Customer Reviews

Watch the Throne

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(35)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

Superstar collaborations always generate a gargantuan amount of buzz. Certainly a collaborative affair with two of hip-hop's `kings' - Kanye West & Jay-Z - is no different. Watch the Throne's anticipation could be likened to the `Super Bowl' of hip-hop - it just had to materialize. Alongside the anticipation and buzz, there is almost always a downgrade when it comes to the actual material being presented. Falling in line with that, Watch the Throne is a solid effort and for naysayers who expected an incredibly undercooked effort, it over performs. That said, there was room for improvement on Watch the Throne as well, mostly in the area of its overall cohesion. One has to look no further than the first two cuts unlikeness to one another ("No Church in the Wild" and "Lift Off") to see a lack of cohesiveness in theme or concept. Despite this `all-over-the-place' persona, the album works.

"No Church In the Wild" seems a strange entity from an initial listen, but with successive spins, the odd cut unfurls its brilliance. The beat, contributed by 88 Keys is somewhat understated and simple, but that is the appeal. The crooning by Odd Future vocalist Frank Ocean is a nice touch, not to mention some oddball auto-tuned vocals by The-Dream. Comprised a handful of samples, "No Church" proves alluring with interesting rhymes by both superstar rappers. "Lift Off," featuring Beyoncé is most certainly aimed to be the pop-crossover cut, contrasting the alternative sensibilities of "No Church in the Wild." The production is solid (Kanye West, Jeff Bhasker & Mike Dean) and the track is enjoyable, if a little clunky. West goes back into 808s & Heartbreak territory with some quasi-rap/sung parts. Finishing off a trio of sound cuts, "N**as In Paris" shines brightly with the best production work as of yet (Hit-Boy, West & Mike Dean), providing yet another contrast. The best part of this five-star cut might be the change of pace, demarcated by a change in production scope and the hook-line "Don't let me get in my zone..."

"Otis" easily eclipsed "H*A*M" once it was released as a single promoting this effort ("H*A*M" only appears on the deluxe version). Characterized by its sample of Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" (it also uses two other samples), "Otis" is overall superb. While the verses by Jay-Z & Kanye are solid, no über fan will be so laudatory to call it the best raps of their career by any means. "Gotta Have It" is solid, though not nearly as lofty as the first couple of cuts, while the Nina Simone sampling "New Day" is spectacular. Both MC's have solid verses here, though West may have a shining moment: "And I'll never let my son have an ego/he'll be nice to everyone, wherever we go/I mean I might even make `em be Republican/So everybody know he love white people..." Charming, right?

"That's My B***h" samples James Brown classic "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" and features some killer drum programming that gives off an overt, old-school hip-hop vibe. Solid and enjoyable, "That's My B***h" benefits especially from a clever hook. "Welcome to the Jungle" is typical Swizz Beatz. While it isn't a top echelon cut, Jay has a great reference: "Black Axl Rose/Move Halfs and Wholes/Come down to the Jungle/Just ask for Hov..." "Who Can Stop Me" is another shining moment, featuring some intense, fiery rhymes from Jay especially. The Hook stands out if nothing else does: "This is something like the Holocaust/Millions of our people lost/Bow our heads and pray to the lord/Til I die I'mma f***in ball/Now who gon stop me/who gon stop me huh?..."

"Murder to Excellence" is buzz-worthy for sure, creating an ambitious and interesting cut. "Made In America" featuring Frank Ocean once more is enjoyable, most notable for Ocean's hook ("Sweet King Martin/Sweet Queen Coretta/Sweet Brother Malcolm..."). "Why I Love You," featuring Mr. Hudson closes the standard edition of the effort solidly, though it is by no means the best cut. [The deluxe edition adds a couple of cuts to the arsenal. "Illest Mother- Alive" is enjoyable, while "H*A*M" is the bigger attraction. "Primetime" is a NO ID contribution, while "The Joy" features oft-sampled Curtis Mayfield's "The Makings of Me."]

Despite lacking cohesiveness, Watch the Throne is enjoyable and well worth the buzz. Most have come to expect superstar collaborations to underwhelm - R. Kelly & Jay-Z's two previous collaborative efforts certainly did. West & Jay-Z provide a pleasant surprise, even if West's previous album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is a better effort than Watch the Throne.

