It’s hard to know how to frame a record like Watch the Throne. Set against the backdrop of Top 40 hip-hop, increasingly defined by the hegemonic dominance of a small group of rappers, and the long-outdated single-centric album campaign formula, it’s startingly adventurous and experimental. Taken as the latest chapter in either of Jay’s or Kanye’s formidable catalog, it feels pretty uneven and disjointed, though occasionally thrilling.
Putting aside context, it’s a jumble of ideas, some brilliant and others not quite as well fleshed-out. But to consider a project like Watch the Throne, as somehow independent from its creators, is to ignore exactly what makes it work. What it lacks in cohesion, it makes up for with sheer grandiosity and personality– the kind only these two are really capable of bringing to the table. If at times it feels unnecessarily gaudy or inarticulate, it’s at least unified by a ridiculous amount of starpower.
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By now, I feel like most of us are coming to appreciate Watch The Throne for what it is. Two artists, arguably at the top of their industry, coming together to make music. Is it classic? I suppose only time will tell. Although when you’re walking down the street and you hear “H.A.M.” and “No Church” coming out of two different cars in the same three block radius, it’s hard deny the influence these two artists have. Last night the duo dropped visuals for “Otis”, much to the delight of bloggers and hip hop fans worldwide. Jovial in essence, it seems like Jay and Yeezy aren’t worried about too much these days. And that’s the way it should be.
If you were to tell me Hov and Ye were about to go in over a loop of Otis Redding’s “Try A Little Tenderness”, you wouldn’t have too much convincing left to do. With the highly anticipated Watch the Throne a few weeks away, the first real leak emerged last night, basically consisting of an extended exchange of bars between the two legends, set to a minimal backdrop that leans pretty heavily on the song’s even-more-legendary namesake. For all the hype — gaudy cover art, the over-the-top ridiculousness of H.A.M. — the chest-thumping is probably warranted. Even if the album was just an excuse for these two to talk shit, it’s hard to imagine two people more suited to the task.
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“I may be young but I’m ready
To give you all my love
I told my girls you can get it
Don’t slow it down
Just let it go
So in love
I’ll give it all away
Just don’t tell nobody tomorrow
So tonight
I’ll do it every way
Cause knockin’ til the morning light
Cuz we like to party…”
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Not to sell Malice short or anything, but I think a lot of heads saw the Pusha solo move coming, long before Yeezy made the executive decision to bring him onto the G.O.O.D. roster. For those of us who were riding with The Clipse since Lord Willin’ (or even before), I think the consensus is that when he’s at his best, Pusha T is one of the more vicious spitters out there. Fear of God, the first mixtape and solo effort from Pusha doesn’t disappoint either. Coke talk, epic hood narratives and a healthy dose of slap, or alternatively, pretty much what you might expect from a Clipse project. And not in a bad way. “Touch It”, which recycles a lost Kanye gem that’s been floating around the internet for a while now, is a highlight. An ode to, well, what it sounds like, “Touch It” is more instructional than suggestive. And not necessarily in a bad way either. Grab Fear of God for free 99 here.
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It’s been an eventful couple of weeks in the world of music. Probably most notably, Radiohead came way the fuck out of left field and graced us with an entire new album a few days ago. If variety wasn’t an issue, half that project would probably be up here, but since other folks are making quality shit, the selection is diverse as usual. Other highlights included Toro Y Moi dropping his latest, a serious new jam from Quik and of course, Tyler the Creator and Hodgy Beats wreaking havoc on Jimmy Fallon on behalf of Odd Future. Round it out with some leaked Lykke Li, a new single from The Strokes that sounds suspiciously like an old single from The Strokes, and a Flying Lotus-directed Badu video, and things might just get interesting. Happy Wednesday folks.
It would have been tough to top the clip from Runaway. No fireworks here, no marching band and no gigantic float of MJ’s dome. Nonetheless, “All of the Lights” is the kind of event video that’s worth the watch. Classic black and white, bright flashing colors and of course, plenty of lights. Two decades into his career, Hype is still the go-to director for most things hip-hop related, and there are plenty of reasonswhy. If this one isn’t his or Ye’s best work, it’s still head and shoulders above most of the game. Which is about what we’ve come to expect from the both of them.
