Watch the Throne
by Kanye West
  • Record Label: Def Jam
  • Release Date: Aug 12, 2011
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 766 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 625 out of 766
  2. Mixed: 71 out of 766
  3. Negative: 70 out of 766
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  1. TrueNotes
    Aug 12, 2011
    9
    This album was extremely hyped and I was sure that it was going to be a let down, but I was wrong.
    The album starts off on a very solid foot, thanks to a solid hook by Frank Ocean and a couple of nice verses from Ye and Jay on "No Church in the Wild". That track is followed up by the worst song on the album, "Lift Off" featuring Beyonce. There are a couple of bad and uninspired verses and    This album was extremely hyped and I was sure that it was going to be a let down, but I was wrong.
    The album starts off on a very solid foot, thanks to a solid hook by Frank Ocean and a couple of nice verses from Ye and Jay on "No Church in the Wild". That track is followed up by the worst song on the album, "Lift Off" featuring Beyonce. There are a couple of bad and uninspired verses and a big booming beat with Beyonce doing her thing on the chorus, however the song is a real snoozer.
    Once you get past Lift Off the album really takes off. Track 3, "N!gg@s in Paris" goes hard in the paint. Track 5, "Gotta Have It", is a really inspired Neptunes beat. The best beat I've heard from them in a while. Track 6, "New Day", is produced by RZA and is a very deep moment for the album, because Jay and Ye are both rapping to their newborn sons. It's a good switch up.
    Tracks 8 and 9, "Who Gon Stop Me" and "Murder to Excellence", respectively, are two of the album highlights for me. "Who Gon Stop Me" is just a straight bragging track over a great beat, that switches up midway through the song.
    "Murder to Excellence" is another song that has its beat switch up midway through. However, this is because there are two different themes in this song. The first half is about black on black murder and the second half is about black excellence. It is a very deep song with a great beat.
    The track that follows this up is "Made in America". Another song that features Frank Ocean and not a particular favorite of mine, due to the soft beat and cheesy chorus, however Ye and Jay both have decent verses on this song.
    The album ends on a real high note with "Why I Love You", featuring both a sample and Mr. Hudson singing that sample on the chorus. This is a Jay-Z dominated track, and he is rapping about people that he has stuck up for in the past but didn't fulfill their end of the bargain. Namely Dame Dash and Beanie Sigel, rapping "I tried to teach ni**as how to be kings / And all they ever wanted to be was soldiers". it is a very good song to end the album on. Bonus Tracks:
    This album comes with 4 bonus tracks on the deluxe version and 3 of them are very good. The first, "Illest MoFo Alive", is another just straight braggadocios over a banging beat.
    The second, "Primetime", has a great beat from No I.D. and starts out with this great line from Jay-Z "Primetime, beat by Dion". Obviously when you think of Primetime, you think of Deion Sanders but he is also giving a shout-out to No I.D. right there. Dion turned around.
    The third, "The Joy" features a sample from Curtis Mayfield and has a great verse from Kanye on it. I didn't mention HAM or Otis, because I'm guessing you have all heard those and have your own opinions on them. I love Otis, and am kinda meh on HAM.

    Overall, this is a great album but it is kind of a grower. This is one of those albums that you can pick up something different and interesting on every listen. It takes 3 or 4 listens before you can truly appreciate it and I highly recommend it.    … Expand
  2. Nikuma
    Aug 13, 2011
    10
    This isnt a bad album, its good but instead of sounding like a collaboration it feels more like two prominent hip hop artists too worried about telling each other that what each of them was doing wasnt exactly clicking.
  3. ast92
    Aug 14, 2011
    1
    The most disappointing album ever,this album was way over hyped and it didn't live up to its expectations,I'll even go further and say this is the worse Kanye album ever,this album had some much potential but in my opinion Jay-Z ruined it.
  4. NotE
    Aug 15, 2011
    5
    I wanted to like this album, I really did. I am the type of person that hears an album more than once before I give it my judgement. To me this album sounds like a mixtape a shoddy one at best. It feels like they are saying what they want and how they want to say it because at this point in their career they very well can, and the sad part is that it will sell regardless. Jay Z and KanyeI wanted to like this album, I really did. I am the type of person that hears an album more than once before I give it my judgement. To me this album sounds like a mixtape a shoddy one at best. It feels like they are saying what they want and how they want to say it because at this point in their career they very well can, and the sad part is that it will sell regardless. Jay Z and Kanye West at this point are brand names. Here is my problem with this project of there's. For one it feels like they really did not put too much effort into their lyrics even though on one song they have about 6 writers. Jay Z became famous in a time where a rapper was a rapper and a producer was a producer. To this day he has not had to evolve like many younger artist who now do both or some even sing. This makes me question his input and his overall care for the album. Essentially, he sat down on each track and wrote one verse (along with the 6 other people in the studio with him). Kanye on the other hand comes off as someone who is trying to hard. He had his hands in this project and nearly every aspect of it which makes him in a sense the front man. Where he falls flat through is in his lyrics. You can hear it in his tone and in his lyrics that he is essentially competing with Jay Z. The sad part is when you realize that even when Jay Z is not trying Kanye could still not top him. To address the idea of competition, Nearly every song on the album has them going one verse each and both being separated by long choruses and temporary gaps of instrumental. This is heard right of the back in the intro track "No Church In The Wild". The beauty of the album is in the instrumentals themselves and the hooks (sounds like i'm talking about pop music right?). The score would be so much lower if it were not for the wonderful work that is put into the beats by everyone including Kanye. The choruses with some more stellar than others are also something to hear especially over the beats that are essentially experimental, but work in a very fluent way. This was there moment to show everyone why you should really Watch The Throne, but either due to arrogance, ego, or just laziness, the album falls short of great and to be honest when an album like this comes out where two rappers meet one needs to make the comparison to past similar projects.

