Review: Watch the Throne
5 stars.
Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Watch the Throne” is one of the few albums that makes it nearly impossible to separate the music from those who created it. The rappers incorporate so much of who they are into their music, and the lyrics themselves contain elements of each of their personalities. In the midst of devastating foreclosures and crippling debt, Kanye and Jay-Z have unrepentantly created a gold-plated pastiche of “thousand dollar t-shirts” and Jean-Michel Basquiat paintings. With so many talents and countless songwriters, the album might have ended up hopelessly disjointed. However, the two legendary musicians maintain astounding coherency throughout the album.
The diversity of the album is unparalleled and contains everything from operatic choruses and “Blades of Glory” samples to contributors like Seal and Justin Vernon. Both musicians have different upbringings but ultimately arrive at the same place– the leather-lined rear seat of a $400,000 Maybach. Contrary to Jay-Z’s claim that “this is a celebration of black excellence,” it is more a celebration of his and Kanye’s own excellence.
If you like this, check out “American Gangster.”
