Watch the Throne

this is most of a counterpoint I wrote for Cokemachineglow and never sent



Yeah, dudes seem invigorated by the challenge they’ve set themselves. Recording in the same room, minimal guest spots to ease the glare: listening to them trade the mic is indeed a joy, and a novelty in this age. Jay (of D.O.A) is once again Quixote, trying to resurrect the rap he once owned and loved, and Kayne is his loyal Sancho, playing an adorable, Mr. Me Too hypeman. And in “Lift Off,” Beyonce sounds about as real as Dulcinea, somehow rendered absolutely sexless, as if the child in her womb is already sponging up all the talent. Fucking placentas.

Humor me, fellow readers, in a workmanlike rundown of the album, so we’re all on the same page or at least know specifically where our differences lie. “No Church in the Wild” in an enthralling start, Jay busting out the Gothic imagery he’ll return to so effectively in the equally exciting “Why I Love You” These book-ending epics alone justify the hype, don’t color me ungrateful. But both are neighbors to egregious mistakes: “Lift Off” and “Made in America,” two of the most hollow tracks in either’s oeuvre, gravity sinks best deleted and never spoken of again.

“Otis” is palpable joy, and the video reiterates what a labor of love this experience was. “Niggas in Paris” “That’s My Bitch” and “Gotta Have It” are all fun that we won’t return to often, only to be happily surprised by how well they move.
“New Day” “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Murder to Excellence” mostly work, thanks primarily to Jay’s openness rather than Ye’s bluster. “Who Gon Stop Me” features Yeezy going too far and straight up ruining a track with his Holocaust grandstanding. Jay isn’t much better: yes, Hov, we know this “black strap” of which you speak. That flow was weak the first time, we didn’t need it twice more.

As for the bonus tracks “Illest Motherfucker Alive” is absolutely worth searching out and takes “America’s” place nicely. “Primetime” is good clean sub-“Otis” fun. “H*A*M”(fisted) is a at once trend-hopping and once-ups-man-ship that ends up a mess badly in need of the remix I think we all expected. “The Joy” is more good from Jay, more overdone out of Kayne. Lest you believe me to be a Jay partisan, let me say that this is one of my favorite Hov albums and my least favorite Yeezy album.

So, Watch the Throne is defiantly not-of-the-moment, in thankful juxtaposition to the soulless Luger by way of Miami, and vice versa, sound that’s taken over, an affirmation that two titans can still make smart rap without having to trade mics with up-and-comers or throw Rihanna on a track to get a hit. Apropos of nothing, how much longer do we think Drake’s loyalty will last? I’d rather have Ye in my corner and Jay was wise as always to consolidate his base, re-affirm his ally and trusty lieutenant while simultaneously re-demonstrating his skill and, post-Fantasy, showing who’s still top dog. “Wasn’t I a good king?” Better than good.

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