Wikipedia

Watch the Throne

Watch the Throneis a collaborative studio album by American rappersJay-ZandKanye West.It was released on August 8, 2011, byRoc-A-Fella Records,Roc Nation,andDef Jam Recordings.Prior to its release, Jay-Z and West had collaborated on varioussingles,and with the latter as a producer on the former's work. They originally sought to record a five-song collaborativeextended play,which evolved into a full-length album. The album features guest appearances fromFrank Ocean,The-Dream,BeyoncéandMr Hudson.It also features vocal contributions fromKid Cudi,Seal,Justin Vernon,Elly Jackson,Connie Mitchell,Charlie Wilson,andPete Rock,among others; samples of vocals bysoulmusiciansOtis ReddingandCurtis Mayfieldare both credited as guest features on the album.

Watch the Throne
An image of a highly embellished gold square. It is completely symmetrical with abstract carvings. Only the center of the image has no carving
Studio albumby
Jay-ZandKanye West
ReleasedAugust 8, 2011(2011-08-08)
Recorded
  • July 2010[a]
  • November 2010 – July 2011
Studio
Genre
Length46:12
Label
Producer
Jay-Zchronology
The Hits Collection, Volume One
(2010) 		Watch the Throne
(2011) 		Live in Brooklyn
(2012)
Kanye Westchronology
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
(2010) 		Watch the Throne
(2011) 		Cruel Summer
(2012)
SinglesfromWatch the Throne
  1. "H•A•M"
    Released: January 11, 2011
  2. "Otis"
    Released: July 20, 2011
  3. "Lift Off"
    Released: August 23, 2011
  4. "Niggas in Paris"
    Released: September 13, 2011
  5. "Why I Love You"
    Released: September 13, 2011
  6. "Gotta Have It"
    Released: December 6, 2011
  7. "No Church in the Wild"
    Released: March 20, 2012

Recording sessions took place at various locations and began in November 2010, with production led by West and a variety of high-profile producers, includingMike Dean,Swizz Beatz,Pete Rock,RZA,Jeff Bhasker,The Neptunes,andQ-Tip.Expanding on the dense production style of West's fifth studio album,My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy(2010),Watch the Throneincorporates orchestral andprogressive rockinfluences, unconventionalsamples,and dramatic melodies in its sound. Thebraggadociouslyrics exhibit themes of excellence, opulence, decadence, fame, materialism, power, and the burdens of success, as well as political andsocioeconomiccritique.[2]The album also expresses other topics, such as Jay-Z's thoughts on fatherhood, West's reflection on being deemed a social villain, and their success as performers. Many writers interpreted the subject matter to concern the plight ofAfrican Americansstruggling with financial success in America.

Seven singles were released forWatch the Throne,including "H•A•M","Otis","Lift Off","No Church in the Wild",and theBillboardHot 100top five hit "Niggas in Paris",with 3 of the singles receivingmusic videos.Jay-Z and West embarked on theWatch the Throne Tourfor promotion that spanned from October 2011 to June 2012 and became the highest-grossing hip-hop concert tour in history. The album received highly positive reviews frommusic critics,who mostly praised the rappers' performances and the production. However, some reviewers found the lyrical content uninspiring.

Many critics and publications namedWatch the Throneto their year-end best-of lists, includingRolling StoneandThe Washington Post.The album debuted at number one on the USBillboard200,selling 436,000 copies in the first week, and broke theiTunesfirst week sales record at the time. It reached the top ten in 11 other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom. It was also certifiedquintuple platinumin the United States by theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA) in November 2020.

Background

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Jay-Z and Kanye West first worked together on the song "This Can't Be Life", from Jay-Z's 2000 albumThe Dynasty: Roc La Familia,produced by West,[3]then on Jay-Z's 2001 albumThe Blueprint,which showcased West's distinctive style ofhip-hop productionat the time.[4]West's early production work on Jay-Z's music helped raise his profile in the music industry.[3]While originally only viewed as a producer, West eventually was seen as both a viable rapper and producer thanks to the success of his debut albumThe College Dropoutand its singles.[5]West continued to be one of Jay-Z's main producers on subsequent albums such asThe Black AlbumandKingdom Come.[6][4]Jay-Z also appeared on Kanye's first two albums, and the two frequently collaborated.[4][5]Further collaborative work by the two included singles such as "Swagga Like Us"from rapperT.I.'sPaper Trail, "Run This Town"from Jay-Z'sThe Blueprint 3,and both "Monster"and"So Appalled"from West'sMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[4][7][8]

During the promotional stages of West'sMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,a remix of the song "Power"surfaced featuring Jay-Z.[9]Following this, Kanye West announced onTwitterhis intention to drop a five-trackEPwith Jay-Z, titledWatch the Throne.[9]Also according to the rapper, the track "Monster" was intended for the EP, though that failed to surface.[9]It was later revealed by West that the project had been expanded into a full-length album in an October 2010 interview forMTV.[10]He said in the interview that they planned to record in thesouth of France.[10]

In an August 2011 radio interview withWEDR,Jay-Z shared the meaning behind the album's title;

"It's just protecting the music and the culture. It's people that's in the forefront of the music.Watch the Throne,like protect it. You just watch how popular music shift, and how hip-hop basically replaced rock & roll as the youth music. The same thing can happen to hip-hop. It can be replaced by other forms of music. So it's making sure that we put the effort into making the best product so we can contend with all this other music, with dance music that's dominating the charts right now and indie music that's dominating the festivals. "[11]

Recording

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Jay-Z and West recorded at various locations, includingReal World Studiosin Wiltshire, England.

