2011 seems to be the highlight year for collaboration projects (Bad Meets Evil, Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame, an alleged album from Lil Wayne & Drake, Wiz, Curren$y, and Big Sean's tape is coming soon). There's no denying that of these projects, the Jay-Z and Kanye West christened "The Throne", has generated the most buzz and hype. The members of the Roc dynasty announced this project at the top of the year, and after two song leaks and a ten minute documentary, The Throne has arrived. Is this some king shit, or is it unworthy of royalty? Lets see.
The album opens up as if it were the opening song of a movie. That feel on "
No Church In A While" is amplified by Frank Ocean's hook and both Jay and Kanye's killer rhymes. The only drawback for me was the very random auto-tuned section, but it actually fits, so it gets a pass. It then moves on to the Beyonce-assisted "
Lift Off". I like the song, but it's really only because of Beyonce's hook and the phat beat. Both of the verses from both rappers are weak, but I think it was their point to make weak 8-bars to showcase the actual music. Kanye's production has really developed over the past years. Transitioning into to "
Niggas In Paris", we get some rhymes about nothing less or nothing more than the art of balling. It's pretty much some rhymes with no substance, but it's done in an elegant fashion. That doesn't mean it's a bad song, but I'm just calling it what it is. "
Otis", the album's second leak is next. When it dropped about a month ago, the general reception was pretty mixed, and for me, it still is. The song is solid, but to me, that's about it. It's not really impressive, but it's not bad either. I'm pretty sure you've heard it (or at least the beat) a hundred times already, so I'm going to move on to "
Gotta Have It". I love how they bounce off of each other rhyme for rhyme, and they really come off like a team on this one. I just wish it was longer because it's so good.
RZA brings his production skills along to assist the duo on probably the deepest song on the album, "
New Day". Jay-Z & Ye both speak to their future, unborn children, and basically inform them that they want them to be better than they were/are. They also apologize to them for the lives that they will have to carry for being the children of the famous. After five, consecutive songs about more-or-less nothing, it's good to hear a song like this. Then the album shifts back into its general topic of "sophisticated ignorance" with "
That's My Bitch". Kanye RIPS this song to shreds, and Jay job is not too shabby. At this point, the production has been nothing less than incredible as well. It's a continuation of the abstract sounds from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" and "The Blueprint 3", and they seem to get better and better. Kanye takes another break on the boards, and Swizz Beatz takes the rank of producer on "
Welcome To The Jungle". This largely Jay-led song is full of some general narratives of his life. And it's also about his feeling of depression that his career has brought him. "
Who Gon Stop Me" is kind of a challenge to the world. Who can really stop the duo from being the dominant force that they are? Sometimes the production can be a little over-the-top on this one, and it's not one of my absolute favorites on the album. Still good though.
"
Murder For Excellence" is a very insightful record. Kanye & Jay talk about the ills of their former neighborhoods in the first half of the song, and then they flip the rest of it, and go into how far they've come from that. It seems like the album as a whole is shifting to more meaningful subjects. Frank Ocean is back for some assistance on "
Made In America". Continuing the second theme of the previous song, track eleven is about the celebration of how far the two have come. It just has alot of hope within it of what is possible for anybody, and I love it. The sky is the limit. The closer of the album ("
Why I Love You"), sounds very personal. Is it possibly directed at Beanie? Whatever the case, the Jay-anchored track is good nevertheless. I don't think that I would've closed with it, but to each his own.
The Real Deal: I'll admit that at first listen, I was on the fence about this one, and it took a few listens to get a real feel of it. The thing that I love about this album is it's full of topics from both sides of the coin. There are some songs about ignorance and nothingness, and there are also songs that have a deep meaning to them. The other impressive thing is the actual music. All of the production sounds so grand and full of life. I can definitely say that this album did live up to its hype, but at the same time, I could understand why a person wouldn't be a fan of it either. It's not an album that you can go into with a closed-minded mentality, and if you do, this album isn't for you. Either way, "Watch The Throne" is a celebration of life, success, and overcoming obstacles, and there's no doubt that it will have as many fans as it does have detractors. It's a celebration bitches!
Rating:4/5
-S. Hardcastle