    Bad Meets Evil, Black star, Blackout, and so forth.

    When you really hear those albums and then compare it to this one, it really ranks quite low.    … Expand
  5. Djsisco
    Aug 16, 2011
    10
    This is incredible album jay z & kanye west did a masterpiece. My favorite tracks are no church gotta have it, n in paris,otis, ham,lift up,who gon stop me,murder to excellence,joy,prime time and ham. Don't waste your time with the reguler version do yourself a favor get the deluxe trust me its worth it. Kanye is differently the producer of year with this and dark fantasy. I go furtherThis is incredible album jay z & kanye west did a masterpiece. My favorite tracks are no church gotta have it, n in paris,otis, ham,lift up,who gon stop me,murder to excellence,joy,prime time and ham. Don't waste your time with the reguler version do yourself a favor get the deluxe trust me its worth it. Kanye is differently the producer of year with this and dark fantasy. I go further and say artist of the year. This best duo of songs put together since the great outkast bless us the speakerbox and love below masterpiece. Thanks for no leaks… Expand
  6. Cbrown719
    Aug 17, 2011
    9
    Watch the Throne is a classic album it makes other rappers have to step there game up. Jay and Kanye show true lyrics great subject matter over great sample beats there the best duo since UGK
  7. Davidhowardking
    Aug 31, 2011
    6
    This album is not experimental or as grand as Kanye's "My Beuitful Dark Twisted Fantasy." It sounds like two bored, rich guys sitting in a studio congratulating themselves on a lot of money made and thinking about the promise of more to come. Its not clear if even Kanye takes himself seriously anymore and moments when that becomes clear like on "Niggas in Paris" are the best part of theThis album is not experimental or as grand as Kanye's "My Beuitful Dark Twisted Fantasy." It sounds like two bored, rich guys sitting in a studio congratulating themselves on a lot of money made and thinking about the promise of more to come. Its not clear if even Kanye takes himself seriously anymore and moments when that becomes clear like on "Niggas in Paris" are the best part of the album. Yes, Jay-z still used to be a dealer and now makes loads of cash and gets fined for talking to college basketball stars and owns the Nets. All of this is fine stuff, except it is put over lazy beats, short demo-like versions of songs with little inspiration. This is a patch work. Its not clear on most songs if Jay-Z and Kanye know what the other guy just got done rapping about. "That's My **** is an exercise in absurdity. Things really take a turn for the pathetic when both men go from bragging about "****es," and "straps" to singing about the "holocaust" of black on black violence and then have an entire song about Martin Luther King Jr. These two are board rich dudes drunk on power. When they deliver that vibe on "Niggas in Paris" and "HAM" you get fun and absurd with decent beats. When they try anything beyond that it gets embarrassing. Jay-z is a CEO and guess what? It isn't any fun to listen to a CEO rap. Kanye is still a musical force but his obsession with getting laid has turned him into a walking stereotype. Neither of these men should be taken seriously for what they have to say. Jay-z can be taken seriously in business and Kanye as a produce/musician.… Expand
  8. RadleyBear
    Oct 20, 2011
    10
    As a fairly new listener to Jay Z I really rate this album,the opening track 'No Church In The Wild' is amazing and the album continues to hold your attention with tracks like 'Ni**as in Paris' , the immense 'Otis' and superb 'Murder to Excellence'. I recomend this to anyone not just hip hop/r&b fans its got bags of appeal and i'm sure will be a classic in time to come.
  9. missnstrange
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    This album is perfect. Why? Because it's the last gasp of the 1%. It could only have been created by these two artists, and now that social change is gathering speed, their insane lifestyle has an expiration date. However, before their throne gets toppled (yeah, chuckle) they've created possibly the most flamboyantly Rococo album I've ever heard. Everything from the album cover toThis album is perfect. Why? Because it's the last gasp of the 1%. It could only have been created by these two artists, and now that social change is gathering speed, their insane lifestyle has an expiration date. However, before their throne gets toppled (yeah, chuckle) they've created possibly the most flamboyantly Rococo album I've ever heard. Everything from the album cover to the production and the lyrics, &c., reminds me of the pre-revolution French aristocracy. Seriously, we're basically being told verbatim by West and Jay to "Let them eat cake." Their attitude can't last; even now in November '11 it's starting to feel like a historical artifact. In 10 years we'll look back on this album and say "what the FUCK?!"