We've been "Watching The Throne" for almost a full year since its been announced last October. Well now it's finally time to listen to The Throne, and after much anticipation it is finally here. With the statures as high as Jay-Z and Kanye West, it's impossible to not have high expectations for the both of these two especially for the bar they raised on themselves with past critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums from each of them. Between the both of them (Jay-Z currently has 12 number one albums all went at least platinum, and Mr. West has 5 critically acclaimed albums (all went multi-platinum worldwide). There is nothing I can say that hasn't already been said about these two, these two are the most successful and influential figures not only in Hip Hop but music in general that far surpasses any other individual artists and having these two on one album is truly a monumental moment in Hip Hop.

If I had to rate this Collaborative Hip Hop album I would have to compare it to the other Hip Hop Duo's such as the incredible OutKast (Possibly the greatest hip hop duo of all time), to the old school duos of Run D.M.C. to even the more recent collaborative efforts of Eminem and Royce Da 5'9". Now while I admit that Kanye and Jay (Collectively as The Throne) aren't at their craftiest in the lyrics department, their artistic effort musically is beyond anybody in Hip Hop today. This is where The Throne truly outshines the rest and proves their veteran status in Hip Hop, still coming up with new ideas and sounds to create an album filled with depth and variety. In my personal opinion, they really don't have to prove to anyone of how to make "Thriller" level music because the both of them have been doing it for years time and time again. All they have to do is just make music that is innovative and different that people will love, and I believe they accomplish just that.

Track By Track Review
1) No Church in the Wild feat. Frank Ocean - A good opener to the album. Frank Ocean is the new comer in the game and he should be proud because having a fresh face on veteran album is a pretty big accomplishment for Odd Future's R&B singer. Frank Ocean provides a nice chorus while Jay and Ye rap in retrospect. Nice production from Kanye and 88-Keys filled with Gritty drums and animal sounds in the back ground create a nice atmosphere. 10/10

2 Lift Off feat. Beyonce - This is probably the Album's next single featuring Jay-Z's wife Beyonce. This was the most anticipated song for me from the album, and I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Beyonce takes the show singing the long (but good) hook while Kanye comes in first dropping his very awkward verse. He does a little auto tune and mumbles at the end of his verse but sounds surprisingly good. Jay-Z's presence is close to non-existent sadly only doing a quick 8 bar verse that doesn't excite nor serve a real purpose. With that said this is the most impressive song production wise, with the help of "Fantasy's" production team Mike Dean and Jeff Bhasker they create a truly captivating song. I have to knock off a few points because this song sounds incomplete due to very very short appearances from the 2 main guys. 8/10

3) Ni**as In Paris - Now while I don't particularly like simple modern day beats such as these, it is pretty damn entertaining. It is not a high caliber lyrically indulged type of song, it's more of a f***ing around kind of song. It's a great party banger with a catchy hook provided by Jay and arrogant fun lyrics from Kanye, plus the Will Ferrell dialogue incorporrated within the song is very funny. 10/10

4) Otis - At first listen, this song was a little disappointing, but it grew on me the more I heard it. The choice of sample was a little of bad taste, Otis Reddings "Try a Little Tenderness" is a good song but the style of sampling was a bit weird I must admit. The lyrics are full blown braggadocios raps from the both of them but the cleverness is clearly shown. This is known as an anti-single, no chorus, no catchy hooks just straight rapping like in the old days. Not my cup of tea but hey, this is "luxury rap". 8/10

5) Gotta Have It - Sick production by The Neptunes sampling the Godfather of soul James Brown. This is just a fun track not to be taken too seriously. This is Tag-Team rapping at its finest, with Mr. West and Mr. Carter going back and forth finishing each other's verses. This song showcases the nice chemistry they have together. I just wish it was a bit longer. 9/10

6) New Day - This is the hidden gem as well as the Heart of the entire album and probably the most touching song made this year in Hip Hop. Kanye and Jay rap by venting to their unborn songs. With great in-depth lyrics from Kanye "I might even make him republican, to let everyone know he loves white people" and from Jay "Promise to never leave even if his mama tweakin, cuz my Dad left me and I promise to never repeat him." Accompanied by the great RZA, the production is very haunting with a very soulful sample from Nina Simone used as the songs Hook. 10/10

