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The Throne were an American hip hop superduo composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z [1] . Formed in 2010, the duo released their debut album, Watch the Throne, in August 2011 through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. The album was a critical and commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 and earning Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) [2] . Known for their cultural impact and innovative production, The Throne has been celebrated as one of hip-hop’s most iconic collaborations.
Kanye West and Jay-Z had a long-standing professional relationship before forming The Throne. West began his career as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, contributing to Jay-Z’s critically acclaimed album The Blueprint (2001). Over the years, they collaborated on numerous projects, including tracks like “Run This Town” from Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 (2009) and “Monster” from West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). In 2010, Kanye West announced plans for a collaborative EP with Jay-Z titled Watch the Throne. However, the project evolved into a full-length studio album during recording sessions held in New York City and Paris. The duo officially adopted the name “The Throne” to reflect their shared status as hip-hop royalty.
Jay-Z and Kanye West first collaborated on the track “This Can’t Be Life” from Jay-Z’s 2000 album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia , which West produced. Their partnership continued on Jay-Z’s 2001 album The Blueprint , where West’s distinctive hip-hop production style stood out and helped elevate his reputation in the music industry [3] . Initially recognized primarily as a producer, Kanye gained credibility as both a rapper and producer with the success of his debut album, The College Dropout , and its hit singles [4] . West went on to produce tracks for Jay-Z’s subsequent albums, including The Black Album and Kingdom Come [5] [6] . Meanwhile, Jay-Z appeared on Kanye’s first two albums, solidifying their frequent collaboration.
The duo worked together on notable tracks such as "Swagga Like Us" with T.I., “Run This Town” (from Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 ), and “Monster” and “So Appalled” (from West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy ) [7] [8] [9] . During the promotion of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a remix of Kanye’s “Power” featuring Jay-Z emerged [10] . Shortly afterward, Kanye announced on Twitter that he and Jay-Z would release a five-track EP titled Watch the Throne [11] . Although the song “Monster” was initially planned for the EP, it ended up on Kanye’s solo album instead. In October 2010, Kanye revealed in an MTV interview that the EP had grown into a full-length album, and they planned to record in the south of France [12] .
Watch the Throne was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings [13] . The album features guest appearances by Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Beyoncé, and Mr. Hudson, with additional vocal contributions from Kid Cudi, Seal, Justin Vernon, Elly Jackson, Connie Mitchell, Charlie Wilson, and Pete Rock.
The album was made available for pre-order on July 4, 2011, via Jay-Z’s lifestyle webzine Life + Times [14] , which redirected to Island Def Jam’s website offering various versions, including a deluxe CD edition and digital formats. Pre-orders were also opened on the iTunes Store on July 22, 2011. The album’s digital release occurred on August 8, 2011, exclusively through iTunes, followed by a physical release on August 12. Best Buy held exclusive rights to sell the deluxe CD edition until August 23, after which it became available at other retailers. The exclusivity agreements drew criticism from other retailers, who accused the labels of preferential treatment. Despite these controversies, Watch the Throne was one of the few major-label releases in the digital age to avoid an unauthorized leak prior to its official debut.
The album was supported by seven singles, "H•A•M", "Otis", "Lift Off", "No Church in the Wild", and the Billboard Hot 100 top five hit "Niggas in Paris". Upon release, Watch the Throne debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 436,000 copies in its first week, and broke iTunes records for digital sales.
The album received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising its production and lyrical exploration of themes such as luxury, fame, racial identity, and social inequality. It is widely regarded as one of the most significant releases of 2011.
To promote their debut album, The Throne embarked on the Watch the Throne Tour, which ran from October 2011 to June 2012. The tour included 57 shows across North America and Europe and grossed over $75 million. It was lauded for its elaborate stage design and electrifying performances. One of the tour’s most memorable moments was their repeated performances of “Niggas in Paris,” which they played up to 12 times during a single show in Los Angeles.
In 2016, The Throne made a rare appearance on Drake’s track “Pop Style”, from his album Views. While West delivered a full verse, Jay-Z’s contribution was limited to two lines. The collaboration generated excitement but also speculation about tensions between the two artists. Ultimately, Drake replaced this version with a solo rendition on his album.
In 2021, West and Jay-Z reunited on “Jail,” a track from West’s tenth studio album, Donda. This marked their first collaboration in five years. Jay-Z’s verse included lines hinting at a potential return of The Throne: “This might be the return of The Throne.” Fans celebrated this reunion as a symbolic reconciliation after years of rumored discord between the two artists.
The Throne’s influence extends beyond music into broader cultural discussions about race, wealth, and power dynamics. Their debut album is often cited as one of hip-hop’s most significant collaborative projects. Tracks like “Made in America” celebrated Black excellence, while songs like “No Church in the Wild” delved into existential themes. Despite occasional collaborations since Watch the Throne, no official follow-up album has been announced. However, both Kanye West and Jay-Z have hinted at future projects together, leaving fans hopeful for another chapter in The Throne’s legacy.