Recording sessions for the album took place at Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii; Barford Estate in Sydney, Australia;Electric Lady Studios;The Mercer Hotel;MSR Studios;and Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York City;Le Meuricein Paris, France; andReal World Studiosin Wiltshire, England.[12]The songs "That's My Bitch" and "The Joy" were previously recorded forMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasyas early as July 2010.[1]Production began in November 2010 in England and continued during available times in Jay-Z's and West's schedules at locations in Australia, Paris, Abu Dhabi,[13]New York City, and Los Angeles.[14]In an interview forBillboard,Jay-Z said that they often recorded in hotel rooms and that the album went through three iterations, as he and West had scaled back from their original musical direction.[15]He noted difficulties in the recording process, including arguments with West regarding their direction.[15]Following the release oflead single,"H•A•M" in January 2011, Jay-Z stated that the less-than-stellar reception caused a change in the production of the album.[15]Jay-Z announced that it was unlikely that the track would ultimately make the album.[15]The issues at the beginning of production had caused a delay in the release.[14]In an interview forRolling Stone,Jay-Z discussed their insistence on recording in person and attributed it to the delay in releasing the album, stating "If we were gonna do it, we were gonna do it together. No mailing it in".[14]

The album's earlier sessions produced a little material that has made the final cut.[13]West had brought a majority of his usual production crew onto the project, the same crew that had assisted in the creation ofMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.One of the main exceptions was producerNo I.D.,who felt that the two artists weren't pushing forward enough with the music.[16]In an interview withComplex,No I.D. commented about the project that "you're going to sell, because you're already big. But you guys are important to push this forward. Push intelligence and decadence and all of the above forward in a creative manner."[16]While his advice was acknowledged to a degree, he ultimately had very little part in the finished project.[16]In January 2011, they regrouped and rented a block of rooms at the Mercer Hotel in New York City and invited a select group of producers and recording artists.[13]Chauncey "Hit-Boy"Hollis, who produced the track" Niggas in Paris ", said of recording at the hotel," There was music going on in every room. I had a room where I was cranking out beats, and then I'd go into the main room with Jay and [Kanye] and play beats for them. Kanye is really hands-on. I would come in with a beat and he'd be like, 'Take this out, slow it down.' It would make it sound 100 times better. Jay would then mumble different flows to the beat ".[13]

Parts of the album were recorded in New York City's Tribeca Grand Hotel.[17]Recording artist and producerRyan Lesliealso confirmed his involvement in the recording ofWatch the Throne.[18]Producer 88-Keys reportedly played 20 of his beats to West and Jay, who only eventually used one on the finished album.[19]TheWu-Tang Clan'sRZA,who had worked on West's previous album,[20]is credited as a producer on the track "New Day".[21]Watch the Thronewasmasteredby producer and engineerMike Deanat the Mercer Hotel.[12]

SingerFrank Oceanappears on "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America". Ocean was brought onto the project per the reception of his prior musical ventures.

Jay-Z and West worked with several guest recording artists, includingBeyoncé,Frank Ocean,andMr Hudson.[22]"No Church in the Wild", the last song recorded for the album, was conceived by Jay-Z, West, and the song's producer88-Keysthroughout most of June.[19]Producer and recording artistThe-Dreamsings a verse on the track usingAutoTune.[12]The song features R&B singer Frank Ocean, who released his debutmixtapenostalgia,ULTRAin early 2011 to critical acclaim.[23][24]The release of the mixtape interested Jay-Z and West. Jay-Z's wife Beyoncé recommended the involvement of the singer in particular, who appears on both "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America".[22][25]Ocean admitted that Jay-Z has intentionally intimidated him during recording sessions but declared his enjoyment of working with the two.[26]Ocean mused about the project:

"I rarely do collabs, so that's just one of the ones you absolutely do. It's like a no-brainer. I didn't really think about any of it. The last thing on my mind was working with artists who I've held in high esteem for years. [...]I worked with Jay on his solo album before I did theWatch the Thronesessions.The second time I went it was Barry Weiss, Jay, Beyoncé, Kanye, couple other people, it was a pretty heavy room. "[26]