7) That's My Bitch - This song was the VERY first song released from WTT ever since the album was conceived. This version differs mostly in the length because the leaked version was 1 minute longer. I love the production on this song, and the added vocals of La Roux's Elly Jackson and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon are a nice touch. 9/10

8) Welcome to The Jungle - I have always HATED Swizz Beatz productions and this song is no different. Swizz's productions are amateur at best, way too simple and nothing but percussions. The lyrics are decent from The Throne, but this is my least favorite track on WTT. The song is good but it's not something Jay-Z and Kanye haven't done before. I'm sorry but Swizz Beatz adlibs always kill a song for me. 7/10

9) Who Gon Stop Me - When I first heard Jay and Kanye were gonna do a Dub-Step song my first thoughts were "Why?" and "It's going to be a disaster." I was only half right thankfully. This song's sole purpose is to show the versatility of Mr. West and HOV. At first listen, I was concerned if they were able to flow on a dub-step track, and the result was not too bad. Kanye's voice compliments the bass slapping production, but as for Jay the beat just became hectic for him to keep up and in the end it just made Jay sound sloppy and choppy. But I commend them for trying something different and for Jay providing a classic 32 bar verse. 8/10

10) Murder to Excellence - While New Day served as the "Heart" of the album. THIS song is the "Soul". Kanye and Jay rap basically about rags to riches or Life and Death. The first half of the song is about death in the black community (although Kanye does do an unnecessary comparison of violence between Chicago and the war in Iraq?) and the second half is about status and how black people should aspire for more than the usual. The song is dissected into two main parts "Murder" and "Excellence" (hence the title) and each part is accompanied by two completely different beats, Murder by Swizz Beatz (which actually isn't bad) and Excellence by S1. Great production and great lyrics. 10/10

11) Made In America feat. Frank Ocean - While many may find this song one of the highlights on the album, it is not one of my favorites. The songs concept is about Yeezy's and Jay's rise to success, it's the kind of song you expect to be on Watch The Throne, no surprises here. The problem I have with this song is the lyrics. I find Frank Ocean's hook to be very corny, just singing important black figures names and then religious figures at the end feels unbalanced and uninspiring. And the inconsistent lyrics of Kanye and Jay-Z in this song really bother me. The song does not progress which is a bad thing because I cannot tell if the song is going to end. I may get some flack but this song was boring to me. 7/10

12) Why I Love You So feat. Mr Hudson - A fitting end to Watch the Throne. This song is in retrospect Jay-Z's thoughts of where he is now and reflecting why things are the way they are whether it be his past friendships or his loneliness at the top. But of course Kanye is with him so it's not soooo bad. The presence of G.O.O.D. music artist Mr Hudson seemed a bit too short; in my opinion Kanye should have used him a bit more in this song due to the fact that he only has one line which he screams out tirelessly throughout the entire song. It makes me wonder why he is credited as a full feature in the first place. If the song were a bit longer and Mr Hudson was used a bit more, this song would've been perfect. 9/10
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Bonus Tracks:
13) Illest Motherf***** Alive - If you so happened to get the deluxe edition (which is the one everyone should've gotten in the first place) then you are treated 4 extra songs after the main set of songs. In my opinion these 4 bonus tracks fit the overall theme of the album and should've been included in the original tracklisting. This song has one of the more epic beats on the album but first has the (intentional) 3 minutes of silence so if someone is listening to the album in it's entirety, they can easily seperate the bonus songs from the intended tracklist. This song includes Kanye and Jay-Z basically spitting out expensive brands, famous people and so on. It actually sounds like they're freestyling. Not their most lyrical song but the operatic production makes this song epic. 8/10

14) H*A*M - The first official single off WTT, which ended up being a bonus track. The reception to this songs release was lukewarm. It was eiter people were satisfied but not blown away, or either dissapointed. This song continues the opera-esque style from Illest Motherf****** Alive which fits chronologically. The beat is great for anyone that loves to blast their music out loud, and Kanye does a great job of adding depth to Lex Luger's insane drum set up. A very catchy song, it might give some people a headache but I personally enjoy this song. 8.5/10

