Jay-Z Previews Watch The Throne

Jay-Z brought in about 20 media insiders (and 2 lucky teenage guest who were the first to pre-order the CD), inside SoHo’s Mercer Hotel to listen to Watch The Throne. Kanye West was in Paris, but Jay-Z led the listening session which including running through all of the songs they recorded for the collaborative album. They’re still finalizing song titles, tracklisting, and release dates but it should be out soon.  Sounds dope! Can’t wait (*Bart Scott voice*)! Check out some of these excepts from the preview from those who were there:

1. The first track we heard, tentatively titled “No Church,” is Jay-Z’s current favorite of the bunch. It’s easy to see why. An apocalyptic rumble of a beat backdrops a diabolically earwormy hook (courtesy of Odd Future crooner Frank Ocean) about religion and power. Jay-Z unspools brainy couplets about great thinkers like Socrates, Plato, Jesus, Kanye and himself; Kanye raps about drugs and sex, among other topics. – via Rolling Stone

Simply put: Throne proves to be a masterpiece. No exaggeration. Though it was mostly crafted here in New York, songs were also written in  Paris, Australia, and Bath, England. The influences of the international locales are evident, but its the true grit of New York’s hip-hop spirit that truly shines through.And though the title suggests pomposity and majesty, Throne is lyrically well-balanced and accessible. There are opulent raps dripping with swag for sure, but also plenty that smack of militancy, worry, and grief. – via EW

The recording of this album also inspired a new Jay-Z solo album, for which he has already completed two songs and is honing four more concepts—one of the contest winners actually nabbed the night’s biggest scoop, which is that Ocean will also appear on the first single from that forthcoming album. – via GQ