[57][58][59] At 5 minutes in length, the complete "Murder to Excellence" is the longest track on the album. On our website you will find all the today’s answers to Daily Themed Crossword. Advertisement. [131] In its third week, the album dropped to number two on the chart, selling 94,000 more copies. [31] Music writer Robert Christgau describes West's production as "a funkier and less ornate variant of the prog-rap of 2010's acclaimed My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". "[39] He compares it to Yinka Shonibare's 1998 piece Diary of a Victorian Dandy, "in which the artist luxuriates in all the genteel pleasures of the time. "[45] Jon Caramanica writes similarly, "breaking [...] old barriers is a means to acceptance and stability" for Jay-Z, while "West sounds lonely" with his fame, adding that "For Mr. West every flash of Dionysian extreme is tempered by the realization of its hollowness. Jay-Z and West worked with several guest recording artists, including Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, and Mr Hudson. [96] "Gotta Have It" peaked at position 69 on the Hot 100, with "No Church in the Wild" peaking at 72. [39] Jay-Z's and West's lyrics include boasts of obscene wealth, grandiosity,[40] and social commentary. [113] In 2018, Revolt listed the album at number one on their list of the 10 rap collaboration albums. In an August 2011 radio interview with WEDR Jay-Z shared the meaning behind the album's title; "It's just protecting the music and the culture. [26] In early May 2011, rumors arose that "Lift Off" was to feature Bruno Mars who had recorded vocals. "[33] Nitsuh Abebe of New York views that the album is "about the relationship of black American men to wealth, power, and success. Recording sessions took place at various locations and began in November 2010, with production led by West and a variety of high-profile producers, including Mike Dean, Swizz Beatz, Tyler Pase, Pete Rock, RZA, Jeff Bhasker, The Neptunes, and Q-Tip. [34][36] Sputnikmusic's Tyler Fisher describes Watch the Throne as "an album centered around larger-than-life egos. Many writers interpreted the subject matter to concern the rappers' plight as African Americans struggling with financial success in America. [11] The songs "That's My Bitch" and "The Joy" were previously recorded for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as early as July 2010. [79][80] Its cover art was created by Riccardo Tisci. I had a room where I was cranking out beats, and then I'd go into the main room with Jay and [Kanye] and play beats for them. It also features vocal contributions from Kid Cudi, Seal, Justin Vernon, Elly Jackson, Connie Mitchell, Charlie Wilson and Pete Rock, among others, and samples of vocals by soul musicians Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield. Before the album, Jay-Z and Kanye had collaborated on various singles, and with the latter as a producer on the former's work. Star's situation with the law intensifies, while Noah juggles new priorities. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Watching the Throne is the #1 Kanye Podcast with 100,000+ listeners a month. [50] A sample from Indiggo's "LA LA LA" can be heard on the song. [84] The track peaked on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles at position 6. [18] Producer and recording artist The-Dream sings a verse on the track using AutoTune. It was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Kanye is really hands-on. With help from Anita Kumar, Erin Banco, Darius Tahir and Renuka Rayasam. [133] In 2011, Watch the Throne was the ninth best-selling album in the US, and the first collaborative album to make the year-end top ten in Nielsen SoundScan history. "Murder to Excellence" features additional vocals by Kid Cudi. "[48] Claire Suddath of Time views the rappers' "bacchanal celebration of the finer things in life" as secondary to the theme of "two men grappling with what it means to be successful and black in a nation that still thinks of them as second class. "[15] While his advice was acknowledged to a degree, he ultimately had very little part in the finished project. "[47] Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe observed "an undeniable synergy that they embraced for this project. [40] "Why I Love You" has Jay-Z lamenting betrayal and how his past protégés failed to maintain without him. [68] Benjamin Meadows-Ingrim of Billboard, who attended the session, said of the previewed material, "The songs were dramatic and boastful, with Jay-Z often taking the lead lyrically, and the collection showcased the differences between the two artists – Jay-Z, the technical marksman, and Kanye, the emotive chest beater. [74], Watch the Throne spawned seven official singles, with varying degrees of success. [129] The album also reached number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and the US Top Rap Albums charts. It would make it sound 100 times better. It was a landmark project for the recently-launched Apple Music. [3][6][7], During the promotional stages of West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a remix of the song "Power" surfaced featuring Jay-Z. Watch the Throne The grandfather is one of the South’s most appealing myths. Watch the Throne, like protect it. [38][47] The song has been described as an understated soft-pop track with influence from Michael Jackson and his 1985 charity single "We Are the World". [106] Rolling Stone named it the second-best album in its year-end list, commenting that "What could have been a crash-and-burn anticlimax turned out to be as fun as any record in a dog's age. ", "T.I. Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West. Jay-Z and Kanye West first worked together on the song "This Can't Be Life", from Jay-Z's 2000 album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, produced by West,[2] then on Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint, which showcased West's distinctive style of hip hop production at the time. Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West. ‘Watch The Throne 2’ is on the Way, According to One Half of the Throne Kanye West tweeted that a sequel to his collaborative album with Jay-Z is on the way. Many critics and publications named Watch the Throne to their year-end best-of lists, including Rolling Stone and The Washington Post. Music boss tweeted that Watch the Throne … [114] In 2019, Billboard named Watch the Throne the biggest collaborative album of all time, asserting, "From the iconic album artwork to the brash, decadent lyrical themes, esteemed guest list, and recording around the globe, the Throne would set the standard for what a pristine rap album should embody at the highest of levels. "Illest Motherfucker Alive" features additional vocals by Kid Cudi, Bankulli, and Aude Cardona. "[100] Kitty Empire of The Observer stated, "Some find this sort of branded gloating distasteful, but at their best both rappers can still make you laugh. [22][23] The release of the mixtape interested Jay-Z and West. It's like a no-brainer. Tracklist: Kanye West & Jay-Z Watch The Throne (Deluxe Edition) 1. [141][142] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart. "[35] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times writes that its production "can be roughly segmented into three categories," noting "Southern-inflected tracks" such as "Niggas in Paris" and "H•A•M", "moody and harsh numbers" like "Who Gon Stop Me" and "Why I Love You", and "the nostalgia that creeps over much of this album, giving it a sonic through-line and mission statement. Music critic Greg Kot views that the album is about "mutual admiration" and writes of the rappers' respective personas, "Jay-Z is about imperious flow, bridging his gritty past life on the streets with his current status as a cultural tastemaker and business mogul. [78] It was sent to rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary radio on August 9. [45] Redding's vocals are chopped up so thoroughly that his voice serves as a mere melodic riff on the track, with both rappers promptly rapping over it in a braggadocio fashion. Seven singles were released for Watch the Throne, including "H•A•M", "Otis", "Lift Off", "No Church in the Wild", and the Billboard Hot 100 top five hit "Niggas in Paris", with all of the singles receiving music videos. The album features guest appearances from Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Beyoncéa… Watch the Throne on the left, What a Time to Be Alive on the right.. It reached the top ten in 11 other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom. High quality Watch The Throne gifts and merchandise. [2] While originally only viewed as a producer, West eventually was seen as both a viable rapper and producer thanks to the success of his debut album The College Dropout and its singles. A decade in the making, ‘Watch The Throne found the two titans of hip-hop, Kanye West and Jay-Z, joining up to create hip-hop’s grand spectacle. Welcome! It's people that's in the forefront of the music. [86][87] "Why I Love You" served as a European-centric single while "Niggas in Paris" was promoted as a domestic single. [50] "Murder to Excellence" addresses black-on-black crime and limited social mobility for African Americans. [99] Nathan Rabin of The A.V. I realized that it was not just about urban music and dance but rather a multimillion dollar industry that has a significant influence on fashion, automotive industry, television programming, sports, mass media marketing, and advertising. [69] The session premiered the album in its entirety and featured attendance from journalists, models, industry types, and recording artists such as Busta Rhymes, 88-Keys, and Beyoncé Knowles. [75][76] It charted at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "[49] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph praised West's "attention to detail" and found their "wit and absurdity [...] entirely suited to the epic scale of productions. [116] It lost the former to West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. "[104], Watch the Throne was one of the top-ranked albums in year-end lists by music critics and publications. "[21][24] Ocean admitted that Jay-Z has intentionally intimidated him during recording sessions but declared his enjoyment of working with the two. WATCH THE THRONE. [32], Their lyrics also exhibit political and socioeconomic context,[40][46] which Jody Rosen denotes as "serious, sober, weighty. Sample of "Otis" which features Jay-Z and West trading verses over the riff of the sample. [46] Singers Frank Ocean and The-Dream lend their voices to the album's grim opener, which sets the mood with a gnarled guitar sample. [34] On the songs' structure, Cole states, "every track eschews the standard verse-hook-repeat format in favor of more dynamic material. [129] This became Jay-Z's 12th number-one album and West's fifth number-one album in the US. [14] Jay-Z announced that it was unlikely that the track would ultimately make the album. "[43], Slant Magazine's Matthew Cole was less impressed, believing