NasandHit-Boyhave teamed up on a surprise new album titledMagic, releasing at midnight on Christmas Eve.
The “early Christmas gift” is composed of nine tracks, including “Wave Gods” ft. A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier.
Here is the full tracklist:
Speechless
Meet Joe Black
Ugly
40-16 Building
Hollywood Gangsta
Wu For The Children
Wave Gods ft. A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier
The Truth
Dedicated
Nas and Hit-Boy previously collaborated on Nas’ last album, King’s Disease II. Released in August, it has been nominated for Best Rap Album at the upcoming 64th Grammy Awards.
The musical minds also worked together on 2020’s King’s Disease, which scored Nas his first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
The Emmy-winning show is set to return with a two-episode premiere on March 24, 2022 on FX and will be available to stream on Hulu the day after. Atlanta season three will feature a total of 10 episodes mostly set in Europe, and will see Glover’s Earn, Brian Tyree Henry’s Paper Boi, LaKeith Stanfield’s Dariius and Zazie Beetz’s Van running through a European tour.
“We are thrilled to have Atlanta back with a new season on March 24th,” said Eric Schrier, President, FX Entertainment. “Once again, Donald Glover, the producers and stellar cast have delivered another signature season synonymous with the excellence that makes Atlanta so great.”
Season three was delayed from 2019 due to scheduling conflicts on Glover’s side, followed by a halt in production last year due to COVID-19.
Stay tuned for a teaser trailer on Christmas Day. Atlanta season three premieres March 24, 2022.JAY-Z is very confident in his discography, so much so that he claimed during a TwitterSpaces event with Alicia Keys on Tuesday that no one can compete with him in a musical showdown.
During the discussion, hosted by Genius, the 52-year-old icon was asked if he would ever participate in a VERZUZ livestream — a series produced by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz that brings two legendary artists together to perform their respective hits.
“No disrespect. Everyone is amazing and [has] done what they’ve done,” he said. “There’s not a chance in hell that anyone can stand on that stage with me.”
“That ain’t never gonna happen,” he added.
HOV’s comments sparked a heated debate online about who would make a worthy adversary for the 23-time Grammy winner.
In a comment to Hollywood Unlocked,Lil Jon suggested that Busta Rhymes would “smoke” JAY-Z in a battle, with fans voicing their support for the move on social media.
Others listed out legendary rappers that they would want to see take on the challenge.
Many defended JAY-Z’s reputation, claiming that he remains untouchable in the music world.
Despite his firm stance, HOV did compliment artists like Ne-Yo and Jadakiss on their previous VERZUZ performances.
“It’s tough for me to pick a favorite VERZUZ,” he said. What I love about VERZUZ is that it reminds people of an artist’s catalog.”
In response to Fat Joe’s comments, Crazy Legs posted to Instagram a photo of himself with Busta and Swizz Beatz. Accompanying the photo was the caption, “I had to let @bustarhymes know that no one is worthy enough to battle him. Then he told me that 5 people already turned it down. Some things are just what they are. He has the unfortunate pleasure of being a god in the rap game. Shout out to @therealswizzz for the #BDP outfit of the day!”
Fat Joe recently equated Busta Rhymes to be the boxer that could “knock everybody out.” He said, “People be scared to fight those boxers. Busta Rhymes is gonna out-rap, out-perform anybody that goes up in the VERZUZ with him. That’s a fact!” It remains to be seen who will be the brave soul that will take on Busta in a VERZUZ rap battle, but as of now, there does not appear to be any takers.
Getting through the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic is a cause for celebration itself. As music experienced a brief resurgence with festivals and smaller tours, artists like Isaiah Rashad, J. Cole, Lorde, Tyler, the Creator and Vince Staplesalso made their triumphant return with their well-received albums The House Is Burning, The Off-Season, Solar Power, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, and Vince Staples. It would be a tragedy if we failed to highlight the hot debate of Kanye West‘s DONDAversus Drake‘s Certified Lover Boy, which were released within five days of each other and became the world’s talking point for months afterward.
2021 also greeted us with diverse releases from both growing and all-time favorites, including pgLang star Baby Keem with The Melodic Blue, Little Simz with Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Paris Texas with Red Hand Akimbo, Snoh Aalegra with TEMPORARY HIGHS IN THE VIOLET SKIES, New Gen: Spring 2021 contender Temswith If Orange Was A Place and much more.