"Lift Off" was recorded in Sydney, Australia.[27]In early May 2011, rumors arose that "Lift Off" was to featureBruno Marswho had recorded vocals.[28]It was reported that the song would be released as the lead single from the album.[28]However, Mars never appeared on the song and Beyoncé sang several lines during the chorus instead.[29]Additional vocalistsElly Jackson,Connie Mitchell,andJustin Vernonprovide thehookon "That's My Bitch". Vernon had previously appeared on West's albumMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,when West sampled Vernon's bandBon Iver's song "Woods".Vernon also provided additional vocals on songs such as" Dark Fantasy "and" Monster ".[12][30]Swizz Beatz,who produced "Welcome to the Jungle", also provided background vocals to the track, andKid Cudicontributed additional vocals to "The Joy" and "Illest Motherfucker Alive", bonus tracks on the album's deluxe edition.[12]One of the tracks that was recorded but didn't make the cut for the album was "Living So Italian".[14]It apparently sampledAndrea Bocelli's "Con te partirò"and was described as catchy but for unknown reasons, the song never made it onto the album.[14]

In 2013, Jay-Z released his twelfth studio albumMagna Carta... Holy Grail.In an interview, he revealed that two songs on the album were initially recorded forWatch the Throne -the song "Oceans",which featuresFrank Ocean,and the song "Holy Grail",which went on to featureJustin Timberlake.(Timberlake's contribution to the track was not anticipated at the time, until the duo collaborated on Timberlake's 2013 comeback single "Suit & Tie"and" Murder "fromThe 20/20 ExperienceandThe 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2respectively.) West and Jay-Z argued for four days about having them included on theWatch the Throne,however West eventually relented and the duo recorded "No Church in the Wild"and"Made in America".In an interview withZane Lowe,Jay-Z said: "[There were] no lyrics on 'Holy Grail' and I recorded 'Oceans' and I played those records for Kanye," Jay explained. "And he was like, 'No those have to go onWatch the Throne,' so we spent four days arguing about those records and I was explaining to him why it wasn't right for this project and I had a whole idea for making this album calledMagna Carta... Holy Grail,the "Holy Grail" part of the name came after. "[31]

Music and lyrics

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Stylistically the record features production handled by West largely considered unconventional. It is an aesthetic quality shared with his previous solo album.

Julian Benbow ofThe Boston Globewrites that the album's music is as "massive, dour, and relentlessly unconventional" as that of West's previous 2010 albumMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[32]Music writerRobert Christgaudescribes West's production as "a funkier and less ornate variant of theprog-rapof 2010's acclaimedMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy".[33]Music journalistJody Rosencharacterizes the music as "vast, dark and booming," commenting that West "continues in the sonic vein he introduced inMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,lacing the songs withrockdynamics, layering his beats with eerie vocal chorales, piling on proggy flourishes. "[34]Conversely, Matthew Cole ofSlant Magazinefinds West's "knack for dramatic, melodically sophisticated tracks [...] channeled away from the Olympian scale" of his previous album "and toward the more commercial vein of Jay-Z's recent work," which he attributes to West splitting production work with several other producers.[35]On the songs' structure, Cole states, "every track eschews the standard verse-hook-repeat format in favor of more dynamic material."[35]

Music journalistAlexis Petridiscomments that the album incorporates "unlikelysamples."[36]Jon Caramanica ofThe New York Timeswrites that its production "can be roughly segmented into three categories," noting "Southern-inflected tracks" such as "Niggas in Paris" and "H•A•M", "moody and harsh numbers" like "Who Gon Stop Me"and" Why I Love You ", and" the nostalgia that creeps over much of this album, giving it a sonic through-line and mission statement. "[21]Pitchfork's Tom Breihan perceives "pure orchestral excess" on some of its songs and describes the album's musical scope as "a tribute to [West's] distinctive taste and sense of style."[37]

The album features themes of opulence, fame,[38]materialism,[39]power, and the burdens of success.[40]Jay-Z's and West's lyrics include boasts of obscene wealth, grandiosity,[41]and social commentary.[35][37]Sputnikmusic's Tyler Fisher describesWatch the Throneas "an album centered around larger-than-life egos."[42]Robert Christgau notes "regal grandiosity" and "glory" as primary themes on the album.[43]Andy Kellman ofAllmusiccharacterizes much of the album's lyrical content as "ruthless flaunting of material wealth andcarte blancheindustry resources. "[44]Rob Harvilla ofSpinviews that their lyrics expresselitism,narcissism,"relentlesscapitalism,"and" smug yet undeniable greatness. "[38]

The album's lyrics containbraggadociousthemes pertaining to opulence, fame, power and the burdens of success in addition tosocio-politicalcommentary on the financial struggles ofAfrican-Americansin America.

