New Music Friday – New Albums From Nas + Hit-Boy, Curren$y, Pacman da Gunman + Alchemist

Christmas came a day early this year, as fans woke up to a delivery of several new albums on this week’s edition of New Music Friday.

This Friday didn’t bring a plethora of new music, but what it lacked in quanity was made up for by the quality of the project’s released.

To start, Nas and Hit-Boy came together again for Magic, capping off their already prolific year. Curren$y also dropped a new project in the form of Pilot Talk 4, Pacman da Gunman released 6325 and Alchemist is set to unleash Cycles.

Nas & Hit-Boy – Magic

Nas and legendary West Coast producer Hit-Boy just can not stop dropping bangers.

Magic, their latest collaborative effort, is a smaller offering than the two artists’ previous King’s Disease releases, but Magic still packs a punch. Led by A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier-assisted “Wave Gods,” the nine-song project is the perfect gift for old heads and newer rap fans alike.

Curren$y – Pilot Talk 4

Curren$y has always been a prolific artist, but he stepped the bar up in 2021 and still managed to squeeze in another album before the year ended.

Pilot Talk 4 marks the Jet Life Records rapper’s eighth solo project of the year, but despite the onslaught of new music, his projects elude any filler. Only one feature graces the Pilot Talk 4 tracklist, but when that guest is Jay Electronica, nothing else is needed.

Alchemist – Cycles

Will be updated at 9:00am.

Perhaps no one had a more influential year than 2021 HipHopDX Producer Of The Year Alchemist.

The Boston-born producer was responsible for some of the year’s best music, from Bo Jackson (and its follow-up Super Tecmo Bo), his joint album with Griselda Records’ Boldy James to HARAM with Armand Hammer, Alc has yet to miss.

His hot streak continues with Cycles, presumably the superproducer’s final project of the year, but at the rate Alchemist is working, there’s no way to be certain he won’t sneak in another in the coming week.

Pacman da Gunman – 6325

Longtime affiliate of the late All Money In Records founder Nipsey Hussle Pacman da Gunman has come forward with his third record of the year, 6325.

4Donning traditional sounds of Los Angeles and new West Coast trends alike, Pacman’s latest is an extension of the work he’s been dropping in the years since Nipsey’s death, but “City Love,” which features Crenshaw’s Finest, is a nostalgic journey into the glory days of All Money In.

This week’s Honorable Mentions features Chris Webby’s Still Wednesday.