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications | |||||||||
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US [15] [16] | US R&B [17] | US Rap [18] | AUS [19] | CAN [20] [21] | GER [22] | IRL [23] | NZ [24] | SWI [25] [26] | UK [27] [28] | ||||
Watch the Throne |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
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US [38] | US R&B [39] | US Rap [40] | AUS [41] | CAN [42] | GER [43] | IRL [23] | NZ [24] | UK [44] | WW [45] | ||||
"H•A•M" | 2011 | 23 | 24 | 15 | 78 | 47 | — | 40 | — | 30 | — |
| Watch the Throne |
"Otis" (featuring Otis Redding) | 12 | 2 | 2 | 42 | 37 | — | 41 | — | 28 | — | |||
"Lift Off" (featuring Beyoncé) | — [A] | — | — | 81 | — | — | — | — | 48 | — | |||
"Niggas in Paris" | 5 | 1 | 1 | 66 | 16 | 40 | 22 | 38 | 10 | — | |||
"Why I Love You" (featuring Mr. Hudson) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 87 | — |
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"Gotta Have It" | 69 | 14 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"No Church in the Wild" (featuring Frank Ocean and The-Dream) | 2012 | 72 | 31 | 20 | — | 92 | — | 55 | — | 37 | — |
Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
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"Pop Style" | 2016 | Drake | Views |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [52] | US R&B/HH [53] | AUS [54] | CAN [55] | IRE [56] | NZ Heat. [57] | SWE Heat. [58] | UK [59] | ||||
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American rapper Jay-Z has released thirteen solo studio albums, four collaboration albums, one live album, one compilation album, one soundtrack album, two extended plays, one hundred and fifteen singles, nine promotional singles and eighty-two music videos. As of December 2014, Jay-Z has sold 29,179,000 studio albums in the United States.
American rapper Kanye West has released ten studio albums, four collaborative studio albums, one compilation album, one demo album, two live albums, one video album, and eight mixtapes. All ten of his studio albums have been certified at least gold in the United States. As of June 2021, West has certified 25 million equivalent solo albums units in the United States, placing him among the highest-certified music artists in the United States.
"Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" is the lead single from American rapper Jay-Z's sixth album The Blueprint. Produced by Kanye West, the song prominently samples "I Want You Back" (1969) by The Jackson 5. "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" was debuted at the inaugural BET Awards on June 19, 2001. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Jay-Z’s first solo song to enter the top 10.
"Girls, Girls, Girls" is the second single from rapper Jay-Z's album The Blueprint (2001). The single was released on October 2, 2001. It is a playful description of the artist's promiscuous lifestyle. The song contains a sample of "There's Nothing In This World That Can Stop Me From Loving You" by Tom Brock, who died a year later. The chorus features a lyrical interpolation of "High Power Rap" by Crash Crew. The song has additional vocals sung by Q-Tip, Slick Rick and Biz Markie, but they are not credited as featured guests on the back artwork; they are, however, credited in the album's liner notes.
"Hollywood" is a song recorded by American rapper Jay-Z for his ninth studio album, Kingdom Come (2006). It features Jay-Z's now-wife, American singer-songwriter Beyoncé, and was released as a single in the US on January 23, 2007. Jay-Z co-wrote the song with its producers Ne-Yo and Reggie "Syience" Perry. "Hollywood" is a disco-influenced R&B song with lyrics that detail the tiredness music stars, working in the American cinema industry, sometimes feel. The song was well received by music critics who praised its musical arrangement as well as the guest vocals by Knowles.
The discography of American musician Kid Cudi consists of ten studio albums, one compilation album, one box set, three extended plays (EPs), one mixtape, 32 singles, nine promotional singles and 32 music videos, the details of which are included in his videography.
Watch the Throne is the only studio album by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z. It was released on August 8, 2011, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to its release, Jay-Z and West had collaborated on various singles, and with the latter as a producer on the former's work. They originally sought to record a five-song collaborative extended play, which evolved into a full-length album. The album features guest appearances from Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Beyoncé and Mr Hudson. It also features vocal contributions from Kid Cudi, Seal, Justin Vernon, Elly Jackson, Connie Mitchell, Charlie Wilson, and Pete Rock, among others; samples of vocals by soul musicians Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield are both credited as guest features on the album.
"H•A•M" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from the deluxe edition of their debut studio album, Watch the Throne (2011). The song features additional vocals from Aude Cardona and Jacob Lewis Smith. It was produced by Lex Luger and co-produced by West, with additional production from Mike Dean and the three of them served as co-writers with Jay-Z. The song's beat was first provided to West by Lex Luger during the recording sessions for his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). West then added his production work up until the release and would not preview it to Lex Luger, who considered this was due to his perfectionist approach. The song was released for digital download in the United States as the lead single for the album on January 11, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam.