To cap it off, we have a selection of honorable mentions, namely Don Toliver‘s Life of a DON, James Blake‘s Friends That Break Your Heart, Silk Sonic‘s An Evening With Silk Sonic,Summer Walker‘s Still Over It and Young Thug‘s Punk. HYPEBEAST would also like to note that while the likes of Roddy Ricch, Mach-Hommy and newcomer Nardo Wick dropped stellar projects towards the end of the year, more time is needed to fully appreciate the albums.
Without further ado, HYPEBEAST presents the 15 best music projects of 2021.
Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue
Pglang Llc/Columbia Records/Sony Music Entertainment
Upon releasing The Melodic Blue, Baby Keem made it evident that his popularity was based on more than just his familial association with Kendrick Lamar. The pgLang artist is evidently growing into his own, using his DIE FOR MY BITCH follow up to further hone his technical skill as both a rapper and a lyricist. The Melodic Blue is filled with catchy (and witty, if you’re fast enough to pick them up) patterns delivered over hard-hitting production, and if you tune out even just for a second, you might miss out on the genius of Baby Keem.
It goes without saying that any Drake release is likely to remain unparalleled. After years of built-up anticipation, many were met with the forlorn loverboy in the Toronto rapper’s sixth studio album. Having described the record as “a combination of toxic masculinity and acceptance of truth,” the music overlord amplifies his emotional honesty and confidence. And in typical Drake fashion, CLB boasts a star-studded affair that includes A-listers like JAY-Z, Kid Cudi, Future, Young Thug, and Giveon to name a few. But like always, Drake stays on top as he accelerates to a level only very few can achieve.
Isaiah Rashad’s THE HOUSE IS BURNING was undeniably one of the biggest and most exciting comebacks of the year. Granted, it was mainly because it was his first full-length effort since 2016, but most importantly, he had returned from rehab and survived the chaos of his life post-The Sun’s Tirade. The TDE staple is so much more than his trauma, but he works through it tirelessly and tediously, and fully accepts it on this Kenny Beats-produced record. The house may now be nothing but ashes swept away by the wind, and Rashad may not have come out unscathed, but he sure as hell is alive and kicking.
J. Cole’s The Off-Season returns to HYPEBEAST’s Best Projects list for the second time this year. The 12-track album lived up to its hype as one of 2021’s most anticipated records, with the Dreamville head sounding refreshed and hungrier than ever. Cole is supported by super producers such as Timbaland, Boi-1da and T-Minus and special guests like 21 Savage, Bas and Lil Baby, who all act as cushions to further elevate the Fayetteville artist’s sharp agenda and pull him into the right headspace for The Fall Off.
Getting Out Our Dreams Ii, Llc/ Def Jam Recordings/Umg Recordings, Inc.
Over a year since its initial announcement and three massive listening parties later, it felt like a fever dream when the artist formerly known as Kanye West officially released DONDA on streaming platforms. The two-hour record was well worth the wait, however, as DONDA proved to be his most personal and transitional album so far, with themes of family, loss and spirituality interweaved with the teachings of the late Dr. Donda West. Propped by a strong cast of supporting artists like JAY-Z, Pusha T, Kid Cudi, the late Pop Smoke and even controversial figures Marilyn Manson, Chris Brown and DaBaby, Ye dissects his highly-publicized life experiences into an album that will forever be remembered.
While Little Simz sometimes might be an introvert, she certainly doesn’t shy away from embracing her artistic power. As a Black woman in a male-dominated industry, Simz wants you to know her presence will always hold weight. She assures her ego takes a seat but holds no reservations with her sharp lyricism, quick deliveries, and lush production. Transcending the glitz and glamour of her successes are intimate questions about self-worth and desires for validation. Anchored with potent emotional intelligence, Simz’s project is an apt display of her deepest sense of self.
Despite already being away for four years, Lorde still longed to escape into an endless summer on her Melodrama followup, Solar Power. Plucked guitar strings, full harmonies, warm shakers and Jack Antonoff’s production create the album’s balmy disposition and makes it the polar opposite of its predecessor, however the 25-year-old is as tuned-in to her inner thoughts as ever. Sprinkled throughout the 12-track record are her reflections and musings as someone whose career kicked off at only 16, giving her the advantage to pen more mature lyricism while still dreading the same woes of her Millenial and Gen-Z cohorts.
Maxo Kream has yet to disappoint. The Houston MC’s third studio album WEIGHT OF THE WORLD went largely underappreciated despite its cohesive production and stellar features from heavyweights like A$AP Rocky, Freddie Gibbs, Tyler, The Creator, and Don Toliver. With his macabre sense of humor, braggadocious hooks, and signature flow, Kream effortlessly weaves in his victory laps with darker themes of personal struggles and trauma. His ability to elevate the standard he set with his previous releases is proof of the huge strides he’s made since his SoundCloud days.
