The Throne, Watched

Hip-hop journalism tends to be as catty as it is critical. Especially given the Internet’s drunken response to Watch the Throne, it’s hard to sort out the sycophants from the appreciators. There is somewhat of a throne in music journalism, but it’s a bit more meritocratic; it’s elitism is more justifiable than Kanye and Jay’s because it tends to be based on an obsessive breadth of knowledge, a fuller, more holistic take on art in the age of WorldStarHipHop.

So, with that said, check out these ‘think pieces’ on Watch the Throne. They’re not just opinions, but attempts at placing WTT within the broader context of today. Below, three brilliant articles and my favorite quotes from each:

“Let Them Eat Cake“: Vassar English professor Hua Hsu has written the most comprehensive WTT piece to date: “Watch the Throne suffers from a perverse sense of perspective, entire histories invoked to justify two men’s fortunes.”
“Two Titans Share the Seat of Power“: Jon Caramanica on old- versus new-guard rap: “There’s no sense of place on Watch the Throne beyond a global here and now. The two men travel across time zones and locations, and squeeze out bursts of creativity before toweling off and making for the next spot.”
“Does Watch the Throne Suffer from Ego Fatigue?“: My favorite rapper Noz on the overbearing personality cult of WTT‘s creators: “As you might imagine, hitlessness is a problem for the two biggest pop rappers on earth. Not for their bank accounts, of course.”