Music criticGreg Kotviews that the album is about "mutual admiration" and writes of the rappers' respective personas, "Jay-Z is about imperious flow, bridging his gritty past life on the streets with his current status as a cultural tastemaker and business mogul. [...] West is more desperate, transparent, awkward, vulnerable."[45]Music criticNathan Rabinstates that Jay-Z and West "are a study in contrasts: the businessman and the bohemian, the faithful husband and the drugged-up playboy, the walking press release and the loose cannon. Jay-Z is tidy. Kanye is nothing but rough edges."[46]Jon Caramanica writes similarly, "breaking [...] old barriers is a means to acceptance and stability" for Jay-Z, while "West sounds lonely" with his fame, adding that "For Mr. West every flash ofDionysianextreme is tempered by the realization of its hollowness. "[21]In his article "Brag Like That" forBarnes & Noble,Robert Christgau comments that "Jay-Z is a grown man and Kanye is not" on the album and elaborates on their lyrics, stating:

Both co-kings flaunt their arrogance even by the standards of a genre where braggadocio is the main event, and neither is shy about pretending that the line of succession fromOtis ReddingandMartin Luther Kingis paved with their gold. [...] One could venture that maybeWatch the Thronedivvies up the way it does for rhetorical purposes—that one king plays the hero and the other the hedonist, two equally royal hip-hop archetypes.[33]

Their lyrics also exhibit political andsocioeconomiccontext,[41][47]which Jody Rosen denotes as "serious, sober, weighty."[34]Nitsuh Abebe ofNew Yorkviews that the album is "about the relationship ofblack Americanmen to wealth, power, and success. [...] a portrait of two black men thinking through the idea of success in America. "[40]He compares it toYinka Shonibare's 1998 pieceDiary of a Victorian Dandy,"in which the artist luxuriates in all the genteel pleasures of the time."[40]Randall Roberts of theLos Angeles Timesnotes "musings on the spoils of riches and the chaos that accompanies it," adding that "[the] tension between worshiping the spirit and celebrating the bounty drivesWatch the Throne[...] The record questions faith while clinging to heritage and family, places this moment in an historical context, wonders on the mystery, power and confusion of the gilded life — while rolling around inamulets."[48]WriterKitty Empireinterprets it to be about "black power [...] conceived as a swaggering taunt of achievement, in line with both men's previous works, which routinely double as shopping guides. [...] [T]hey need to humanise all the conspicuous consumption."[49]Claire Suddath ofTimeviews the rappers' "bacchanalcelebration of the finer things in life "as secondary to the theme of" two men grappling with what it means to be successful and black in a nation that still thinks of them assecond class."[50]

Songs

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"No Church in the Wild"
Opener "No Church in the Wild" features a forceful, cinematic and bass-heavy beat. Ocean provides one of the song's hooks.
"Otis"
Sample of "Otis" which features Jay-Z and West trading verses over the riff of the sample. The track is similar to the style of early West productions.
Problems playing these files? Seemedia help.

The opening track "No Church in the Wild" features a cinematic production style.[47]Singers Frank Ocean and The-Dream lend their voices to the album's grim opener, which sets the mood with a gnarled guitar sample.[51]Over the rock-centric, rolling production, both rappers muse over familiar themes of loyalty, sexuality and maternal solidarity.[52]On the album, the song closes with a segment of Italianavant-progband Orchestra Njervudarov's 1979 piece "Tristessa", which reappears at the end of several other songs.[53]Thepop-oriented "Lift Off" featuresbaroquestrings and achorussung by Beyoncé Knowles, accompanied withsynthesizers.[54]The song containshornsandmartial drumsas Knowles sings, "We gon' take it to the moon/ Take it to the stars."[55]"Niggas in Paris" incorporatesstaccatoorchestration and fizzing industrial noise, topping it all off with a menacing beat and icy synthesizer notes.[51]The track features an unusual sampling of dialogue from the 2007 filmBlades of Glory,notably the "we're gonna skate to one song and one song only" line.[36]West and Jay-Z's lyrics frame theirrags to richesstory on the song.[47]

"Otis" samples Otis Redding's 1966 song "Try a Little Tenderness",manipulating it into a rhythm track with Otis Redding's vocals and grunts.[36]The sample is used in a way that is reminiscent to past Kanye productions, like the tracks found on his albumThe College Dropout.[46]Redding's vocals are chopped up so thoroughly that his voice serves as a mere melodic riff on the track, with both rappers promptly rapping over it in a braggadocious fashion.[37][46]"Gotta Have It", produced byThe Neptunes,incorporates chopped-upJames Brownvocal samples andEasternflute melodies.[37]The song contains haunting backing vocals and an accompanying tambourine with the two rappers trading verses with the vocal riff playing over them.[37]Much like "Otis", the track features sliced-up vocal snippets and an aggressive bass backing, with the two rappers trading lines and making references to theYung Chrissong "Racks"and other contemporary rap trends.[51][56]

On "New Day", they address future sons about fame.[46]It references the line "me and the RZA connect" fromRaekwon's 1995 song "Incarcerated Scarfaces",which was also produced by RZA.[21]The track incorporates a sample ofNina Simone's 1965 song "Feeling Good"through anAuto-Tunevoice processor.[37]Both rappers discuss their futures as fathers on the track, flowing smoothly over mellow, lightly psychedelic synthesizer tones.[51]Both Justin Vernon and La Roux appear on "That's My Bitch", spitting off hooks over a quick, melodic beat, with West at his most abrasive lyrically.[51]On "Welcome to the Jungle", Jay-Z laments personal losses and overcoming struggles.[39]Sharing the name with aGuns N' Rosestrack, Jay describes himself as the "blackAxl Rose"over a jittery, treble-heavy Swizz Beatz production.[51]

