Magic, Alive!

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.

Magic, Alive!
Studio album by McKinley Dixon
Released	June 6, 2025 (2025-06-06)
Genre	Jazz rap, conscious hip hop
Length	35:08
Label	City Slang
Producer	Sam Koff Sam E. Yamaha
McKinley Dixon chronology
Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? (2023) Magic, Alive! (2025)
Singles from Magic, Alive!
"Sugar Water" Released: February 19, 2025 "Magic, Alive!" Released: June 4, 2025

Release

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

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	83/100[4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Rolling Stone	[5]
DIY	[6]
Paste	9.4/10[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

Magic, Alive! track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Watch My Hands"	McKinley Dixon	Dixon Sam E. Yamaha	Yamaha	1:46
2.	"Sugar Water" (featuring Quelle Chris and Anjimile)	Dixon Anjimile Quelle Chris	Dixon Anjimile Quelle Chris Yamaha	Yamaha	2:01
3.	"Crooked Stick" (featuring Ghais Guevara and Alfred)	Dixon Alfred Ghais Guevara	Dixon Alfred Ghais Guevara Yamaha	Yamaha	2:31
4.	"Recitatif" (featuring Teller Banks)	Dixon Teller Banks	Dixon Teller Banks Yamaha	Yamaha	4:03
5.	"Run, Run, Run Pt. II"	Dixon	Dixon	Sam Koff	3:08
6.	"We're Outside, Rejoice!"	Dixon	Dixon	Koff	4:13
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"	Dixon	Dixon	Koff	4:16
10.	"Magic, Alive!"	Dixon	Dixon Yamaha	Yamaha	2:42
11.	"Could've Been Different" (featuring Blu and Shamir)	Dixon Blu	Dixon Blu Yamaha	Yamaha	2:51

Personnel

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)