Biography
Phoenix-based MC Magic, who delivers rhymes and melodies in both English and Spanish, built a regional following across the American Southwest through his polished, silky hip-hop productions, frequently labeled “Latino hip-hop ballads.” His R&B-inflected style regularly incorporates the vocoder talk box, an instrument he received directly from the relatives of one of his key influences, Roger Troutman.
Born Marcus Cardenas in Nogales, Mexico, he grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1990 he launched Nastyboy Records as an outlet for his own recordings and creative work. His debut full-length, the 1995 album Don’t Worry, gave him the platform to assemble additional talent into the Nastyboy Klick. Under his production guidance the group scored several local successes, most notably the Roger Troutman collaboration “Down for Yours,” which reached number ten on the national Top Rap singles chart.
A 1997 front-page feature in the Phoenix newspaper The Arizona Republic generated national touring offers, elevating him well beyond most other artists then operating out of the city. Entering the new millennium, the lineup was reduced to three members and the act was rechristened the NB Ridaz. As the central force behind Nastyboy’s operations, MC Magic prepared his second solo project, the May 2006 release Magic City, which climbed to number one on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart and number 60 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally.
Born Marcus Cardenas in Nogales, Mexico, he grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1990 he launched Nastyboy Records as an outlet for his own recordings and creative work. His debut full-length, the 1995 album Don’t Worry, gave him the platform to assemble additional talent into the Nastyboy Klick. Under his production guidance the group scored several local successes, most notably the Roger Troutman collaboration “Down for Yours,” which reached number ten on the national Top Rap singles chart.
A 1997 front-page feature in the Phoenix newspaper The Arizona Republic generated national touring offers, elevating him well beyond most other artists then operating out of the city. Entering the new millennium, the lineup was reduced to three members and the act was rechristened the NB Ridaz. As the central force behind Nastyboy’s operations, MC Magic prepared his second solo project, the May 2006 release Magic City, which climbed to number one on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart and number 60 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally.
Singles
