How many of the Nas/Hitboy albums you think are classic/will be classics?

[prophecypro]

KD 1 and 2 were classics. Magic and KD 3 were ok. Magic 2 and 3 were trash.

Im surprised people think Magic 3 is like Magic 2

 

[Dre Space Age]

this 6 album run is fukking CRAZY!!!!!!!

All 6 nikka!!!

 

[JoelB]

Time will tell. I remember when IWW and Reasonable Doubt got held in higher esteem as time went on. Some of yall are mentioning "impact" as if its something that happens immediately.

KD3 is a flawless album, and 10 years from now, I can see nerdy writers going back and giving it more attention. I have Magic 3 next to it, but I wanna let it breathe more first.

 

[Budda]

I guess you missed where I literally said it doesn't matter whether an album went triple plat or barely sold at all...

There are multiple albums I consider to be classic that didn't sell on any significant level. Marcberg comes to mind. Covert Coup comes to mind. But you can clearly see impact, influence, relevance, etc. Then there are "personal classics" I know aren't "classic albums" but I view the album as special/amazing/etc. If people want to say KD3, Magic 1 etc are personal classics who am I to say otherwise. That's your opinion. I think Magic 1 is at least a 4 mic album. It's dope! I just don't think being a dope album makes something classic in the traditional definition.

Nikkaz In Paris is obviously a classic song, there's no denying that. It's more than just a hit song, it's a culturally iconic song. I think from an objective perspective it's important to be able to "look around the room" and determine when something is classic even if you personally don't connect with it. I hate Money Cash Hoes. That shyt sucks to me. But I'm not gonna deny it's a classic song.

@Cladyclad my point is that having a classic song(s) doesn't make an album classic, however classic albums usually have classic songs. I also think with underground rap you can definitely haggle over what the classic songs are, if any. Is it simply an amazingly influential body of work that shifted a scene? Is it a classic song strictly to underground heads, or a song that bubbled up beyond them to the mainstream? That's all stuff you can debate.

How is covert coup any more of a classic album than KD2?

 

[Piff Perkins]

Time will tell. I remember when IWW and Reasonable Doubt got held in higher esteem as time went on. Some of yall are mentioning "impact" as if its something that happens immediately.

KD3 is a flawless album, and 10 years from now, I can see nerdy writers going back and giving it more attention. I have Magic 3 next to it, but I wanna let it breathe more first.

IWW and RD were released when both rappers were young, relevant, on the radio, and still crafting legacies. I don't think it's comparable to today. I know people disagree but I simply don't believe Nas or Jay can release anything today that defines or harms their legacies. They're set. The game clock is at 0, the score is settled. KRS has dropped multiple albums over the last 15 years and none of them impact his place either, whether good or bad.

Nas' legacy revolves around Illmatic through Life Is Good. With the most important/popular period of that being Illmatic through God's Son. Most people don't fukk with SD, HHID, or Untitled so Life Is Good is the comeback album that calmed haters down and made fans proud. In short, 1994-2012 is the era you're gonna hear about when you bring up Nas in a barbershop. With Jay it would be Reasonable Doubt through MCHG. Yea 444 is good but you're not gonna hear anyone talking about that at the shop either.

 

[KFBF]

None of them are as good as The Lost Tapes.

 

[Cladyclad]

IWW and RD were released when both rappers were young, relevant, on the radio, and still crafting legacies. I don't think it's comparable to today. I know people disagree but I simply don't believe Nas or Jay can release anything today that defines or harms their legacies. They're set. The game clock is at 0, the score is settled. KRS has dropped multiple albums over the last 15 years and none of them impact his place either, whether good or bad.

Nas' legacy revolves around Illmatic through Life Is Good. With the most important/popular period of that being Illmatic through God's Son. Most people don't fukk with SD, HHID, or Untitled so Life Is Good is the comeback album that calmed haters down and made fans proud. In short, 1994-2012 is the era you're gonna hear about when you bring up Nas in a barbershop. With Jay it would be Reasonable Doubt through MCHG. Yea 444 is good but you're not gonna hear anyone talking about that at the shop either.

444 stay being talked about in reference to things

All jay albums had impact

 

[BK The Great]

These albums will be cult classics, not in the eyes of mainstream rap fans who only want some generic hit records that reach a bigger crowd that doesn't listen to Hip Hop.