"Who Gon Stop Me" features bombastic production and samplesFlux Pavilion's 2011 song "I Can't Stop",reinforced with heavy synthesizer and tone shifts.[57]The song utilizes an often experimental, bass-driven anddubstep-influenced style of composition, with West forcefully rapping lines like "this is something like theHolocaust".[51]"Murder to Excellence" addressesblack-on-black crimeand limitedsocial mobilityfor African Americans.[37]Midway through the song the beat switches up, with Kanye musing over the horrors of black-on-black violence in the first half, and Jay-Z delivering equally meditated comments on black excellence on the more choir-heavy second half.[51]A sample fromIndiggo's "LA LA LA" can be heard on the song.[58][59][60]At 5 minutes in length, "Murder to Excellence" is the longest track on the album.[12]

"Made in America"has themes of family life and theAmerican Dream,with Jay-Z and West discussing their respective rises to fame, while acknowledging those who helped and inspired them.[39][48]The song has been described as an understated soft-pop track with influence fromMichael Jacksonand his 1985 charity single "We Are the World".[57]Ocean's hook pays tribute toMartin Luther King Jr.,Coretta Scott King,Malcolm X,Betty ShabazzandJesuson one of the album's more serene tracks.[51]Jay-Z muses on his drug-dealing past with lines like "our apple pie was supplied by Arm & Hammer", with West's verse describing his conflict with fame.[41]"Why I Love You" has Jay-Z lamenting betrayal and how his past protégés failed to maintain without him.[21][37]The track contains a "sledgehammer beat" which is built around French house duo Cassius' 2010 single "I <3 U So".[51]West's production continues in the sonic vein he introduced inMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,lacing the song with rock dynamics, layering the beat with eerie vocal chorales in the style of progressive rock songs.[34]

Release and promotion

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West (left) and Jay-Z (right) on theWatch the Throne Tour,2011.

Watch the Thronewas released byRoc-A-Fella Records,Roc Nation,andDef Jam Recordings,[61]Jay-Z's and West's respective record labels.[62]On July 4, 2011, it was made available to pre-order on Life + Times, Jay-Z's lifestyle webzine, which redirected toIsland Def Jam's website that featured the deluxe version available for $16.99, standard CD for $13.99, a deluxe digital version for $14.99, and standard digital album for $11.99.[15]On July 22, its pre-order was made available on theiTunes Store.[63]Internationally the album was released digitally on August 8 exclusively through iTunes, while its physical release was made available on August 12.[64]Its deluxe CD edition was sold exclusively byBest Buythrough August 23, when it became available at other retailers.[64]The sales strategy received criticism from other retailers, who accused the labels of giving preferential treatment to iTunes and Best Buy.[64]One of the most anticipated releases in 2011,Watch the Thronebecame one of the few major label albums in theInternet ageto avoid aleak.[65][66]

On July 7, 2011, Jay-Z hosted a private listening session at the Mercer Hotel in New York City, previewing the album's songs from hisMacBook Profor a select group of reporters and music journalists.[14][67][68]It was also exclusive to two teenage fans who had won access to the session for being the first people to pre-order the album through Jay-Z's Life + Times website.[15]The album's cover and artwork, both designed by Italian designerRiccardo Tisci,[17]were also premiered at the session.[69]Benjamin Meadows-Ingrim ofBillboard,who attended the session, said of the previewed material, "The songs were dramatic and boastful, with Jay-Z often taking the lead lyrically, and the collection showcased the differences between the two artists – Jay-Z, the technical marksman, and Kanye, the emotive chest beater."[15]On August 1, Jay-Z and West held a listening session for the album at theRose Center for Earth and Spacein New York City'sAmerican Museum of Natural History.[70]The session premiered the album in its entirety and featured attendance from journalists, models, industry types, and recording artists such asBusta Rhymes,88-Keys,and Beyoncé Knowles.[70]On August 28, Jay-Z and West performed "Otis" at the2011 MTV Video Music Awards.[71]

Jay-Z and West promotedWatch the Thronewith a 34-date, North Americanconcert tourproduced byLive Nation,[72]which began on October 28 and concluded on June 22, 2012.[73]By the end of 2011 the tour had grossed $48.3 million making it the then highest grossing hip-hop tour[74](until being surpassed bySummer Sixteen Tour) and the eighth highest-grossing tour of 2011.[75]

Singles

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Singles fromWatch the Thronewere performed on the album's correspondingpromotional tour.

