Wikipedia

Magic, Alive!

Magic, Alive!
Studio album by
McKinley Dixon
ReleasedJune 6, 2025 (2025-06-06)
GenreJazz rap, conscious hip hop
Length35:08
LabelCity Slang
Producer
  • Sam Koff
  • Sam E. Yamaha
McKinley Dixon chronology
Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
(2023) 		Magic, Alive!
(2025)
Singles from Magic, Alive!
  1. "Sugar Water"
    Released: February 19, 2025
  2. "Magic, Alive!"
    Released: June 4, 2025

Magic, Alive! is the fifth studio album by American rapper and singer McKinley Dixon. It was released on June 6, 2025, through the City Slang label.

Release

[edit]

On February 19, 2025, Dixon announced he would be releasing a new album and released the single "Sugar Water", featuring Quelle Chris and Anjimile.[1] The title track, "Magic, Alive!", was released alongside its music video on June 4, 2025.[2] Magic, Alive! was officially released on June 6, 2025, through City Slang.[3]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic83/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
Rolling Stone[5]
DIY[6]
Paste9.4/10[7]
Sputnikmusic[8]

Magic, Alive! received positive critical reception upon its release. Matt Mitchell, writing for Paste, hailed the album a "conceptual, allegorical achievement", praising Dixon's ability to create "nearly a dozen short stories touched by a block-wide echo".[7] Tom Morgan of DIY described it as "rife with layers of instrumentation, guest features, and cover art painted in striking bright hues", praising the conceptual storytelling of the album.[6]

Track listing

[edit]
Magic, Alive! track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Watch My Hands"McKinley Dixon
  • Dixon
  • Sam E. Yamaha
Yamaha1:46
2."Sugar Water" (featuring Quelle Chris and Anjimile)
  • Dixon
  • Anjimile
  • Quelle Chris
  • Dixon
  • Anjimile
  • Quelle Chris
  • Yamaha
Yamaha2:01
3."Crooked Stick" (featuring Ghais Guevara and Alfred)
  • Dixon
  • Alfred
  • Ghais Guevara
  • Dixon
  • Alfred
  • Ghais Guevara
  • Yamaha
Yamaha2:31
4."Recitatif" (featuring Teller Banks)
  • Dixon
  • Teller Banks
  • Dixon
  • Teller Banks
  • Yamaha
Yamaha4:03
5."Run, Run, Run Pt. II"DixonDixonSam Koff3:08
6."We're Outside, Rejoice!"DixonDixonKoff4:13
7."All the Loved Ones (What Would We Do???)" (featuring IceColdBishop and Pink Siifu)
  • Dixon
  • IceColdBishop
  • Dixon
  • IceColdBishop
  • Yamaha
  • Yamaha
  • Koff
4:46
8."F.F.O.L." (featuring Teller Banks)
  • Dixon
  • Teller Banks
  • Yamaha
  • Dixon
  • Teller Banks
  • Yamaha
  • Koff
2:51
9."Listen Gentle"DixonDixonKoff4:16
10."Magic, Alive!"Dixon
  • Dixon
  • Yamaha
Yamaha2:42
11."Could've Been Different" (featuring Blu and Shamir)
  • Dixon
  • Blu
  • Dixon
  • Blu
  • Yamaha
Yamaha2:51

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[9]

  • McKinley Dixon – lead vocals
  • Dave Kutch – mastering
  • Jason Agel – mixing
  • Alex Dejong – engineering
  • Kyle Williams – engineering
  • Eli Owens – harp (tracks 1, 9)
  • DeSean Gault – drums (tracks 2–8, 10, 11)
  • Anthony Cavanaugh – bass guitar (tracks 2, 4–11)
  • Sam Koff – trumpet (tracks 2, 5, 9), keyboards (6)
  • Stephen Roach – piano (tracks 2, 9–11), keyboards (5)
  • Joseph Clarke – background vocals (tracks 2, 9, 10)
  • Teeny – saxophone (tracks 2, 11)
  • Sarah Tudzin – guitar (track 2)
  • Anjimile – vocals (track 2)
  • Quelle Chris – vocals (track 2)
  • Etienne Stoufflet – saxophone (tracks 3, 6, 10)
  • Alfred – vocals (track 3)
  • Ghais Guevara – vocals (track 3)
  • Teller Banks – vocals (tracks 4, 8)
  • Reggie Pace – trombone (track 5)
  • Elizabeth Moen – background vocals (track 7)
  • Sinkane – background vocals (track 7)
  • The Lil Homies – background vocals (track 7)
  • IceColdBishop – vocals (track 7)
  • Pink Siifu – vocals (7)
  • Palehound – guitar (track 8)
  • Brandi Wellman – background vocals (tracks 9, 10)
  • Tasheera Wellman – background vocals (tracks 9, 10)
  • Gina Sobel – flute (track 9)
  • Sam E. Yamaha – piano (tracks 10, 11)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Paul, Larisha (February 19, 2025). "McKinley Dixon Previews New Album 'Magic, Alive' With Latest Single 'Sugar Water'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  2. ^ Horvath, Zachary (June 4, 2025). "McKinley Dixon Brings Infectious Energy To "Magic, Alive!" Single". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  3. ^ Horvath, Zachary (June 6, 2025). "McKinley Dixon Moves The Soul On Passionate Album "Magic, Alive!"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  4. ^ "Magic, Alive! by McKinley Dixon". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  5. ^ Reeves, Mosi (June 3, 2025). "McKinley Dixon Does It All For the Art". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Morgan, Tom (June 5, 2025). "McKinley Dixon - Magic, Alive!". DIY. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Mitchell, Matt (June 4, 2025). "McKinley Dixon Finds His Wings in the Bombast of Magic, Alive!". Paste. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  8. ^ YoYoMancuso (June 8, 2025). "Review: McKinley Dixon - Magic, Alive! | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  9. ^ "Magic, Alive! / McKinley Dixon / Credits". Tidal. June 6, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.