Mass Appeal US レコード& CD

Review: Originally released digitally at the end of 2021, Nas's fifteenth studio set has finally landed on CDs. When it first dropped, Magic was considered something of a "stop gap" release by some reviewers - a set for us to listen to while the iconic rapper finalises the third part of his King's Disease trilogy of albums. Listening again with fresh ears, this appraisal is probably a little harsh. Nas is to the point and in fine lyrical form throughout, while the retro-futurist beats provided by Hit Boy - with additional contributions from DJ Premier and ASAP Rocky - have a classic feel that should appeal to those who still pine for hip-hop's "golden era" in the 1990s.

Review: Even if Nas never released another record every again there is a good chance he would maintain his spot in the pantheon of all time rap greats, simply off the back of his legendary Illmatic album. Fortunately, though, he continues to work on new music with King's Disease III being his sixteenth studio album. The American dropped it at the back end of last year and it now makes its way to limited gatefold red & black striped vinyl. The record has enjoyed great critical acclaim for its loose yet complex style and cutting verses. The production was taken care of by Hit-Boy, Chauncey Hollis III and Jasnport J and is truly gold standard.

Review: US rap royalty Nas's 'Ultra Black' features producer Hit-Boy and was released in mid-summer 2020 as the lead single from his thirteenth album, King's Disease. Lyrically, Nas pays homage to all things Black as he draws on his black heritage and African-American culture while the beats remain deeply laidback with jazzy chords up top. In an interview at the time with NME, the rapper said the song "represents love" although some interpreted the lyrics as a diss towards singer and rapper Doja Cat. This 7" features the vocal version and an instrumental.

Review: He will probably always be best known for laying down one of hip-hop's greatest ever albums with Illmatic, but right now he is certainly back in some fine form. He is prolific, too, with three new albums dropping in quick succession, all of them proving he has tapped into some new and rewarding creative reserves. He explores it all here form classic boom bap to Atlanta and Memphis-inspired rhythms with guests like Lil Wayne hoeing him get back to something like his best - not bad given this landed on September 14, 2023 through Mass Appeal Records, on his 50th birthday.

Review: King's Disease III is the 16th album from the legendary American rapper Nas and it was one of his many records to be well-received by both fans and critics. His impeccable discography will of course always be compared to his most legendary album, Illmatic, and most of the time it stands up. This one on Mass Appeal landed in November 2022 and now makes its way to vinyl - a coloured version is also available. The production was taken care of by Hit-Boy, Chauncey Hollis III and Jasnport J with Nas proving his famously loose yet complex mic work and digging deep into a wide array of prescient topics.

Review: Hip hop super group Run The Jewels aka Brooklyn-based rapper-producer El-P and Atlanta-based rapper Killer Mike continue to turn out new albums that continue to get a great reception. But at the same time, their old albums are still much sought after and so are being reissued. Run The Jewels 2 first came back in 2014 and received widespread acclaim from critics. They appreciated its darker, more layered production and Killer Mike and El-P's lyricism and chemistry and its guest contributions from the likes of Zach de la Rocha, Travis Barker and Diane Coffee.