Watch The Throne [Explicit]

Watch The Throne is the first and only collaborative album by rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released on August 8, 2011.

Kanye West and Jay-Z originally sought out to record a five-song EP together, but the project eventually evolved into a full-length album.

The project features guest appearances from Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Beyoncé and Mr Hudson, as well as posthumous vocals by Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield.

Expanding on the dense production style of West's 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Watch the Throne incorporates orchestral and progressive rock influences, unconventional samples, and dramatic melodies in its sound. Its braggadocio lyrics exhibit themes of opulence, fame, materialism, power, and the burdens of success, as well as political and socioeconomic context.

Watch the Throne debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 436,000 copies its first week. While some critics found its lyrical content uninspiring, its production and the rappers' performances were highly praised. Many critics and publications placed the album in their year-end best-of lists. It also earned Jay-Z and West seven Grammy Award nominations, and was certified platinum in the US.