 

[T.he I.nformant]

....or, we're just saying sh*t you don’t like to hear.

How many new Nas fans has he made with these albums? These joints have divided his 20-30+ year long fans. A lot people who've been lifelong Nas fans since pre-Illmatic do not f*ck with these albums. Are any of these shifting culture or killing sh*t anywhere? Did these projects save his career? His legacy was set before any of these dropped. They haven't hurt him, but they haven't raised his legend status either. He was good before these.

I worked with Nas for years. So I'm around the same people he's been around forever, and in the same spots. I don’t hear anyone talking about these albums. And like I said, when they do, it's always, 'That dropped?" or "Damn, I haven't even f*cked with any of those yet". When people say sh*t like that, it's because the music ain't resonating at large. And when that's happening, it ain't classic.

Is that you, Pete?

It’s not necessarily that I don’t want to hear it. It just doesn’t seem to come from a genuine place.

How many new Nas fans has he made with these albums?

I have no clue. And neither do you. It’s absolutely possible for a legacy artist to get new fans though. People discover music/artists in all kinds of ways at all stages.

Are any of these shifting culture or killing sh*t anywhere?

Honestly, I’m not sure what this even means in today’s scene and why it’s important especially with someone of Nas’s stature and longevity. Give me some examples of what’s shifting culture and killing shyt and maybe we can have a convo.

Did these projects save his career? His legacy was set before any of these dropped. They haven't hurt him, but they haven't raised his legend status either. He was good before these.

First, his career didn’t need saving because like you said he was already stamped and certified. Next, just my opinion because I know there are people who love Nasir but I consider that project a huge disappointment. It was a low point. Not even Nas’s fault. More had to do with Kanye and everything he had going on. Just a casualty to Kanye’s messiness. I think Nas rebounded big time with Hit-Boy. This series has been one of the best stretches of his career. He’s been so consistent.

As far as this not growing his legend, I can’t take that. I think it’s strange how rap fans can’t acknowledge and appreciate Nas is doing something that’s unprecedented. There could be some bias on my end because he’s been my favorite rapper since I really started to listen to rap and I always pay attention to what he’s doing on the music side but I don’t think any of his peers are doing this. No one in the history of rap has done what he’s doing going into his 50th year. Quality music always adds to the legacy.

I don’t hear anyone talking about these albums. And like I said, when they do, it's always, 'That dropped?" or "Damn, I haven't even f*cked with any of those yet". When people say sh*t like that, it's because the music ain't resonating at large. And when that's happening, it ain't classic.

If you want to argue there were no classics in this past three years I can maybe accept that even though I think it’s debatable. I think good points are made in distinguishing good music from music that makes an impact. I don’t think Nas is in a space where he’s reaching the masses of whatever is considered the hip-hop audience these days. I think some of that has more to do with music being a young man’s game and marketing as opposed to it just being the music not resonating. There’s so much out there and people are so busy it’s hard to keep up.

 

[prophecypro]

IWW and RD were released when both rappers were young, relevant, on the radio, and still crafting legacies. I don't think it's comparable to today. I know people disagree but I simply don't believe Nas or Jay can release anything today that defines or harms their legacies. They're set. The game clock is at 0, the score is settled. KRS has dropped multiple albums over the last 15 years and none of them impact his place either, whether good or bad.

Nas' legacy revolves around Illmatic through Life Is Good. With the most important/popular period of that being Illmatic through God's Son. Most people don't fukk with SD, HHID, or Untitled so Life Is Good is the comeback album that calmed haters down and made fans proud. In short, 1994-2012 is the era you're gonna hear about when you bring up Nas in a barbershop. With Jay it would be Reasonable Doubt through MCHG. Yea 444 is good but you're not gonna hear anyone talking about that at the shop either.

Shiiiet if people still arguing about Jay vs Nas and its beyond God Son and Black Album, they aint gonna stop at those albums in the 2010s lol

 

[Cladyclad]

These albums will be cult classics, not in the eyes of mainstream rap fans who only want some generic hit records that reach a bigger crowd that doesn't listen to Hip Hop.

U don’t need a hit record to be classic

But u would think out of 80 songs one would make an impact. By fukking accident or something.

The only thing close to viral was a line about Jay Z.

Nas don’t rap about nothing is the real issue that’s why it’s not connecting. He raps to his core while lacking the ability to talk to outside his fanbase to where they care.