Watch the Thronespawned seven official singles, with varying degrees of success. Following West's announcement via his Twitter account, "H•A•M" was officially released as adigital downloadin January 2011 as the lead single.[76][77]It charted at number 23 on the USBillboardHot 100.[78]In July 2011, "Otis" became the second single when it was premiered onFunkmaster Flex'sHot 97radio show and subsequently leaked to the Internet.[79]It was sent torhythmic contemporaryandurban contemporaryradio on August 9.[80][81]Its cover art was created by Riccardo Tisci.[82]"Otis" reached number 12 on the Hot 100.[83]A music video for the song was filmed by directorSpike Jonzein Los Angeles.[84]Third single "Lift Off" was sent to US urban radio on August 23 of the same year.[85]The track peaked on the USBubbling Under Hot 100 Singlesat position 6.[86]

The album's fourth and fifth singles were released simultaneously; in September 2011, "Why I Love You" was sent to US rhythmic radio, and "Niggas in Paris" was sent to both rhythmic and urban radio.[87][88]"Why I Love You" served as a European-centric single while "Niggas in Paris" was promoted as a domestic single. "Niggas in Paris" peaked at number five on the Hot 100.[89][90]"Niggas in Paris" was sent to Top 40/Mainstream radio on November 8.[91]By February 2012, it had reached digital sales of ten million in the United States.[92]The song was promoted with a music video directed by West himself, featuring concert footage.[93]

The sixth single was "Gotta Have It", which impacted Urban radio on December 6, 2011,[94]and Rhythmic radio on January 31, 2012.[95]Seventh and final single "No Church in the Wild" impacted Urban radio on March 20, 2012.[96]Romain Gavrasdirected a music video for "No Church" though it featured none of the featured performers.[97]"Gotta Have It" peaked at position 69 on the Hot 100, with "No Church in the Wild" peaking at 72.[98]Though not released as a single, "Who Gon Stop Me" peaked at 44 on the chart.[98]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10[99]
Metacritic76/100[100]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[44]
The Daily Telegraph[101]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[102]
The Guardian[36]
The Independent[103]
MSN Music(Expert Witness)A−[43]
Pitchfork8.5/10[37]
Rolling Stone[34]
Spin6/10[38]
USA Today[104]

Watch the Thronereceived positive reviews frommusic critics.AtMetacritic,which assigns anormalizedrating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received anaveragescore of 76, based on 42 reviews.[100]Nathan RabinofThe A.V. Clubwrote that "exhilarating messiness and go-for-broke spontaneity infect Jay-Z and push him outside his comfort zone and into a realm of intense emotional reflection."[46]Pitchfork's Tom Breihan felt that it "works best when Jay and Kanye are just talking about how great they are," adding that "Kanye is this album's obvious guiding force... He displays levels of unequaled audacity."[37]Claire Suddath ofTimecalled it "a beautifully decadent album by two of hip-hop's finest artists—men with a lot of things to say and a lot of money to spend."[50]Neil McCormickofThe Daily Telegraphpraised West's "attention to detail" and found their "wit and absurdity [...] entirely suited to the epic scale of productions."[101]Kitty EmpireofThe Observerstated, "Some find this sort of branded gloating distasteful, but at their best both rappers can still make you laugh."[49]Randall Roberts of theLos Angeles Timesdeemed it "a cocksure, fiery, smart, if problematic, collaboration that showcases the pair's distinct lyrical skills."[48]Julian Benbow ofThe Boston Globeobserved "an undeniable synergy that they embraced for this project."[32]AllMusiceditor Andy Kellman called it "an audacious spectacle of vacuous pomposity as well as one of tremendous lyrical depth."[44]

Slant Magazine's Matthew Cole was less impressed, believing West had contributed a "powerhouse production" but that the album "requires you to tolerate the artists' self-mythologizing and put up with their sometimes awkward attempts at experimentation."[35]Andy Gill ofThe Independentwas more critical and found their rapping "pretty mediocre", partly because "too often here their complacent, back-slapping laxity leaves tracks floundering."[103]In theChicago Tribune,Greg Kotfound the record plagued by Jay-Z and West's "self-regard", writing that "they urge listeners to 'watch the throne,' and gaze in awe on their good fortune."[45]Jody RosenofRolling Stonefelt that "on a record this ambitious, this sonically bold, it's a shame two of music's greatest storytellers don't extend their gaze beyond their own luxe lives."[34]Sasha Frere-JonesofThe New Yorkerstated, "Weed the album down to a healthy ten, and [it] doesn't become either classic or coherent, but it does work as an entertaining document of two wildly creative, not particularly wound-up friends."[105]

Accolades

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Critics' rankings

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In 2012, Kanye West and Jay-Z won Grammys for the single "Otis"; West became the rapper with the most Grammys in history following the win.

