New Album DL/Review: Jay-Z & Kanye West don't need to watch the throne anymore.

Jay-Z & Kanye West release their much anticipated collaboration album today on iTunes.Most people tend to love or loathe Mr. West and Mr. Carter with very few gradients of gray. However the project is very impressive. It takes the throne of best album of the year so far....Not saying it's a obvious classic, but it sure doesn't disappoint (mainly because it didn't leak!).

The album jump starts with “No Church in the Wild” which features Frank Ocean crooning a contagious, thoughtful hook, over production by Kanye West and 88-Keys.
Beyonce owns “Lift Off,” an epic anthem that grabs hold of the listener from the first few chords the heavy synths. The song closes with an actual voice counting down a lift-off sequence and then “N***as In Paris” begins, a Southern-styled bouncy track. However, there is just a certain level of musicality to this track that feels light-years beyond the average rap songs of the day. The beat, which induces heavy head-nodding, officially drops halfway through Jay’s verse.

“Otis,” samples Otis Redding's “Try A Little Tenderness.” After a soulful intro, Jay and Kanye trade verses over a very classic Roc-A-Fella days type of record.
The Neptunes-produced “Gotta Have It” is pleasant, but the real gem is “New Day,”a song Jay and Kanye pen to their fictional unborn sons. It shows both as vulnerable and honest, backed by RZA and Kanye’s production.

“Who Gon' Stop Me” is a song tailor made for the big cars with the big systems. With its heavy synths, deeply monophonic bassline, and dubstep roots, this song thumps. Over a sample of Flux Pavilion’s “I Can’t Stop,” Kanye, Sak Pase, and Mike Dean produced a true “banga.” In the best way possible, this one will do some damage to your speakers.

"Welcome To The Jungle," which almost didn't make the album is very emotive, which sees Jay-Z lay down some 'deep' barrs. That’s My B*tch is a pretty cool track that borrows a lil' Public Enemy - and may even get played in the club.

Against a soft-electro and piano-laden beat, Jay tells the success story we’ve heard many times before on "Sweet Baby Jesus," one of transforming from the corner to a mogul. The song is special and introspective. Still, Kanye talks bout the early days with his mother and mentor NO I.D. He raps, “N***as hustle everyday for a beat from Ye / What I do? Turn around, give them beats to Jay / Now I’m rapping on the beats people supposed to buy / I guess I’m getting high on my own supply.” The song oozes soul and, with his second appearance on the album, Frank Ocean’s inclusion alone proves he is a force to be reckoned with.

“Why I Love You,” which features G.O.O.D. Music's Mr. Hudson, offers a pleasing return the worldly musings offered throughout Watch The Throne. All to soon it ends and Watch the Throne comes to a screeching close. It is a fitting finale for Watch The Throne. Jay-Z and Kanye have taken a creative position where its impossible not to care. Love and hate are close relatives and both can succumb to emotional notions in fans and critics alike. This album is a creative victory at worse and at its very best, a paradigm shift for Hip-Hop. Now, it is time for the listeners to contend with their real feelings towards Watch The Throne.
This dynamic duo have the throne.

Download Taken down - Limit exceeded. Purchase on iTunes.

**Propz to  JP DelaCuesta and Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur

Posted in: Hip-Hop,Jay-Z,Kanye West,Watch The Throne