 

[prophecypro]

These albums will be cult classics, not in the eyes of mainstream rap fans who only want some generic hit records that reach a bigger crowd that doesn't listen to Hip Hop.

And honestly thats okay because I feel like that circle gonna be the ones still talking about classic albums and th undeground scene past decade. They e the vinyl collectors. The other kids just want playlist albums and vibes and harmonizing rap and thats okay too

 

[Mike the Executioner]

To me, a classic album is something that has to stand the test of time. You play it years later and it's of especially high quality. It also has to mean something to the artist's career and/or legacy. When you're telling the artist's story, does this album have to be included or can you leave it out?

I think it's too soon for the Hit-Boy run to be talked about like this. I know about the term "instant classic," but if you can't even listen to the album ten years later, what's the point? I believe Magic 1, KD3, and Magic 3 are of especially high quality and will be reappraised years later. KD2 could also be in that category. As much as Nas' spot was solidified years ago (Life is Good should have earned him lifetime goodwill), people are fickle. You're only as good as your last album. Even if you're a legendary artist. Especially if you're a legendary artist. People started believing Nas lost it after Nasir and it had a mixed to negative reception when it came out. All of a sudden, Illmatic, IWW, Stillmatic, those albums didn't exist. LT2 didn't get a great reception, either. King's Disease and every album afterwards changed some of the long-standing narratives surrounding him, like him picking bad beats (but he picks bad freaks). People literally changed their opinions on Nas because of this run. He was already the GOAT before 2020, but the fact that media personalities and longtime critics are using this run as a mark of his quality means something.

I saw it happen in real time. When you talk about Nas' legacy, I definitely believe that the Hit-Boy albums can be included. It's not an absolute must that they do, but let's not act like these albums were dropped on some small-time label and only five people heard them. Nas headlined a show at MSG playing songs from these albums. He performed "Rare" at the Grammys, which was one of the best Grammy performances in the last ten years. People know these albums exist and responded to them accordingly.

 

[Piff Perkins]

How is covert coup any more of a classic album than KD2?

It's one of the seminal projects of the blog era that helped usher in a new way of releasing music online (is it an album? is it a mixtape? how do you sell it etc), it's the start of Alchemist's classic 2010s run and led to multiple big collab albums with young artists. I'd compare it to KRIT Wuz Here, So Far Gone, The Warm Up, Overly Dedicated, etc. All those projects had clear impact on the era. If you want to say it's a "classic mixtape" instead of a "classic album" that's fine.

 

[prophecypro]

To me, a classic album is something that has to stand the test of time. You play it years later and it's of especially high quality. It also has to mean something to the artist's career and/or legacy. When you're telling the artist's story, does this album have to be included or can you leave it out?

I think it's too soon for the Hit-Boy run to be talked about like this. I know about the term "instant classic," but if you can't even listen to the album ten years later, what's the point? I believe Magic 1, KD3, and Magic 3 are of especially high quality and will be reappraised years later. KD2 could also be in that category. As much as Nas' spot was solidified years ago (Life is Good should have earned him lifetime goodwill), people are fickle. You're only as good as your last album. Even if you're a legendary artist. Especially if you're a legendary artist. People started believing Nas lost it after Nasir and it had a mixed to negative reception when it came out. All of a sudden, Illmatic, IWW, Stillmatic, those albums didn't exist. LT2 didn't get a great reception, either. King's Disease and every album afterwards changed some of the long-standing narratives surrounding him, like him picking bad beats (but he picks bad freaks). People literally changed their opinions on Nas because of this run. He was already the GOAT before 2020, but the fact that media personalities and longtime critics are using this run as a mark of his quality means something.

I saw it happen in real time. When you talk about Nas' legacy, I definitely believe that the Hit-Boy albums can be included. It's not an absolute must that they do, but let's not act like these albums were dropped on some small-time label and only five people heard them. Nas headlined a show at MSG playing songs from these albums. He performed "Rare" at the Grammys, which was one of the best Grammy performances in the last ten years. People know these albums exist and responded to them accordingly.

Yo it is crazy how that goes.
Yeah after Nasir and LT 2 people were like is he even top 5 and then after the KD triogy well you saw with these 50th Hip Hop anniversary lists, he moved up.
Now with Magic 2 and 3 people gonna feel some type of way lol