick Lamar. He popped by to say hello to Nas and celebrate with him and Hit-Boy, who he worked with in the past. Considering that, this was a slightly New York region-based but still comprehensive view of hip-hop today, bringing in the past with the torchbearers of the moment. We’re sure that one day, Nasty Nas will come out for Kendrick’s 50th, which will have its own leading star of its contemporary age.
Meanwhile, all these celebrations become all the more meaningful within the context of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. It almost pans out too perfectly: the rawest and most crucial MC blueprint in many’s eyes is just as old and experienced as the genre itself. Much like rap, he continues to shine and push himself forward with grace, skill, and heart. For more news and the latest updates on Nas, stay logged into HNHH.
In a monumental celebration of his 50th birthday, Nas, the iconic wordsmith of Hip-Hop, gifts the world with the grand finale of a remarkable trilogy – “Magic 3.” This magnum opus, brought to life by Nas’ longtime collaborator and production maestro, Hit-Boy, comprises 15 brand-new tracks. As the final chapter in their legendary partnership, “Magic 3” solidifies the duo’s status as one of Hip-Hop’s most prolific and dynamic pairings.
This project marks the sixth album crafted by Nas and Hit-Boy in just three years, following their previous triumphs in the “Magic” series. The saga began with “Magic” dropping on Christmas Eve in 2021, followed by the explosive release of “Magic 2” this past July, featuring heavyweight collaborators like 50 Cent and 21 Savage.
What makes “Magic 3” even more extraordinary is that it lands on Nas‘ 50th birthday, aligning perfectly with the golden jubilee of Hip-Hop itself.
True to his word, Nas teased fans with a cryptic video captioned “The Finale” on his social media, leaving the Hip-Hop community in anticipation. The official announcement of “Magic 3” arrived on September 12th, 2023, adding to the mystique surrounding this project.
Throughout their collaborative journey, Nas and Hit-Boy have gifted fans well over 70 tracks, featuring remarkable guest appearances from the likes of A$AP Rocky, Eminem, Lauryn Hill, and The Firm. Their exceptional streak of high-quality music has undeniably etched its name into the annals of Hip-Hop history, leaving fans wondering about Nas’ next move in his illustrious career.
As we eagerly dive into “Magic 3,” here’s a glimpse of the tracklist, promising a sonic journey like no other:
1. “Fever”
2. “TSK”
3. “Superhero Status”
4. “I Love This Feeling”
5. “No Tears”
6. “Never Die” Feat. Lil Wayne
7. “Pretty Young Girl”
8. “Based On True Events”
9. “Based On True Events Pt. 2”
10. “Sitting With My Thoughts”
11. “Blue Bentley”
12. “Jodeci Member”
13. “Speechless Pt. 2”
14. “Japanese Soul Bar”
15. “1-800-Nas-&-Hit”
With “Magic 3,” Nas and Hit-Boy invite us to witness the culmination of an extraordinary era in Hip-Hop, leaving us with a sense of anticipation for what lies ahead in the legendary Nasir Jones’ storied career.
Earlier this week, Nas and Hit-Boy announced the “finale” of their creative partnership in the form of Magic 3 — their sixth project since 2020. Naturally, with the album just hours away from dropping, they took advantage of the peaking interest to stoke the flames a little with the tracklist. The graphic they shared contains 15 titles with only one feature from fellow respected veteran Lil Wayne. A comment from Hit-Boy reads, “album on your gday is ,” referring to the fact that Nas was born 50 years ago today.
Speaking on the impact Hit-Boy’s production has had on his career, Nas called the California producer his “Quincy Jones,” saying, “I think what we have is magic.” That the quote would lead to the title of a separate collaborative trilogy is just icing on the cake. That trilogy comes to a close tonight via Mass Appeal Records. You can see the tracklist below.
01. “Fever”
02. “TSK”
03. “Superhero Status”
04. “I Love This Feeling”
05. “No Tears”
06. “Never Die” Feat. Lil Wayne
07. “Pretty Young Girl”
08. “Based On True Events”
09. “Based On True Events Pt. 2”
10. “Sitting With My Thoughts”
11. “Blue Bentley”
12. “Jodeci Member”
13. “Speechless Pt. 2”
14. “Japanese Soul Bar”
15. “1-800-Nas-&-Hit”