Watch the Thronewas one of the top-ranked albums in year-end lists by music critics and publications.[106]Qranked the album number six in its list of the Top 50 Albums of 2011.[107]Rolling Stonenamed it the second-best album in its year-end list, commenting that "What could have been a crash-and-burn anticlimax turned out to be as fun as any record in a dog's age. From the cinematic 'No Church in the Wild' to theStax-soulupdate 'Otis,'Thronetestifies to Kanye West's talent for beats both iconoclastic and pop-savvy. "[47]Claire Suddath ofTimeranked it number three on her top-10 albums list and called it "a beautifully decadent album".[108]Chris Richards ofThe Washington Postranked it number two on his list and stated, "Instead of blushing over their embarrassment of riches, pop's most intriguing partnership delivered a self-congratulatory opus that was adventurous enough to remind us that they're rap visionaries first,1 percentbazillionaires second.[109]The A.V. Clubranked it number nine on its year-end list, commenting that "Watch The Thronethrives on the bristling tension between Kanye's live-wire energy and rule-breaking abandon, and Jay-Z's innate cautiousness. It's an album of the moment—a point underlined by the presence of Frank Ocean on two tracks—yet it has the substance to endure. "[110]StereogumplacedWatch the Throneat number 10 on its list of the "Top 50 albums of 2011"[111]whilePitchforkplaced the album at number 21 on its list.[112]

In 2012,Complexnamed the album one of the classic albums of the last decade.[113]In January 2015, the album was placed at number 8 onBillboard's list of "The 20 Best Albums of the 2010s (So Far)".[114]In 2018,Revoltlisted the album at number one on their list of the 10 rap collaboration albums.[115]In 2019,BillboardnamedWatch the Thronethe biggest collaborative album of all time, asserting, "From the iconic album artwork to the brash, decadent lyrical themes, esteemed guest list, and recording around the globe, the Throne would set the standard for what a pristine rap album should embody at the highest of levels."[116]

Industry awards

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Watch the Thronereceived nominations forBest Rap AlbumandBest Recording Packageat the54th Annual Grammy Awardsin 2012.[117]It lost the former to West'sMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[117]"Otis" was nominated forBest Rap PerformanceandBest Rap Song,winning the former.[117]At the55th Annual Grammy Awardsin 2013, "Niggas in Paris" won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, and "No Church in the Wild" wonBest Rap/Sung Collaboration.[118]

Year Organization Award Result
2011 American Music Awards Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album Nominated[119]
Best Art Vinyl Awards Best Vinyl Art Nominated[120]
Soul Train Music Awards Album of the Year Nominated[121]
Sucker Free Awards Best Album of the Year Won[122]
2012 Billboard Music Awards Top Rap Album Nominated[123]
BET Hip Hop Awards CD of the Year Won[124]
Danish Music Awards International Album of the Year Nominated[125]
Dieline Awards Dieline Package Design Award Won[126]
Grammy Awards Best Recording Package Nominated[127]
Best Rap Album Nominated[127]
NME Awards Best Album Artwork Nominated[128]
Swiss Music Awards Best Album Urban International Nominated[129]

Commercial performance

edit

Watch the Thronedebuted at No. 1 on the USBillboard200chart, selling 436,000 copies in its first week.[130]This became Jay-Z's 12th number-one album and West's fifth number-one album in the US.[130]This also became the second highest debut week of 2011, while its first week digital sales of 321,000 downloads served as the second highest one-week sales tally at the time.[130]Watch the Thronebroke the USiTunes Store's one-week sales record at the time when it sold nearly 290,000 downloads.[130]The album also reached number one on the USTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albumsand the USTop Rap Albumscharts.[131]In its second week, the album remained at number one on the chart, selling an additional 177,000 copies.[132]In its third week, the album dropped to number two on the chart, selling 94,000 more copies.[133]In its fourth week, the album dropped to number four on the chart, selling 80,000 copies.[134]In 2011,Watch the Thronewas the ninth best-selling album in the US, and the first collaborative album to make the year-end top ten in Nielsen SoundScan history.[135][136]It was also the fourth top selling album on iTunes in 2011.[137]As of July 2013, the album has sold 1,573,000 copies in the US, according toNielsen SoundScan.[138]On November 23, 2020, the album was certifiedquintuple platinumby theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA) for combined sales andalbum-equivalent unitsof over five million units in the United States.[139]