The Jay and Yeezy is extra epic. The Ducktails is super settled. James Blake gave me the chills with “Wilhelm’s Scream”, and Wayne went in on “Roman’s Revenge”. And if you, like me and everybody else, think of “Spottieottiedopalicious” as something not to be fucked with, give Nacey’s remix a minute to grow on you. It’s actually pretty dope. By the next time we drop a Leftovers installment, it will have been a year since we dropped the first one, which gives me some perspective. Having a platform is cool. When you’re a music nerd, it’s even cooler to be able to share music with folks with open ears and minds. So thanks for listening.
Grouping music in 12-month periods every December always seems a little arbitrary. Putting them in order and deciding which ones are better than other ones seems a little arbitrary too. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for the grandiose lists and the music nerd arguments that inevitably follow. But at the end of the day, it’s all just music. A bit less arbitrary though, in my book, is showing love to folks who put out great work. And here at W&B, it’s something we like to do whenever we get the chance.
To be real, these were the artists that provided the soundtrack to a lot of our lives this year. While Cunningham was slappin Freddie Gibbs in Beijing, Jesse and I were on the road with The Black Keys on repeat. And whether we were standing in awe of the “Window Seat” video, drunkenly belting “Fuck You” at the top of our lungs, or watching Mr. West’s beautifully sprawling fantasy come to life, 2010 definitely had some moments worth revisiting. So given the timing, we thought it was only appropriate to recap, review and share some of our favorites with you.
The creative process is a fascinating thing. For every great work we experience – a beautiful painting, a piece of music, a screenplay – please believe the artist behind it had a specific way of doing things that shaped every aspect of it. With Kanye’s latest racking up accolades and perfectscores left and right, it seemed only appropriate that Complex would hit us with a glimpse into the genesis of Ye’s Fantasy.
For those who missed this article when it dropped earlier this month, it’s a great read, and personally, I found it inspiring for my own journey. One day you’re a struggling beatmaker just trying to get Hov’s attention. Ten years later, you’re calling shots from a dream-studio in Hawaii, recruiting hip-hop royalty to execute your artistic vision. Props to Complex’s Noah Callahan-Bever for the story, and the always impressive Nabil Elderkin for capturing the moments.
Getting inspired is the shit. Every once in a while you get lucky enough to have a week or so where things are just rolling creatively, and whatever it is you’re into at that point in time just speaks to you. At the moment, the music is doing that for me, so what better time to drop some new shit than right now. Jams on deck from Nipsey, Gorillaz, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and J. Cole, among others. Aside from that, I don’t have much to say except thanks as always for reading, engaging and showing love. It’s more than appreciated.
That an album as bizarrely imaginative, and as wildly adventurous as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy even exists is a wonder in itself. That in some ways, that album seems like a logical progression in Kanye West’s catalogue is a testament to the kind of rule-shattering creativity he’s made a career out of. Fantasy is an album that refuses limitation. It’s grandiose and sweeping, and yet still deeply personal. It’s aggressively hood, playfully profane and yet meticulously and tastefully constructed. At its core, it’s unmistakably hip-hop, but it’s as musically rich as any release so far this year. And yet, in all those respects, it’s a lot like his previous work.
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First off, let me just say thank you for Friday night. For Nick, Ben, Amanda, KP and everybody that couldn’t make it out, it felt like you were out there in spirit. For all the folks that did make it out, you made that happen. Thanks as always for the love, for putting on, and for just showing your face and helping to get shit crackin. For the time being, we had to take a quick respite, but please believe we’re not stopping anytime soon. New songs on deck today from N.E.R.D., Yeezy, LCD and Cee-Lo, to name a few. The Ye is too real, Janelle covering “The Shape of Things to Come” is a must, and Wiz & Spitta going in over “Africa”? Jokes. Yeah, it’s Monday, but it’s good. This week is looking good already.
Since Runaway, I feel like we’ve all been kind of on our toes for this one. I try to use this word sparingly, but that shit was epic. In any case, this is the full version of Ye’s third single, accompanied by Rihanna, Elton John, John Legend, Kid Cudi, The Dream, Fergie, Elly Jackson (LaRoux), Ryan Leslie, Charlie Wilson and Tony Williams. Cotdamn. If I forgot anybody, my apologies. If you were going to pick a track to recruit 42 pop stars for though, “All of the Lights” seems like the logical choice. Triumphant horns, monster drums, “fast cars, shooting stars”. This is blockbuster shit. Fantasy drops November 22nd.
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