Otis On Top, Other Great Collabos Below

Here’s Kanye West’s and Jay-Z’s “Otis,” a seismic thwack of old school boasting in a modern get-up (albeit one that tries to provide a little tenderness with a steamy sample by the esteemed Mr. Redding). Speaking of old school, Jay & Ye aren’t the first dudes to form a great hip-hop duo. Which of these other key partnerships is your favorite? More reviews/info about Watch the Throne below. 

Still trying to feel your way around Watch The Throne? It’s on iTunes now, and officially drops in physical form on Friday. Here’s a wrap-up of intel regarding the summer superstar throwdown.

Stream Watch The Throne

Ten Great “Otis” Freestyles (Village Voice)

Who’s More Materialistic?

Tom Breihan (Pitchfork)

Five Best Rhymes on “Otis”

Rolling Stone 

Victory Light 

 

10 Trends that WTT Might Start

Oliver Wang (NPR)

Ye & Jay: The Five Best Boasts on “Otis”

The rhymes come hard and fast, and in the large they sound fun. I’d say there’s tad too much reliance on the base sample itself (Puffy and Sting syndrome, right?), but Kayne West and Jay-Z get a couple things correct on “Otis,” the second track we’re hearing (almost forgot about “H.A.M.”) from the much-awaited you-know-what: the swagger is back and Redding “sounds so soulful.”  As for our boys, they’re staying outta hell and jail respectively, keeping their arms out the window while cruising through town in the G-450, looking photo shoot fresh and smoking Cubanos with Casto. You know how they roll: conspicuous consumption to the max. A few sweet lines get spit in the track’s three minute span. Here are five + 1. Still can’t wait to hear “Niggas In Paris.”

1. Jay: “New watch alert: Hublots, or the big-face Rolly – I got two of those.”

2. Jay: “Looking like wealth/’bout to call the paparazzi on myself.”

3. Ye: “I made “Jesus Walks” so I’m never going to hell.”

4. Jay: “I got five passports/ain’t never going to jail.”

5. Ye: “Last week I was in my other other Benz”

6. Ye: “Sophisticated ignorance/write my curses in cursive.”