Watch the Thronewas also a success outside the US. In Canada, the album debuted at number one on theCanadian Albums Chart,selling 25,000 copies in its first week.[140]In its second week, the album remained at number one on the chart, selling 15,900 more copies.[141]In Australia, the album peaked at number two on theAustralian Albums Chartand number one on theAustralian Urban Albums Chart.[142][143]In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number three on theUK Albums Chartand number one on theUK R&B Albums Chart.[144][145]The album topped theUK R&B Albums Chartfor six non-consecutive weeks between2011–12.In addition,Watch the Thronepeaked at number one on theNorwegian Albums Chartand theSwiss Albums Chart.[146][147]The album peaked at number two on theGerman Albums CharttheDanish Albums Chart,and at number three on theScottish Albums Chart.[148][149][150]It also debuted within the top ten on theBelgian Albums Chart,theDutch Albums Chart,theFrench Albums Chart,theIrish Albums Chart,theRussian Albums Chartand theNew Zealand Albums Chart.[151][152][153][154][155][156]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."No Church in the Wild"(featuringFrank Ocean&The-Dream)
4:32
2."Lift Off"(featuringBeyoncé)
4:26
3."Niggas in Paris"
3:39
4."Otis"(featuringOtis Redding)
West2:58
5."Gotta Have It"
  • West
  • Carter
  • Williams
  • Brown
  • Roach
  • Fred Wesley
  • Tony Pinckney
2:20
6."New Day"
4:32
7."That's My Bitch"
  • West
  • Q-Tip
  • Bhasker[b]
3:22
8."Welcome to the Jungle"
Swizz Beatz2:54
9."Who Gon Stop Me"
  • Sak Pase
  • West
  • M. Dean[b]
4:16
10."Murder to Excellence"
  • Swizz Beatz
  • S1
5:00
11."Made in America"(featuring Frank Ocean)
  • West
  • Carter
  • Joseph
  • M. Dean
  • Breaux
4:52
12."Why I Love You"(featuringMr Hudson)
  • West
  • M. Dean
3:21
Total length:46:12
Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Illest Motherfucker Alive"


5:23
14."H•A•M"
4:35
15."Primetime"
No I.D.3:19
16."The Joy" (featuringCurtis Mayfield)
5:17
Total length:64:37

Notes[12]

  • ^[a]signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b]signifies an additional producer
  • ^[c]signifies an additional vocal producer
  • "Lift Off" features additional vocals bySeal,Mr Hudson,Don Jazzy,Bankulli and Ricardo Lewis.
  • "Gotta Have It" features additional vocals byKid Cudi.
  • "That's My Bitch" features additional vocals byLa Roux,Connie MitchellandBon Iver.
  • "Welcome to the Jungle" features additional vocals bySwizz Beatzand Acapella Soul.
  • "Who Gon Stop Me" features additional vocals by Mr Hudson, Swizz Beatz, andVerse Simmonds.
  • "Murder to Excellence" features additional vocals by Kid Cudi.
  • "Illest Motherfucker Alive" features additional vocals by Kid Cudi, Bankulli, and Aude Cardona.
  • "H•A•M" features additional vocals by Aude Cardona and Jacob Lewis Smith.
  • "The Joy" features additional vocals byPete Rock,Kid Cudi, andCharlie Wilson.

Sample credits[12]

  • "No Church in the Wild" contains samples from "K-Scope", written and performed byPhil Manzanera;samples of "Sunshine Help Me",written and performed bySpooky Tooth;and samples of "Don't Tell a Lie About Me (and I Won't Tell the Truth About You)", written and performed byJames Brown.
  • "Lift Off" contains samples of dialogue from theApollo 11launch as spoken byJack King[157][158]
  • "Niggas in Paris" contains samples of the Reverend W. A. Donaldson recording "Baptizing Scene"; and dialogue betweenWill FerrellandJon Hederfrom the 2007 comedy filmBlades of Glory.
  • "Otis" contains samples of "Try a Little Tenderness",written by [Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly, Harry M. Woods] and performed byOtis Redding;samples of "Don't Tell a Lie About Me (and I Won't Tell the Truth About You)", written and performed by James Brown; and elements of "Top Billin'",written and performed byAudio Two.
  • "Gotta Have It" contains elements of "Don't Tell a Lie About Me (and I Won't Tell the Truth About You)"; samples of "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul"; and elements of "My Thang", written and performed by James Brown.
  • "New Day" contains samples of "Feeling Good",written and performed byNina Simone.
  • "That's My Bitch" contains samples of "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved", written and performed by James Brown; and samples of "Apache",written and performed byIncredible Bongo Band.
  • "Who Gon Stop Me" contains samples of "I Can't Stop", written and performed byFlux Pavilion.
  • "Murder to Excellence" contains samples of "LA LA LA", written and performed byThe Indiggo Twins;and samples of "Celie Shaves Mr./Scarification"from the 1985 drama filmThe Color Purple,written and performed byQuincy Jones.
  • "Why I Love You" contains samples of "I Love You So", written and performed byCassius.
  • "Primetime" contains samples of "Action", written and performed by Orange Krush.
  • "The Joy" contains samples of "The Makings of You (Live)", written and performed byCurtis Mayfield;and elements of "Different Strokes", written and performed bySyl Johnson.

Personnel

edit

Credits forWatch the Throneadapted from liner notes.[12]

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[186] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[187] Platinum 80,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[188] 2× Platinum 40,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[189] Gold 100,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[190] Gold 25,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[191] Gold 20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[192] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[193] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

^Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

edit
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States August 8, 2011 Digital download
[64]
August 11, 2011 CD

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Though the recording sessions forWatch the Throneformally began in November 2010, the songs "That's My Bitch" and "The Joy" were recorded for West's previous albumMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasyas early as July 2010.[1]

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Bibliography

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