Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released on August 8, 2011, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Before the album, Jay-Z and West had collaborated on their respective singles and with West as a producer on Jay-Z's work. As longtime friends, they originally sought out to record a five-song EP together, but the project eventually evolved into a full length album. Recording sessions took place at various locations and began in November 2010. The album was produced by West, 88 Keys, RZA, Swizz Beatz, Jeff Bhasker, and Mike Dean, among others.
Expanding on the dense production style of West's 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Watch the Throne incorporates orchestral and progressive rock influences, unconventional samples, and dramatic melodies in its sound. Jay-Z and West's braggadocio lyrics exhibit themes of opulence, fame, materialism, power, and the burdens of success, as well as political and socioeconomic context. The album expresses other topics such as Jay-Z's thoughts on fatherhood, West's reflection on being deemed a social villain, and their legacy as performers. Music writers interpreted the subject matter to concern the rappers' plight as African Americans struggling with financial success in America.
The album produced seven singles, including the international hits "Otis", "Niggas in Paris", and "No Church in the Wild", which all received music videos. "H•A•M" and "Gotta Have It" were successful Billboard singles, with "Why I Love You" and "Lift Off" attaining success internationally. Jay-Z and West promoted the album with the Watch the Throne Tour that spanned October 2011 to June 2012 and became the highest grossing hip-hop concert tour in history.
Watch the Throne debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 436,000 copies its first week. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, who commended its production and the rappers' performances, although some criticized its subject matter and cohesiveness. It was also one of the top-ranked albums in year-end lists by critics and publications and earned Jay-Z and West seven Grammy Award nominations. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and, as of June 2012, has sold 1,573,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released on August 8, 2011, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Before the album, Jay-Z and West had collaborated on their respective singles and with West as a producer on Jay-Z's work. As longtime friends, they originally sought out to record a five-song EP together, but the project eventually evolved into a full length album. Recording sessions took place at various locations and began in November 2010. The album was produced by West, 88 Keys, RZA, Swizz Beatz, Jeff Bhasker, and Mike Dean, among others.
Expanding on the dense production style of West's 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Watch the Throne incorporates orchestral and progressive rock influences, unconventional samples, and dramatic melodies in its sound. Jay-Z and West's braggadocio lyrics exhibit themes of opulence, fame, materialism, power, and the burdens of success, as well as political and socioeconomic context. The album expresses other topics such as Jay-Z's thoughts on fatherhood, West's reflection on being deemed a social villain, and their legacy as performers. Music writers interpreted the subject matter to concern the rappers' plight as African Americans struggling with financial success in America.
The album produced seven singles, including the international hits "Otis", "Niggas in Paris", and "No Church in the Wild", which all received music videos. "H•A•M" and "Gotta Have It" were successful Billboard singles, with "Why I Love You" and "Lift Off" attaining success internationally. Jay-Z and West promoted the album with the Watch the Throne Tour that spanned October 2011 to June 2012 and became the highest grossing hip-hop concert tour in history.
Watch the Throne debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 436,000 copies its first week. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, who commended its production and the rappers' performances, although some criticized its subject matter and cohesiveness. It was also one of the top-ranked albums in year-end lists by critics and publications and earned Jay-Z and West seven Grammy Award nominations. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and, as of June 2012, has sold 1,573,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.false2021-06-06 19:16:49Watch the Throne6.820112011-08-082011-08-0885Pop RapHip-HopAlternative Hip HopHip Hop1113572133180196bb188-d579-4f00-ac29-9a83a7dc1b9cf82bcf78-5b69-4622-a5ef-73800768d9aca96597aa-93b4-4e14-9e6e-03892ab24979JAY‐ZAlbumArtistJAY-Z & Kanye WestAlbumArtistJAY‐ZArtistJAY-Z & Kanye WestArtistJAY-Z & Kanye West feat. Otis ReddingArtistJAY-Z & Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean & The-DreamArtistJAY‐ZJAY-Z & Kanye WestJAY-Z & Kanye West feat. Otis ReddingJAY-Z & Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean & The-DreamJAY‐ZJAY-Z & Kanye WestShawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record executive, and media proprietor. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists. He was the CEO of Def Jam Recordings and he has been central to the creative and commercial success of artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole.Born and raised in New York City, Jay-Z first began his musical career in the late 1980s; he co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 and released his debut studio album Reasonable Doubt in 1996. The album was released to widespread critical success, and solidified his standing in the music industry. He went on to release twelve additional albums, including the acclaimed albums The Blueprint (2001), The Black Album (2003), American Gangster (2007), and 4:44 (2017). He also released the full-length collaborative albums Watch the Throne (2011) with Kanye West and Everything Is Love (2018) with his wife Beyoncé, respectively.Through his business ventures Jay-Z has become a billionaire. In 1999, he founded the clothing retailer Rocawear, and in 2003, he founded the luxury sports bar chain 40/40 Club. Both businesses have grown to become multi-million-dollar corporations, and allowed him to start up the entertainment company Roc Nation in 2008. In 2015, he acquired the tech company Aspiro and took charge of their media streaming service Tidal. In 2020, he launched "Monogram", a line of cannabis products.One of the world's best-selling music artists, with over 125 million records sold, Jay-Z has won 24 Grammy Awards, the joint-most Grammy awards of any rapper along with Kanye West. Jay-Z also holds the record for the most number-one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 (14). Additionally, he is a recipient of the NAACP's President's Award, as well as an Emmy Award; and has been nominated for a Tony Award. Ranked by Billboard and Rolling Stone as one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, Jay-Z was the first rapper honored in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the first solo living rapper inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2013, Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.