15) Primetime - Of all 4 bonus tracks this song is my personal favorite. The production was provided by Kanye's mentor No I.D. and it is a great classic hip hop beat which is neither overly produced nor too simple. Jay-Z comes in with his first verse describing his life using only prime numbers (in concept)and Kanye comes in with a vulgar yet very humorous verse. This is a great song only Hip Hop lovers would appreciate. 10/10

16) The Joy feat. Curtis Mayfield - Originally intended to be on Kanye West's previous album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" this song was instead added on Watch The Throne as a bonus track, go figure. As a fan, people would already notice that this song is at least 1 year old originally released as a G.O.O.D. Friday song last year, however Kanye tweaked the song ever so slightly to make it sound more mastered. This song was produced by the legendary PETE ROCK which just screams out SOUL HIP HOP. The song primarily features Kanye with the first 2 verse and his flow sounds very reminicent of his College Dropout days, and Jay-Z finishes up with a quick 14 bar verse. With added backround vocals from Charlie Wilson and Kid Cudi as well as Pete Rock himself. This track is such a soulful track that any Hip Hop lover could appreciate. The only flaw to this song is the repetitive and tiresome vocals of Pete Rock at the end of the song which come off a little annoying and honestly almost put me to sleep a couple of times. I mean he could have said something else besides "It's Pete Rock, Kanye, 1 2, Ok" I don't know how many times haha. 9/10

Kanye and Jay-Z are the known as the "Master's" or even "Kings" of Hip Hop and nobody can argue with that. Of course there are other MC's with more lyrical talent; of course the productions on this album could have been more epic, but if you delve too much on how much better it could have been, then you're going to be miss what you have in front of you. For the people that complain about the lyrics being too focused on "wealth", obviously you're overlooking the many songs that don't have anything to do with money. Besides that, these two have the most right in Hip Hop to talk about their wealth and success because these two are Hip Hop royalty so what do people expect? As of right now this album is not a classic by any means (that takes time). But what they do have at the moment is an album that is a game changer and I doubt any other hip hop artist (individual or group) can even come close to the level of this album. Trust me, with every listen the album just becomes better and better. In due time it will be relevant of how well executed this album really is.

Okay, so I'm reading through the reviews and they are mixed. One person said "Horrible." Really? What CD did they listen to? Jay and Ye are geniuses and for those that don't get it....my sincerest apologies! I am a 44 year old woman and rap runs through my veins. I love it as much as I love jazz, R&B, classic Rock and some pop. Compared to most of the garbage out now (Soulja Boy, Wiz Khalifa, Wocka Flocka Flame....the list could go on and on), this piece of work is refreshing! 2 high profile rappers at the top of their game came together and created music that doesn't make me cringe. Hats off to both of them! Love the CD from START to FINISH!

Deluxe Edition Review

The long awaited collaboration between Kanye West and Jay-Z, "Watch the Throne", has finally arrived. Staying true to the royalty theme, self-aggrandizement abounds via spouting virtually every designer label under the sun. I get that mainstream hip-hop is replete with materialism, but it's becoming increasingly redundant and, especially in the middle of a recession, "What's 50 grand to a m***a f****r like me/Can you please remind me?" comes across as just plain vulgar. Not to rain on the parade or anything...the production value on this album is through the roof and as a result "Watch the Throne" sounds incredible. However, lyrically, Kanye West is on autopilot and his verses are bland, which just gives me renewed appreciation for "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". When rapping about living in the lap of luxury the angst rings pretty hollow. Jay-Z is slightly stronger as emcee here since his sentiments dig deeper than Gucci shoes and Lamborghini's: "I pledge allegiance to my Grandma/for her banana pudding, our piece of Americana". Some will roll their eyes at an emcee that dares to extol virtues transcending the typical narcissistic hip-hop fare (wealth, sex with centerfolds, flossin'), but I found Jay-Z's occasional departure refreshing.