    But for all that, it's beautiful. It's intensely produced; each song seems to have physical weight to it. All of the samples are spot-on. There are some questionable lyrical choices, especially from West, but I'm forgiving because there is (despite the album's astounding ostentatiousness) a sense of humor running throughout, so when West spits a flop I don't feel bad for laughing.
    This is the kind of album cultural critics will be picking apart 20, 30, 50 years from now. Like I said, it captures the zeitgeist of a dying culture of ultra-decadence, and despite its inherent revulsion to we of the 99%, I at least can't help but love it.    … Expand
  10. BryantPerry1821
    Dec 8, 2011
    10
    Royalty, wealth, class; just a few words that come to mind when thinking about Jay Z and Kanye Westâ
  11. MitchReviews
    Jun 4, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This album is one of the best I've heard, there are some some songs I like and don't like, but Kanye West and Jay-Z are a good rap duo. Also, the production of the album was awesome, it was some of the best beats I've heard.… Expand
  12. lado22
    May 20, 2015
    10
    Perfect Album! Highly recommended. All the songs are nice, even the one most of the people hate ( "Lift Off") sounds great. Jay is on another level, TOP of the Game, Kanye is great with his beats and his lyrics and his flow is good too. Even the bonus tracks are ridiculously good.
  13. carnevaler
    Oct 23, 2015
    8
    Kanye West is known for his notorious ego, and yet not a lot know about his motivation. His parents divorced when Kanye was three years old and could have led him to his later development of his music. His father was a Black Panther and had to express himself with non-violent tactics. However, his mother was an English teacher at Clark Atlanta University which made “Kanye West” Kanye WestKanye West is known for his notorious ego, and yet not a lot know about his motivation. His parents divorced when Kanye was three years old and could have led him to his later development of his music. His father was a Black Panther and had to express himself with non-violent tactics. However, his mother was an English teacher at Clark Atlanta University which made “Kanye West” Kanye West as we know him. The interlacing of a non-violent protest plus an English teacher made Kanye a threat to the rap game. Kanye West has created his first album after getting into a car accident which is crazy to think but most certainly possibly. His previous songs are mostly about his struggles in his life. Now he is able to talk about his success.
    In Watch the Throne, Kanye West has an interesting collection of songs. He contrasts from someone who is preparing for a performance like “Ni**as in Paris,” “H.A.M,” “Gotta Have It,” and then goes to something personal which was interesting. His songs “ Murder to Excellence” explains his hatred against racism which is very personal and has a lot of meaning. Kanye West's song “Lift Off” seemed to be misplaced in this album. It has nothing to do with the theme of his album.
    I give this album an 8/10 because of the song “Lift Off”. At the same time the song “H.A.M,” is easy to remember, the acronym hard as a motherf**ker. Also, “Made in America” is so easy to remember because he does not stop saying “Oh, sweet baby Jesus”. It has anger that keeps you motivated, but as you go further into the album you notice that Kanye's motivation had almost disappeared. It’s like he has ADHD and forgot what he was thinking about. At the same as if you listen to a radio station with one artist, his or her songs will be boring around fourteen minutes in. Kanye West has a lot of influence from classic R&B. He has influence by music concrete: he mixed R&B and blues together and his childhood experiences together. Can you judge an artist’s personal character based on his or her music? Most people see him as living extravagant, but in this album you understand: no his life was not originally extravagant which explains his ego.    … Expand
  14. OlegSunbeam
    Dec 19, 2019
    8
    I'd like to think even more casual rap fans (like me) can appreciate the production on here, it's just so refined and confident. I would just love this album, featuring two masters, two geniuses, to perhaps have a bit more weight and just a little less bling. Imagine a sequel today with both of them in powerful and less self absorbed mode, we can but hope, perhaps an impossibility now. AllI'd like to think even more casual rap fans (like me) can appreciate the production on here, it's just so refined and confident. I would just love this album, featuring two masters, two geniuses, to perhaps have a bit more weight and just a little less bling. Imagine a sequel today with both of them in powerful and less self absorbed mode, we can but hope, perhaps an impossibility now. All told, a compelling collaboration that we will be grateful for decades from now, but one that left room for important improvement around the edges.… Expand
  15. njeggers1
    Aug 30, 2021
    10
    Criminally underrated score on here. This album is Kanye's 2nd best piece of work after MBDTF. An insanely fun listen.
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Most Discussed Album of 2011
39
#39 Most Shared Album of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Magnet
    Nov 11, 2011
    80
    They turn out to be pretty good influences on one another. Jay sounds generally reinvigorated: good-humored, full of nimble, intricate wit and atypically emotionally revealing, and if Kanye's rhymes occasionally remain as clumsy and crass as his personal life choices, he drops far fewer boners than usual. [#81, p. 56]
  2. Q Magazine
    Sep 21, 2011
    80
    Hip hop heavy weights stop squabbling for long enough to justify their star billing. [Oct 2011, p.116]
  3. Austin Chronicle
    Sep 12, 2011
    67
    That Jay and 'Ye have the courtesy to stop rapping about their money and start attacking real issues--black-on-black crime in "Murder to Excellence," raising children on "New Day"--is icing on a very expensive cake.
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