August proved to be the most important month in recent hip-hop history. Three of the genre’s larger-than-life kings released two equally mammoth albums. “Watch The Throne” and “Tha Carter IV” are easily the most anticipated albums of 2011. Their masterminds, Wayne, West and Jay, are more than famous: they are icons, titans, moguls. Don’t get star-struck, let’s walk through this together.
Def Jam and Roc-a-Fella announced an Aug. 8 release date for “Watch the Throne,” Yeezy and Jay’s collaborative effort, a mere three weeks prior to the highly publicized drop. The countdown immediately began, not for the release date, but for the first leaked track. It’s no secret how permeable the music industry is. It was bound to happen. In those three dreadful weeks, hip-hop heads across the globe scoured the Internet for any trace of a trickle.
August 1 arrived: still nothing. There were no worries. There was no way an album of this magnitude would escape the far-reaching grasp of those swashbuckling music pirates who anxiously stalk coveted pre-releases, seemingly for sport.
But it never happened. It did escape their grasp. Completely. Not a single track from “Watch the Throne” reached civilian ears before ‘Ye and Jay wanted it to- — one of the few major label releases in the age of the Internet to do so. This was big.
Sadly, it would have been even bigger had Hova and Mr. West not signed a contract to release the album exclusively on iTunes and at Best Buy through Aug. 23. Not only did this hurt early sales numbers, but it was also a devastating blow to independently-owned music stores across the nation who would have benefitted immensely from the situation. But that’s another issue. 
Just like it was supposed to, “The Throne” debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 and, even with the exclusive release, sold 436,000 copies in its first week. It also broke the iTunes first week sales record with 290,000, just like we expected.
And then there was Weezy. Since multiple delays caused the follow up to “Tha Carter III” to be shelved in 2009, Lil Wayne has treated his loyal fans to little more than two lackluster LPs and a Louis Vutton suitcase full of decent and not so decent features. His followers grew restless.
After serving a stint in Rikers Island on an illegal weapons charge, the self-proclaimed “best rapper alive” finally announced plans to release his next album in late Aug. 2011. Two weeks after all of the extravagance that was “The Throne’s” release, the Young Money CEO and parolee dropped his fourth installment in “Tha Carter” series amidst the same immeasurable anticipation.
August 29 saw the official release of “Tha Carter IV,” but unlike Jay-z and Kanye, Wayne wasn’t lucky enough to enjoy a non-leaked release. To critics worldwide that meant one thing: “The Throne” would outsell “Tha Carter:” guaranteed.
On Wednesday of this week the numbers came in. “Tha Carter IV” sold over 964,000 copies in its first week, almost doubling ‘‘Watch the Throne’s” numbers. To add a little salt, Weezy went ahead and broke the iTunes’ first week sales record too, coming in at 340,000. And the world mouthed a silent, “Wow.”
So “Tha Carter IV” was better? Not so fast.
“Tha Carter IV” is a solid rap album; there is no arguing that. Wayne did it, so it doesn’t suck. The problems, in my opinion, come in the form of complacency and content. This isn’t 2008 anymore. In reality, the features are what carry “Tha Carter IV.” John Legend, Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes and Nas all have great showings, and it says a lot about how much they respect the album’s curator; unfortunately, they tiptoe on showing him up.
Even so, Wayne does show signs of that undeniable talent. On the radio hit “She Will,” Weezy says, “I’ve been at the top for a while, and I ain’t jumped yet,” possibly commenting on the pressures that come with fame. “Mega Man” is another stand out that finds Weezy in his most dangerous environment: a track with no hook. And even though he probably doesn’t nail it like times of old, he shows a glimpse. That’s the problem, there were just glimpses. This is Weezy F. Baby. The “F” shouldn’t stand for Fair or Fine. The “F” should stand for Fantastic and Forward. “The Carter IV” was neither of these.
“Watch the Throne” is a completely different album. The production Kanye and the slew of other producers achieved, though not as experimental as “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” is phenomenal. Nearly every beat is a story layered with dramatic intrigue, massive sounds and shadowy voices. This is most evident on the opening Frank Ocean featured “No Church In The Wild.” The content of the album is more gripping as well. In “New Day” both superstars address their future sons, with West pleading, “Don’t be like your daddy that would never budge,” an obvious reference to his arrogance. “Murder to Excellence,” a song stuck in the middle of the album, is the most socially charged track, and without refrain addresses the high numbers of black-on-black crimes. Though both Yeezy and Jay could have shown up a few more times lyrically, it’s still Yeezy and Jay. Come on.
Even though this is exactly what was just attempted, to compare these albums isn’t fair. I can’t tell you which album is better. I don’t want to. Go get them both. It’s history people! What if, in 30 years, you are asked to do an interview for an “I Love The 2000 Teens” on VH100 and they ask you about the two biggest albums this year? Yeah, that’s what I thought.