So by now you have played out your copy of Watch The Throne haven’t you. The Jay-Z x Kanye West masterpiece has fans either loving it or hating it. Before we begin this review I want you to know that while most blogs ran with a review the first day or two, I let it slow cook in the iPod. Took it out to the car and rode along with it, and pulled out the headphones and let it thump. I wanted to get the full experience before I penned a review. Many people had grand expectations, I went into it with a clear mind, not expecting anything but music from two respected artist. Some of you wanted to hear “Reasonable Dropout” or “My Beautiful Dark Blueprint Fantasy”. So I can see why you all were disappointed. Because this ain’t that. What it is is “Watch The Throne”! Simple as that.

No Church For The Wild – This is slow burner that features Frank Ocean singing along with the Roc Boys. I am not a fan of this track. It sounds a little boring and well, stale. The beat is cool as far as beats go, but for an opening track I expected a lot more. Especially with everyone big upping the intro to this album. I was expecting some kick in the door waving the Ace of Spades rap. But instead, we got sleepy rap.

Lift Off- Beyonce is probably the best thing on this track. The song sounds like it may sound good in a stadium somewhere with Coldplay backing them up. It was another typical Beyonce track with Jay-Z and Kanye featured on it. Once again we get uninspired lyrics from both rappers, but don’t skip the track. The track picks up in the last minute or so when the beat flips into some other shit. Damn!!! This is what they should have been rapping over. The beat flip opens up B’s voice where it doesn’t sound like she is being drained out by the track.I can dig it now.

Ni**as In Paris – Now we are starting to talk, once the track gets past sounding like a video game Jay begins to flip it. He sounds comfortable as he tells you how crazy the NBA was for fining his ass for walking into the locker room of one of those teams during the final four. Whoever won. (I don’t remember nor do I feel like looking it up. ) But yeah, that team. Once again the beat goes into some whole other levelness (made up word) once it switches up and the Throne gets into their zone. While they talking about getting in their zone, I was like “hell yeah, get in that zone!!! That’s what the people wanna hear!!!

Otis – We all now about Otis. It is the track where Kanye ran a few laps around Jay. But it’s all good because the song still flows. You don’t have to skip Jay parts or anything like if it was Puff rapping. And the song must be hot enough because you have a boatload of has been looking ass rappers jumping all over the track. Not letting it breath. Let that shit breath yo!!

Gotta Have It – This shit is where it is at. Not single material, but it bangs none the less. And both of the Roc Boys showed up and out on this one. If you ain’t feeling this, then you need to check the label!! You ain’t listeing to Watch The Throne, go back to bumping your Black Eye Peas or some shit. This is the joint and it comes equipped with James Brown samples. When was the last time we had James Brown on a track? Fuck outta here with all that!!!

New Day -  I can’t believe this is RZA on the boards with this one. It sounds like RZA must have been doing his two-step when he was making this beat, and I ain’t mad at his ass. The content deals with Yeezy and Hov talking to their unborn sons. Sort of like Pac did on one of those Makaveli albums, maybe Makaveli 63 or something. This song’s beat is so smooth that I can imagine myself riding off in the sunset with the roof open on this one. Enjoying mine. Good shit! Now before you know it you have 4 hits in a row.

That’s My Bitch – Fuck, I spoke too soon. What is this shit?? I remember when it leaked a while back and I purposely avoided it because I didn’t want to spoil my listening experience once the album dropped by knowing half of the tracks. But this is ain’t it. It kind of sounds like some old school Monie Love beat or something. Not feeling it, and I will never feel it. Sorry, I had to skip this joint.

Welcome To The Jungle – Ok we back in our mode I see. Hov opens it up and has a little fun all over the track. Kanye jumps in here and there, but this one is Jay’s song. Sounds like it could have been on Blueprint 3. The song isn’t single quality, but it bangs regardless. Thumbs up to Swizz Beats on this one.

Who Gon Stop Me – This is what Danny P ordered son!! The first half of the song is Magic 86, nahmean? Real good, Jay flowing, Kanye flowing what more can I say?  But it could have been cut off around the 2:10 mark. From then on it sounds like it is limping to the finish line. Sometimes you have to snip it off. Leave them wanting more rather than skipping to the next track. Because that what I will do from then now.

Murder To Excellence – Flames, just flames. Two songs wrapped in one, on some ole Beatles shit or something.This would be John Lennon’s favorite song!  Another gem. Kanye showed off on the Murder half. It is all his but once the beat switches to Excellence,  Jay-Z shows why he still doing this rap shit. A classic song that makes it all worth the price of admission.

Made In America – Another song that features Frank Ocean, and another song I may never hear to the end. This one just ain’t doing it for the kid. I heard a lot of ranting and raving about this track from all the bloggers and whatnot, but I can’t feel it. Hard to take a rap song serious when it says sweet Baby Jesus in it. But on that note it also hard to diss a song that says sweet Baby Jesus. You might as well have Madea and Kurt Franklin singing along with Mr. Ocean.

Why I Love You – Yep, this is the song that made Beans want to kill himself once he heard it. You know Beans had the midnight downloads going on to hear what the Big Homie had to say. And once this song came on his face dropped and tail stopped wagging!! Son’s high was blown!!! But hey Beans, Jay still got love for you after all of that!! Perfect way to end the album. But…..

Illest Muthaf**ker Alive – Bonus shit! And this was the track I was waiting on ever since I saw the documentray that dropped a few weeks ago.  Kanye killed and blessed this track. The Illuminati had to be proud of him on this track. This should have been placed in their instead of the Bitch song, or the Baby Jesus track.

H.A.M. – Didn’t like it then, don’t like it now.

Primetime – Another nice bonus track. Nothing spectacular or anything, but it will keep your head nodding. Should have been a bonus track though. Kind of sounds like a Late Registration track that was late to the tracklisting session and missed out.

The Joy – I would have splashed this track in the regular rotation somewhere. Pete Rock flipped it, and it would have been a nice addition to the party. The Joy is ten times better than the Bitch song. So since both tracks are old, give them The Joy.

All in all The Throne is solid. Don’t let them haters tell you anything else. People hate nowadays like they getting a metal or something. And yes I call it hating. If you calling for Jay-Z to start collecting his pension checks, but give Snoop, Nas, Em, Ghostface, and all the other older rappers passes when they drop something less than standard, then you hating. Simple as that. This album is another solid disc for both of these cats collections or catalogs if you will. They have discographies while other cats have mixtape playlists. Plus I give them congrats on trying something new. They could have gone with the same old same old, but nope cats went and attempted to flip the script with some monumentous shit. They brought in a few producers and sat around and produced the shit out of this album. Not your 90′s loop shit either. Ninjas actually went in the lab and produced, bringing some big sounds to rap, and Danny P Ocean enjoyed it.

4/5 2 Ways