We have given this album 8 out of 10 stars. To save this post from being ridiculously boring we are going to talk about Kanye and Jay Z separately, then comment on the beats and features.
So lets start with the beats shall we. I have to say that the instrumentals for this album are amazing, however they are very similar to both Jay Z and Kanye's previous albums. They contain the typical loud choirs, samples from old songs , guitars and violins.I think the instrumentals played a vital part in saving this album from becoming a failed collaborative attempt, to stay relevant.
Now lets move onto Kanye West :
Within this album Kanye West does his regular ranting about how much he loves white people, by talking about how he is going to raise his son in the future, in songs such as : 'New Day'. He also goes onto bashing ex girlfriend Amber Rose by stating that he will never let his son go to strip club because he will not find love and then he does the typical rapper thing by bragging about his accomplishments and money. Pretty bland i must say but unfortunately his flow does outshine Jay Z's but his lyrics do not. Kanye's part in this album in a way saved this project but i really wish he'd go back to the way he used to rap, talking about things that people actually can relate to and creating music that serves a purpose, just like 'Diamonds are Forever' and 'Jesus Walks'. Forget about bloody Amber Rose, her career is irrelevant and stop putting her in the spotlight by mentioning her name, move on and remind the fans why we love you. Even though i have criticized Kanye's participation , he is still one of my favorite rappers and that is why i am slightly disappointed but my opinions of his part in this album may change. I would give Kanye 7/10 which equals Good but not excellent or outstanding in anyway.
Now for Jay Z :
Jay Z's lyrical abilities definitely shine throughout this record, some of his lyrics are too incredible to state them all. He definitely seems slightly bothered that the more success he gains the less of he sees of community that is MEANT to support him. He repetitively tries to reassure the black community that he loves them and that all of his success is for them, but he continues to partake in using the derogatory word 'Ni*&er', which raises a lot of questions. Similar to his fellow duo mate (Kanye West), Jay Z brags about his success and how quickly it took him to reach the top, he also boasts about how much money he has and mentions his wife Beyonce a lot. Even though his lyrical abilities are amazing, his flow however is not. I think it is way too slow sometimes and it can really dampen the feel and the atmosphere of a fast paced track. All in all, i would give Jay Z 7.5 out of ten, just 0.5 more than Kanye because he still appears to stay true to himself. However i think he needs to stop mentioning his wealth, i think we are very aware of how rich you are, give us something inspirational to listen to.
FEATURES :
Frank Ocean
I have been a fan of Frank Ocean since his single 'Novocaine' was released. His voice is so extraordinary , soulful, and different. I am really glad that Kanye & Jay Z decided to use him as one of the features on this album, this will give him great exposure, that he rightfully deserves. Frank Ocean is featured on songs such as : 'No Church For The Wild' and 'Made In America', which are both some of my favorite tracks on this album. He gets an EXCELLENT score of 8.5/10
Beyonce
Unfortunately, i think Beyonce's incredible vocals were slightly too strong for this record, which is a disappointment. I think it could of been toned down slightly but we still love her. She is featured on the song 'Lift Off', i would give her 7 out of ten for her participation.
The rest of the features didn't really stand out as much, Mr Hudson was great but that's expected. All in all, even with all of this criticism, as far as this being the best rap/hiphop album in years, it is. No other HipHop artists have made monumental albums like this before. You can say what you like about Kanye West and Jay Z but you have to agree that the Throne is definately theirs and i do not think that anyone has the artistic flare, flow or lyrical ability to take on these two and if you try to, you are likely to fail. Go out and buy this on ITunes if you haven't already, there is around 15 songs (i believe), it is worth the money.