Additionally, as expected with a Kanye West production, samples abound. Oh, the samples! This time we've got everything spanning from progressive rock to Romanian folk chants. Namely: Cassius, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield, Quincy Jones, Phil Manzanera, Nina Simone, Orange Krush, and many more including some dialogue from the Will Ferrel/Jon Heder comedy Blades of Glory. Huh? Whatever you say, Kanye. Some samples are distorted, some are left in their organic state, some are utilized effectively and add depth to an otherwise lackluster track and some...don't. For instance, the aforementioned Romanian folk chant aka 'Fetele de la Capana' is featured on "Murder to Excellence" and bears a striking resemblance to "Power" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". As a matter of fact I'd say a handful of tracks on "Watch the Throne" sound an awful lot like reheated MBDTF B-sides. On the other hand, "New Day" (a ballad celebrating their future heirs) features Nina Simone's vocals (originally from "Feeling Good") pitched down to a minor key and coupled with a slowed tempo that nicely compliments some of the album's more humble verses. Samples aside, the best thing about this album are Frank Ocean's vocals. There, I said it. Take note Kanye, nothing beats raw talent (not even a mint Otis Redding sample) and the man has it in spades.

As for the best and worst tracks on the album, I would avoid "Lift Off" (feat. Beyonce) like the plague. It sounds like one of her busted deluxe edition tracks and has no business being on a hip-hop record. If "Lift Off" were any good I wouldn't make such a brash declaration, but there is no excuse for "I'm supercharged/bout to take this whole thing to Mars"; that is just really bad writing and the whole thing is a contrived radio ploy. I'm not impressed. Next, "Welcome to the Jungle" has one of the most uninspired, irritating hooks I've ever heard in my life, easily one of the worst tracks I've hear in a long time. "Ni***as in Paris" features a strong composition, but the Blades of Glory dialogue is just...well...stupid, and robs the song of its artistic integrity rather than adding something poignant; that is the point of sampling, right?

Despite these setbacks, "Watch the Throne" has a handful of strong tracks too. "Murder to Excellence", despite reminding me of "Power", is a standout track. "No Church in the Wild" has a somber tone and revels in decadence creating an interesting juxtaposition between sin and salvation. "Made in America" is laced with Frank Ocean's silky vocals while the dynamic duo reflect on their rise to success, proving they aren't above giving props to the loved ones who made it all possible. "Why I Love You" contains a catchy hook sampled from Cassius' "I Love You So" and strong verses from both Kanye and Jay-Z. The award for best bonus track goes to "The Joy" featuring the late, great Curtis Mayfield; although three minutes of silence is excessive for a break between standard and bonus tracks. In my opinion one minute would've been plenty.

Overall, "Watch the Throne" is a step up for Jay-Z and a step down for Kanye resulting in a lukewarm compilation. With some tracks preaching atonement and others glorifying self-indulgence, this effort feels unfocused and uninspired. However, I've heard better and worse from both artists so this gets a solid 3 stars out of five.