Paris Texas breathed in new life to “rap rock” with Red Hand Akimbo, a five-track EP following their triumphant BOY ANONYMOUS project. The Los Angeles-based duo, composed of Louie Pastel and Felix, delivered a dynamic synthesis of just what exactly they envisioned their sound to be, rather than what it’s meant as. Piecing together gritty guitars with upbeat, melodic bars and self-aware lyricism — “N****s thought I was Jean / They thought I was Keem, the f*ck do you mean? / N****s can’t tell if it’s rock / Can’t tell if it’s rap, I walk in between” — Paris Texas dives in head first, disregards all the rules and only goes wherever their artistry leads them.
Snoh Aalegra – TEMPORARY HIGHS IN THE VIOLET SKIES
Artium Recordings Llc/Roc Nation Records, Llc
Snoh Aalegra continues to be unmatched. Having made a steady comeback this year with TEMPORARY HIGHS IN THE VIOLET SKIES, the R&B songstress shows no signs of slowing down. Aalegra bares it all with dreamy vocals and candor lyricism alongside a fiery collaborative lineup ranging from the Neptunes to Tyler, the Creator, to No I.D. Better yet, the full-length effort taps into greater potential by not conforming to the typical Trap trends R&B generally emulates. Her zeal and experimentation of shifting sounds ultimately remind listeners why they were initially drawn to the genre.
Still Woozy – If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is
Still Woozy Productions Inc./Interscope Records
Sven Gamsky, aka Still Woozy, finally reached his debut milestone with If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is this year. After slowly sprinkling back-to-back hit singles, the multi-hyphenate delivered his long-awaited solo breakthrough which was both infectious and full of charm. Be it the genre-bending sounds, the idiosyncrasies behind his sublime production, or the sonic playground that fuses psychedelic pop, hip-hop, indie rock, and dance-funk into some childlike wonder, Sven has us still feeling woozy with all of this dazzle and excitement.
Sounds Of Crenshaw, Llc/Bmg Rights Management (us) Llc
Terrace Martin is often an unsung hero behind some of the world’s favorite hits. Best known for his work on To Pimp A Butterfly and good kid, m.A.A.d city, the prolific multi-instrumentalist has now made another triumphant mark with DRONES. Featuring a tasteful blend of jazzy, hip-hop, soul, and funk embellishments, each track stands as a masterpiece on its own. The project aptly created a space for industry peers like Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Smino, Leon Bridges, Robert Glasper, and many more to come together, continuously growing Martin’s discography and solidifying himself as one of the greatest ever to do it.
A decade after dropping GOBLIN, it’s evident that Tyler, the Creator has widely expanded his horizons, and he urges his listeners to do the same with CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST. The 16-track record, hosted by one of his dream collaborators, DJ Drama, is an energetic fusion of his ever-evolving skills and discography so far, and is tightly packed with the techniques that made predecessors WOLF, Flower Boy and IGOR some of the most outstanding releases in modern music history. Mr. Baudelaire strikes the perfect balance between experimentation and staying true to your roots, crafting a sonic love letter that tells listeners he’s growing alongside them, too.
Blacksmith Recordings/Motown Records/Umg Recordings, Inc.
Many have kept a watchful eye on Vince Staples since he cemented his status as one of the scene’s most formidable talents. Not because they were fearful, but because fans were eager for him to shatter expectations. With his eponymous fourth album that bears a cover art of his face, the Long Beach rapper stands front and center of his story. What lies behind heavy 808s, hi-hat rolls, and solid production entirely helmed by mastermind Kenny Beats, are profound themes of introspection, survival, and vulnerability. Staples strikes gold with his subdued but versatile approach, bringing a matured outlook that adds greater complexity to his already impressive repertoire.
Nas and Hit-Boy have teamed up on a surprise new album titled Magic, releasing at midnight on Christmas Eve.
FX has finally announced the official season three premiere date of Donald Glover‘s comedy series, Atlanta.
JAY-Z is very confident in his discography, so much so that he claimed during a Twitter Spaces event with Alicia Keys on Tuesday that no one can compete with him in a musical showdown.
Recently, Fat Joe weighed in on a Busta Rhymes VERZUZ rap battle and said that it has been very difficult to get rappers to face-off against him. Even, Fat Joe himself has said that he is not willing to compete with Busta in fear of being annihilated.
