Released: 2011

Genres: Pop Rap, Hardcore Hip-Hop

The Musiquarium’s Watch the Throne Review Score: 4.5/5

Having become notable for producing beats for JAY-Z on his 2001 album The Blueprint, Kanye West had looked up to Shawn Carter like a mentor and big brother for years (see the Graduation track, Big Brother), but by the time Kanye had released his 2010 magnum opus My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the two were now equals — hell, Kanye was easily the better artist by this point by a long shot.

To celebrate Kanye’s comeback success with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he joined forces with JAY-Z and flaunted with Watch the Throne. Though the album may seem conceptually slight in comparison to Kanye’s last album, Watch the Throne is still one of the best and biggest crossovers in hip-hop history.

The suave Frank Ocean-featuring opener, No Church in the Wild sets the mood of the album. Lift Off sees an appearance from Beyoncé (Shawn Carter’s wife). Niggas in Paris is a modern club classic, with its Blades of Glory sample and iconic synths. Otis is a throwback to Kanye’s earlier chipmunk soul days, with its chopped-up Otis Redding sample. New Day uses a sample of Nina Simone’s rendition of Feeling Good. That’s My Bitch is an ode to the fairer sex. The bonus tracks are also a must, with The Joy and Primetime being highlights.

As somebody who doesn’t much care for JAY-Z, his persona or his flow, Kanye’s presence here helps to balance things out, making for an excellent collaboration between two rap legends. Watch the Throne manages to avoid feeling unnecessary or empty, and while it’s not as good as any of Kanye’s solo albums up until this point, it’s still full of solid gold hits.

For credit breakdowns and historic release details, view Kanye West and JAY-Z on Discogs.

Back to the 2011 Album Guide or the JAY-Z Reviews and Kanye West Reviews pages.

Written by Brett Nippard