Watch the Throne is finally here after 5 months of seemingly disappearing off the face of the earth. It's been hyped up like crazy and it wasn't quite what we expected, but Jay-Z sounds better than ever, making up for Kanye's almost forgettable performance.
1. No Church in the Wild: 5/5 This is one heck of a way to start this album. I absolutely love the beat, fantastic overall.
2. Lift Off: 4/5 This one left something to be desired. I read a preview of the album and they said stuff like "Lift Off tops kanye's latest hit 'All of the Lights'" and "If this isn't a chart topper, I don't know what is". I don't want to call them liars, but they are. It's good, but not that good. Beyonce does okay, but the hook just isn't very catchy though I like the beat.
3. Ni**as in Paris: 5/5 I dig the beat big time, though the chorus is quite lame.
4. Otis: 5/5 This song is incredible, it took me a while to get used to it, but Ye' and Hova's flows are both so sick and slickly put together in 8 line increments, it's now one of the most listened to songs on my iPod.
5. Gotta Have It: 3/5 Ehhh, not good. It just sounds lame and lazy. Luckily its only 2:20 long.
6. New Day: 4/5 Its kind of a sad song with a great message to it, though it would be sadder if Kanye actually had a son. (Most of the song is based on making his non-existent son's life perfect)
7. That's My B**ch: 5/5 One of the high points of the album without a doubt, this is an incredibly catchy song that you'll probably be listening to quite a few times. Probably Kanye's top performance of the CD.
8. Welcome To The Jungle: 4/5 The repetitive beat drag this one down a bit, but Swizz Beats is great. I like how the tune goes along with Jay and Yeezy's flows.
9. Who Gon Stop Me: 3/5 Someone please tell me how this hit #12 on iTunes most downloaded list. Its an okay song, but really it doesn't pass that "Okay" part. I'm not a fan of the song.
10. Murder To Excellence: 5/5 Again, another high point of the album. A great performance from both Hov' and Ye'.
11. Made In America: 4/5 I like it, fairly catchy hook. Nothing special beyond that.
12. Why I Love You: 3/5 Oooh, bad hook. Like, almost to the point of being annoying. Okay beyond that.
13. Illest Mother****er Alive: 5/5 After 3 minutes of dead silence, an interesting intro, a weird, yet oddly catchy hook, we are treated with an absolutely awesome song. I've listened to this one a lot. Great song.
14. H*A*M: 4/5 This is a good song. Not gonna lie. Its just way too far away from what Jay and Kanye are known for for it to be any good. I would have liked to see someone else do this song.
15. Primetime: 5/5 Absolutely sexy here. I wish this is where the album stopped, because honestly I can't tell you how much I absolutely love Jay-Z in this song. He absolutely KILLS his verse. I listen to his part over and over again because I love it so much. I also love the beat, and everything else aside from the annoying "Baby" in the background in the chorus. One of the best the album has to offer
16. The Joy: 2/5 And the album smacks into a brick wall to end it off. The absolute worst way they could have ended this album. This is absolute garbage. I can't get myself to listen to it all the way through even once.

Best Idea:
Sampling Otis Redding in "Otis"

Worst Idea:
The Joy

Best Hook:
That's My B**ch

Worst Hook:
The Joy

Best Verse:
Jay Z's first verse in "Primetime"

Worst Verse:
N/A

Songs in order from Best to Worst:
1. No Church In The Wild
2. That's My B**ch
3. Primetime
4. Otis
5. Murder To Excellence
6. Ni**as in Paris
7. Illest Mother****er Alive
8. Welcome To The Jungle
9. Made in America
10. New Day
11. H*A*M
12. Lift Off
13. Who Gon Stop Me
14. Why I love You
15. Gotta Have It
16. The Joy

Final Score: 8.25/10

I had heard the hype surrounding "Watch the Throne" but had my doubts that something really quite remarkable and creative could have
come from these two artists, JayZ and K West. The work is surprising, fresh, and unique. I only wish that the packaging could have been
better such that reading the lyrics could have been easier.

Deluxe Edition Review

The long awaited collaboration between Kanye West and Jay-Z, "Watch the Throne", has finally arrived. Staying true to the royalty theme, self-aggrandizement abounds via spouting virtually every designer label under the sun. I get that mainstream hip-hop is replete with materialism, but it's becoming increasingly redundant and, especially in the middle of a recession, "What's 50 grand to a m--------r like me/Can you please remind me?" comes across as just plain vulgar. Not to rain on the parade or anything...the production value on this album is through the roof and as a result "Watch the Throne" sounds incredible. However, lyrically, Kanye West is on autopilot and his verses are bland, which just gives me renewed appreciation for "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". When rapping about living in the lap of luxury the angst rings pretty hollow. Jay-Z is slightly stronger as emcee here since his sentiments dig deeper than Gucci shoes and Lamborghini's: "I pledge allegiance to my Grandma/for her banana pudding, our piece of Americana". Some will roll their eyes at an emcee that dares to extol virtues transcending the typical narcissistic hip-hop fare (wealth, sex with centerfolds, flossin'), but I found Jay-Z's occasional departure refreshing.

