Watch the Throne

Watch the Throne is the collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Originally conceived as a five-song EP, the project expanded into a full-length album, marking the first joint studio effort between the two artists. The album features guest appearances from 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. Soul singers Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield are credited as featured artists via samples. Recording began in November 2010, with West leading production alongside Mike Dean, Swizz Beatz, Pete Rock, RZA, Jeff Bhasker, The Neptunes, and Q-Tip. The sound builds on the dense production of West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, incorporating orchestral and progressive rock elements, unconventional samples, and dramatic melodies. Lyrically, the album blends braggadocio with introspection, touching on themes of opulence, fame, and the burdens of success, while also offering political and socioeconomic commentary. Critics praised the performances and production, though some found the lyrics lacking. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 436,000 copies in its first week and setting an iTunes first-week sales record. The album produced seven singles, including the top five hit "Niggas in Paris," and was certified quintuple platinum in the US. The accompanying Watch the Throne Tour, which ran from October 2011 to June 2012, became the highest-grossing hip-hop tour in history at the time.

The recording sessions took place under what has been described as a paranoid lockdown at the Mercer Hotel in New York City, with the two artists "coasting through an expensive hour" in their careers. The dynamic between Jay-Z and Kanye West, often characterized as teacher and student, partners, comrades, and each other's fiercest rivals, informed the album's tension and ambition. The project's maximalist production, which drew on orchestral and progressive rock elements, set a new standard for luxury rap, a genre the album helped define. In the years since its release, Watch the Throne has been revisited by critics and fans alike, with retrospectives marking its 15th anniversary in 2026. The album's influence extends beyond music, inspiring fashion and sneaker collaborations, including Nike designs referencing the album. Notably, Virgil Abloh received a Grammy nomination for his art direction on the project, a testament to its cultural reach. [edit]