"Otis" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their debut studio album Watch the Throne (2011). The song samples and features soul singer Otis Redding's version of "Try a Little Tenderness". The production was covered solely by West. The track was premiered by Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show and was released onto the Internet the day afterward. Lyrically, the song has the two rappers sharing lines discussing wealth, decadence and fame. The track received highly positive reviews from music critics who praised the trading off of verses by the two rappers and the Redding-sampled beat, which was compared to the style heard on West's The College Dropout. Several publications placed the song amongst the best of the year.
"Lift Off" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, featuring American singer Beyoncé. It was written by rappers, Jeff Bhasker, Mike Dean, Bruno Mars, and Seal, while production was handled by West, Bhasker, and Mike Dean with Pharrell, Q-Tip, and Don Jazzy receiving co- and additional production credits. It was originally released on August 8, 2011 as a track from Jay-Z's and West's collaborative album Watch the Throne before being sent to urban contemporary radio on August 23, 2011. The song was rumored to be released as the lead single from the album containing additional vocals by Bruno Mars. However, Mars never appeared on the song.
"Niggas in Paris" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their debut studio album, Watch the Throne (2011). The song was produced by Hit-Boy with West and Mike Dean, while Anthony Kilhoffer contributed additional production. The producers served as co-writers with Jay-Z and Reverend W.A. Donaldson, the latter of whom was credited due to a sample of his work. Jay-Z envisioned the song's concept as how the two obtained their wealth instead of showing it off, using it as a momentary question of their status. Pusha T was originally offered the beat, yet rejected it due to the playful sound. The beat was crafted by Hit-Boy in five minutes and went unused until he was called by Don C, then he provided it for the song. On September 13, 2011, the song was released to US rhythmic and urban contemporary radio stations as the album's fourth single, through Def Jam, Roc Nation, and Roc-A-Fella
"Who Gon Stop Me" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their debut studio album Watch the Throne (2011). The song is the ninth song on the official track list for the album. Music critics praised the song.
"Why I Love You" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their debut studio album Watch the Throne (2011). The song features pop musician Mr. Hudson who is signed to West's GOOD Music label. "Why I Love You" heavily samples French house duo Cassius' 2010 single "I <3 U So", which itself is based upon a sample from the original 1971 version of "I Feel a Song " by Sandra Richardson. The song almost entirely features Jay-Z rapping and only contains a few lines provided by West. Lyrically, the song is about the people who have stood in the way of Jay-Z throughout the year and expresses themes of victory and anger. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who normally praised the production.
"No Church in the Wild" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, featuring American singers Frank Ocean and The-Dream, from the former's debut studio album Watch the Throne (2011). Opening the album, the song explores themes of religion and decadence. The track received highly positive reviews from music critics, who praised Ocean's vocal hooks, the depth of the verses, the cinematic production and the song's power as an opening track.
"Gotta Have It" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their debut studio album Watch the Throne (2011). The song was produced by West and the Neptunes, and samples three original compositions by James Brown: "Don't Tell a Lie About Me and I Won't Tell the Truth About You", "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul" and "My Thang". The song explores themes of wealth, decadence and the economic stature in the US. The song received positive reviews from critics who complimented the production and the clever wordplay of the two rappers.
"Pop Style" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, featuring American hip-hop supergroup The Throne, composed of the rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z. The song was released alongside "One Dance", as singles promoting Drake's fourth studio album Views, initially for exclusive digital download on iTunes on April 5, 2016. The album version features only Drake with a new verse. The single version was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 59th Grammy Awards.
American rapper Kanye West has released 138 singles, four promotional singles and charted with 65 other songs.
"Illest Motherfucker Alive" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from the deluxe edition of their debut studio album, Watch the Throne (2011). The song features additional vocals from Kid Cudi, Bankulli, and Aude Cardona. It was produced by Southside, West, and Mike Dean, who served as co-writers with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi. Southside provided the beat to West after the production of his track "See Me Now" in 2010, crafting its basis with his Roland TR-808 and the rapper then incorporated his synths.
"Welcome to the Jungle" is a song by the American hip hop supergroup The Throne, composed of rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their debut studio album, Watch the Throne (2011). The song features additional vocals from Swizz Beatz and Acapella Soul. It was produced by Swizz Beatz, who served as a co-writer with West, Jay-Z, and Mike Dean. The rappers engaged in recording sessions with the producer for the song at The Mercer Hotel in 2011. A hip hop song, it features a simplistic beat with rock elements.
"Jail" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song includes vocals from fellow American rapper Jay-Z. Towards the end of the album, another version of the song titled "Jail pt 2" appears, which includes more vocals from DaBaby and Marilyn Manson. It won the award for Best Rap Song at the 2022 Grammy Awards.
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