Additionally, as expected with a Kanye West production, samples abound. Oh, the samples! This time we've got everything spanning from progressive rock to Romanian folk chants. Namely: Cassius, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield, Quincy Jones, Phil Manzanera, Nina Simone, Orange Krush, and many more including some dialogue from the Will Ferrel/Jon Heder comedy Blades of Glory. Huh? Whatever you say, Kanye. Some samples are distorted, some are left in their organic state, some are utilized effectively and add depth to an otherwise lackluster track and some...don't. For instance, the aforementioned Romanian folk chant aka 'Fetele de la Capalna' is featured on "Murder to Excellence" and bears a striking resemblance to "Power" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". As a matter of fact I'd say a handful of tracks on "Watch the Throne" sound an awful lot like reheated MBDTF B-sides. On the other hand, "New Day" (a ballad celebrating their future heirs) features Nina Simone's vocals (originally from "Feeling Good") pitched down to a minor key and coupled with a slowed tempo that nicely compliments some of the album's more humble verses. Samples aside, the best thing about this album are Frank Ocean's vocals. There, I said it. Take note Kanye, nothing beats raw talent (not even a mint Otis Redding sample) and the man has it in spades.

As for the best and worst tracks on the album, I would avoid "Lift Off" (feat. Beyonce) like the plague. It sounds like one of her busted deluxe edition tracks and has no business being on a hip-hop record. If "Lift Off" were any good I wouldn't make such a brash declaration, but there is no excuse for "I'm supercharged/bout to take this whole thing to Mars"; that is just really bad writing and the whole thing is a contrived radio ploy. I'm not impressed. Next, "Welcome to the Jungle" has one of the most uninspired, irritating hooks I've ever heard in my life, easily one of the worst tracks I've hear in a long time. "Ni***as in Paris" features a strong composition, but the Blades of Glory dialogue is just...well...stupid, and robs the song of its artistic integrity rather than adding something poignant; that is the point of sampling, right?

Despite these setbacks, "Watch the Throne" has a handful of strong tracks too. "Murder to Excellence", despite reminding me of "Power", is a standout track. "No Church in the Wild" has a somber tone and revels in decadence creating an interesting juxtaposition between sin and salvation. "Made in America" is laced with Frank Ocean's silky vocals while the dynamic duo reflect on their rise to success, proving they aren't above giving props to the loved ones who made it all possible. "Why I Love You" contains a catchy hook sampled from Cassius' "I Love You So" and strong verses from both Kanye and Jay-Z. The award for best bonus track goes to "The Joy" featuring the late, great Curtis Mayfield; although three minutes of silence is excessive for a break between standard and bonus tracks. In my opinion one minute would've been plenty.

Overall, "Watch the Throne" is a step up for Jay-Z and a step down for Kanye resulting in a lukewarm compilation. With some tracks preaching atonement and others glorifying self-indulgence, this effort feels unfocused and uninspired. However, I've heard better and worse from both artists so this gets a solid 3 stars out of five. Also, the digital booklet included is very well done and contains all the lyrics as well as some outstanding digital art, so count that as a welcome bonus.

Not being a big Jay Z fan and a luke warm Kanye fan at best, I wanted to hate on this album and call it over hyped, rated, etc. But before I spoke, I gave it a listen and to my surprise I've ended up liking it to the point of running through, start to end 3 times in a row.

The album has a cohesive sound from the production and lyrics and a cohesive emotion throughout it. Some may not like the emotion/content (maybe a little too much bragging coupled with "poor celebrity me"), which is why I can only go to 4 stars, but overall, the album holds it's own. This isn't ground breaking stuff like OutKast but it is good for what it is...two of the more popular non-southern rappers coming together for an album.

It's also an album where listening from start to end gives the best experience and after a few rotations, skipping tracks would be appropriate. But to get the ALBUM, you have to listen to it in order and in full. No one song is that smash single or iTunes download monster here...it's all about entirety of the project.

It seems like everybody has this personal made up fantasy about what this album should have sounded like instead of just listening to the actual music. If a new artist came out with a cd of this quality, everybody including the haters would break out the crown. Let's be real. This is a great cd with something for everybody. It is not a listen for a couple of days and move on type of experience like most other music out right now. If you are a fan of Jay-z, and you know you are, or if you are a fan of Kanye, which you hate to admit, then you will love this cd. This review was sponsored by a lover of great of music.

Favorite Track Right Now: Ni##as in Paris

I am a Jay-Z and Kanye fan from both the beginning of both of their careers. When I first listened to this album I expected something different, but as I gave it a second and third try it grew on me to the point where its one of my favorite albums and I recognize the growth in both of them as artists. I highly recommend it.