Jay-Z and Kanye West - Watch The Throne
I wanted to wait until all the hype died down before I listened to the team-up album from long time friends Jay-Z and Kanye West, as I didn't want to be influenced by the press bombardment that accompanied it- well I didn't have to wait too long... and I can see why.
With enough 'guest appearance's' to hint at an album from the two, fans were rewarded with Watch The Throne, released in August 2011. But less than three months after its release, save continuous video-play of 'Otis', the most talked about collaboration has all but disappeared from the public eye. What is odd is that the two of them had more media time than any artist I can remember, in all forms of media, over the last 6-12 months. Why is the album not in heavy rotation?
Let's find out why, and the where it went wrong.
Initial reports were that a short five to six track EP from Kanye & Jay-Z was in the works, but was later changed by Kanye to be a full album. And with the first single called 'H.A.M. (Hard As a Muthafucka), it appeared to be a good move - unless you LISTENED to the single. I mean there is a difference to 'going' hard and just 'saying' you went hard. A few 'going' hard tracks that pop in my mind are 'Mama Said Knock U Out' by LL, 'Outta Control' by 50 Cent & 'House Of Flying Daggers' by the Wu crew- these tracks amp up a club, make you drive faster or work the shit at the gym.
But 'H.A.M.'? Comes off as a mistimed, mis-rhymed effort from two guys who should have destroyed our speakers!
'Otis' was offered as a second single, & the soulful, sample-driven track using 'Try a Little Tenderness' by Otis Redding was a definite improvement. With a stripped-down sample on repeat, Jay & Kanye trade rhymes like two buddies just enjoying themselves. And with a video that looks like they channeled the Beastie Boys (So Watcha Want), the lads spend 3 minutes entertaining us, & themselves... and that's where the fault lies. Had they focused on OUR reception, the album would have fared better. Tracks like 'Niggas In Paris', 'Welcome To The Jungle' & 'Gotta Have It' all come under three minutes & showcase their individual talents. Great to bump loud in a car or home stereo. But the rest is a confusing self-indulgent, inconsistent mix that if it was any other artist we would roast them for their wayward, embarrassing release.
But they turned their attention to 'telling us' how to receive the album. Continuously telling us how great they are, but rarely showing us any proof to their leadership as artists.
Even with a surprising array of guest producers supplying beats (Pharrell, Q-Tip & RZA), Kanye still managers to (executive) produce them into problematic and unbalanced album. Only the No I.D. and Pete Rock tracks remain untouched and sound so.
There is no missing the energy that went into this album, and that in itself is infectious. But from the first (& oft repeated operatic) beat, and punctuated by Yeezy's first word, this was a complete waste of time. They both sound tired, the beats sound annoying & regurgitated and...well, embarrassing. An appearance from Beyonce (who sounds killer BUT out of place on the album) and the addition of the (re-released) track 'That's My Bitch' (with Elly Jackson c/- La Roux) only add to the confusion.
Watch The Throne is the greatest album made by two artists... for two artists. It's like the guys were looking into the mirror the whole time, spurred on by their unequaled self-praise. Kanye has prided himself on innovative beat creation, but these beats sound like they were left-overs from 'My Dark Twisted Fantasy', and have no place on a self-promoted 'Classic B-Boy album'. And Jay-Z hasn't burnt a mic in such a long time, well not since 2003's 'The Black Album' - which ironically was promoted as his last. But having surrounded himself with 'YES' men for so long shows in this lackluster effort, as his celebrated rhymes style sounds outdated, but not in the revered sense.
It was no secret that a lot of criticism was directed at this album before it's release, sighting the possible clash of egos and ideas. And there was quite a lot of (well deserved) pressure placed on these two to deliver a 'classic' album. Or at least convince us they have earned the titles thrown at them the last few years. What's not surprising is that it fails to perform, astronomically. Actually this album misses the mark with an unprecedented flat-line, yet somehow we all knew it would.
Buy it if you want, but not at full price as you will be wanting your money back.
1 1/2 outta 5 - It should have stayed as an EP.
Bunk 08.11.11
Released August 8th, 2011
Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings.
Footnote: For Kanye to comment 'doesn't anybody make new shit anymore?' (back in 'Stronger'), he continues to sample very recent tracks.
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