West had contributed a "powerhouse production" but that the album "requires you to tolerate the artists' self-mythologizing and put up with their sometimes awkward attempts at experimentation. Most rap fans obviously know this, but "feats" go beyond mere technical credits in hip-hop. Watch the Throne ist ein Kollabo-Studioalbum von Kanye West und Jay-Z, das die beiden unter dem Projektnamen The Throne veröffentlichten. West and Jay-Z argued for four days about having them included on the Watch the Throne, however West eventually relented and the duo recorded "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America". [...] [T]hey need to humanise all the conspicuous consumption. Watch The Throne is the debut studio album by longtime partners/friends and label-mates, JAY Z & Kanye West, also known and commonly referred to as The Throne… [56] Ocean's hook pays tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, Malcolm X, Betty Shabazz and Jesus on one of the album's more serene tracks. [91] The song was promoted with a music video directed by West himself, featuring concert footage. [4] West continued to be one of Jay-Z's main producers on subsequent albums such as The Black Album and Kingdom Come. [12] Chauncey "Hit-Boy" Hollis, who produced the track "Niggas in Paris", said of recording at the hotel, "There was music going on in every room. [97], Watch the Throne received positive reviews from music critics. [136] As of July 2013, the album has sold 1,573,000 copies in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Das Album wird dem Genre Hip-Hop zugerechnet. [25] Ocean mused about the project: "I rarely do collabs, so that's just one of the ones you absolutely do. Expanding on the dense production style of West's fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), Watch the Throne incorporates orchestral and progressive rock influences, unconventional samples, and dramatic melodies in its sound. In 2011, Jay … The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, who mostly praised the rappers' performances and the productions. "Gotta Have It" contains elements of "Don't Tell a Lie About Me (and I Won't Tell the Truth About You)"; samples of "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul"; and elements of "My Thang", written and performed by James Brown. 1", "Spike Jonze to direct Kanye & Jay-Z's "Otis" video", "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Issue Date: August 27, 2011", "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more! August 2011 bei Roc-a-Fella Records, Roc Nation und Def Jam Recordings. 1 on Billboard 200", "Jay-Z and Kanye's 'Watch the Throne' Keeps Its Billboard 200 Crown", "Game's 'R.E.D.' [...] a portrait of two black men thinking through the idea of success in America. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart", "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 9/4/2011", "Chart Watch Extra: The Year's Top Albums", "Adele Rules 2011 With Top Selling Album & Song", "Adele Is iTunes' Top Seller in 2011, Foo Fighters' 'Wasting Light' Named Album of the Year by Apple Staff", "Top Selling Albums of the Decade So Far", "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart", "Kanye West Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)", "Adele's "21" crowned ARIA's highest selling album of 2011 LMFAO takes single honours with "Party Rock Anthem, "Decade-End Charts: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums", "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2016 Albums", Australian Recording Industry Association, "Canadian album certifications – Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne", "British album certifications – Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne", "American album certifications – Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne", Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West and Lady Gaga, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Watch_the_Throne&oldid=1014182656, Albums produced by Mike Dean (record producer), Albums produced by Southside (record producer), Short description is different from Wikidata, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, Certification Table Entry usages for Australia, Pages using certification Table Entry with shipments figures, Certification Table Entry usages for Canada, Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom, Certification Table Entry usages for United States, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming figures, Pages using certification Table Entry with shipments footnote, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming footnote, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Gotta Have It" features additional vocals by, "That's My Bitch" features additional vocals by, "Welcome to the Jungle" features additional vocals by, "Who Gon Stop Me" features additional vocals by Mr Hudson, Swizz Beatz, and. Best of Kanye West: https://goo.gl/2FXUVWSubscribe here: https://goo.gl/AgJE59WATCH THE THRONE: Kanye West & Jay-Z - Otis © 2011 Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by Jay-Z and Kanye West. [45] It references the line "me and the RZA connect" from Raekwon's 1995 song "Incarcerated Scarfaces", which was also produced by RZA. An audacious spectacle of vacuous pomposity as well as one of tremendous lyrical depth, Watch the Throne is a densely packed amalgamation of what Jay-Z has termed “ignorant shit” and “thought-provoking shit,” with creative productions that are both top of the line and supremely baffling.