Legendary California producer Hit-Boy has taken aim at a journalist who slandered him and Nas for their new collaborative album, Magic 2, which he executively produced. The project was a sequel to Nas’ 2021 album Magic. However, many have made it their mission to tear down the Queensbridge rapper.
Although many journalists have written negative reviews about this latest Nas album, Hit-Boy took issue with one columnist especially. Max Bell, who has worked for the LA Times, The Ringer and Spin, was tough on not just Nas but Hit-Boy as well, labelling him one of this era’s “least inspired producers” despite receiving multiple Grammy’s.
Bell wrote in a lengthy diatribe concerning Magic 2, “Only Nas — who hasn’t picked an album’s worth of great beats since ’94 — would make five albums full of loading screen beats from one of this era’s least inspired producers.”
Fans quickly noticed the unnecessary hate and anger towards Hit-Boy and Nas. In fact, even Bell’s journalism counterparts knew he could have worded better. A fellow journalist Al Shipley, who knew Bell would receive some severe flak, wrote, “Goddamn, you jumped from the top rope with this one!”
When the news finally reached Hit-Boy himself, he quickly took to the post’s comments section to fire back, writing, “Coming from a failed journalist and failed musician. tough.” Nas has previously made aware that he knows people are uncomfortable with an old-school emcee like himself working with a modern producer.
On Magic 2’s ‘Abracadabra’, the Illmatic creator raps, “I feel a lot of hate since I’ve been creating with Hit/I’m feelin’ a lot of the hate since I’ve been creatin’ with Hit.” Despite the hate he receives after each project he releases Nas has never stopped.
Following the release of Magic 2, Nas took to Twitter to tell his followers how regardless of opinion, he is happy to be still making music, writing, “I’m happy to be around making new music because I love it,” he said. “Having the best year of my life. I caught the Holy Spirit, and I’m grateful to be giving it all to the world. Magic 2.”