Late last year, Nas unveiled his fifteenth studio LP Magic, which came with nine songs and assists from A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier, both of whom appeared on the standout cut “Wave Gods.” Today (Mar. 23), fans can now enjoy a new visual for the collaboration, which matches Nasir and Rocky’s raps about struggling in the years before fame and success:
“Wake up out the bed, wrap my durag up, say a prayer, I’m thankin’ God that mom dukes had us, monotone style like Guru on some Preemo cuts, crewneck by McQueen, go nuts, jewels over my white hoodie like Juvie in ‘9-8, it’s movies that I make, Peruvian white flake, it tore the community at a high rate, adversity I faced, I roll my own gas to make sure that it’s not laced, damn, I used to hit the block hopin’ they see me, watchin’ Video Music Box, sittin’ close to the TV…”
Courtesy of Spike Jordan, AWGE‘s Hidji, and Rocky himself, the accompanying clip for “Wave Gods” begins with a couple of poignant quotes (ex. “Every choice you make, makes you…”) before Hit-Boy and DJ Premier can be seen blasting movies from an apartment tower in Yonkers, NY. Things then switch to Rocky re-creating his life — or maybe similar to him — during lesser times, including as a homeless individual on the street. Other scenes include shot of Nas in a similar fashion, as well as in a hospital bed while his collaborators look on in support.
Magic comes months after the second installment of Nas and Hit-Boy‘s critically acclaimed King’s Disease series, which saw 15 songs and additional features from Eminem, EPMD, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, YG, Lauryn Hill, Charlie Wilson, and Blxst. The first volume of that joint effort arrived a year prior.
Press play on Nas, A$AP Rocky, and DJ Premier‘s “Wave Gods” video below.