Last night (August 1), Kanye West and Jay-Z gathered journalists, fans, close friends and family, such as Beyoncé,Kelly Rowland, Solange, Pusha-T, Busta Rhymes, Teyana Taylor, Q-Tip and Jada Pinkett Smith, to sip champagne and listen to the anticipated album, "Watch the Throne," under the stars of the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium.
The Throne, comprised of Jay-Z and Kanye West, held three listening sessions from 7 - 9 pm. After everyone took a seat, the lights dimmed and the first track off the album, "No Church in the Wild," featuring Frank Ocean began to blast through the speakers. While the Hayden Planetarium's space show, Journey to the Stars, played above, The Throne ran through twelve tracks off "Watch the Throne," plus interludes.
Beyoncé's vocal prowess kicks off the second track, "Lift Off," singing, "We gonna take it to the moon/ Take it to the stars." "N*ggas in Paris," produced by Hit-Boy and 'Ye is filled with luxury rhymes and samples a snippet of Will Ferrell's line off the film, "Blades of Glory": "No one knows what it means but it's provocative."
On "New Day," produced by RZA, 'Ye and Mike Dean, Jay-Z and 'Ye rhyme to their unborn sons. Jay-Z advises his unborn son to "look a man in his eyes" and "keep your word" and 'Ye hopes his son has "an easy life, not a Yeezy life."
Swizz Beatz produced two of the most talked-about tracks on the album, "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Murder to Excellence." Ye' and Hov touch on black-on-black crime and transition to celebration on "Murder of Excellence." Frank Ocean shines with a soulful chorus on "Made in America" and includes a classic line from 'Ye, saying "I get high on my own supply" when speaking of his beats.
"Watch the Throne" closes with one of the most powerful cuts on the album, "Why I Love You," featuring Mr. Hudson, on which Jay-Z and Kanye West address "loyalty" to "lawyer fees." "I'm sorry I just can't die for you," Jay-Z spits.
