Nas and Hit-Boy have announced their fifth collaboration album since 2020. This week (July 21), the MC/producer tandem is slated to release Magic 2. It marks the follow-up to Magic, released in the closing days of 2021. That nine-song collection featured DJ Premier and A$AP Ferg.

After speculation online, Hit-Boy confirmed the news on Tuesday (July 18) with a tweet sharing artwork and release date:

7.21 @Nas pic.twitter.com/AyrfomCZXO

— Hit-Boy (@Hit_Boy) July 18, 2023

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On Instagram, 50 Cent revealed he is among the Magic 2 guests. Although the two Queens, New York artists bumped heads nearly two decades ago, they worked together on Showtime’s Supreme Team documentary in 2022. At the time, Fif put all notions of any lingering conflict to bed. “I love Nas. He’s really the one. He is the guy, the lyrical [great],” 50 said to Ebro In The Morning during a promotional interview. Previously, the two artists—both linked to The Trackmasters—collaborated with a third, The Firm’s Nature, on “Too Hot.” That song, never formally released, landed on 50 Cent’s Guess Who’s Back mixtape—one of his breakthroughs. 50 Cent was also an opening act over 20 years ago when Nas launched his Nastradamus Tour. At the time, both artists were on Columbia/Sony Records. Both men are entrepreneurs, with Nas at the helm of Mass Appeal and Fif running G-Unit.

Magic arrived between three installments of Nas and Hit-Boy’s King’s Disease series. Launched in 2020, the three-album franchise earned Nas his first Grammy. In 2021, the legend won “Best Rap Album” alongside his producer. In 2022, the pair delivered the most recent installment. Ambrosia For Heads’ What’s The Headline podcast reacted to the release with praise:

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Earlier this year, Hit-Boy has released two volumes of Surf Or Drown. They include a Nas appearance, as well as work with Big Sean, Dom Kennedy, Alchemist, and Curren$y.

#BonusBeat: Multiple selections from King’s Disease III and Surf Or Drown, Vol. 1 are currently on the AFH playlist: