S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z have stayed true to their word and released the first official single off their upcoming Watch the Throne joint album, "H.A.M."
The track made its way online early Tuesday (January 11) morning.
The ultimate collaboration of current rap royalty is here, as Kanye Westand Jay-Z have unveiled their first single from Watch the Throne, which they’re dubbing “H.A.M.” What might “H.A.M.” stand for? No, it’s not a porky cut of meat you likely ate at Aunt Lucy’s house over the holidays. When Kanye and Jay-Z are involved, the acronym means “hard as a mother——-.” The tune is complete with Roman-style chants, piano solos and all sorts of Kanye-fueled theatrics and grandeur that made his last album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, one of the best-reviewed albums of the year. (Celebuzz)
West is heard on the track boasting about his emcee skills and fame.
“It was all good a week ago, n*ggas feel they selves and that watch the Throne drop, n*ggas kill they selves…What n—as gon’ do Hov, this a new crack on a new stove, I’m in too though/ N*ggas telling me ‘You back,’ like a n*gga ever left up out this b*tch huh?/ And if life’s a b*tch then suck my d*ck huh? And I bet she f*cked the whole click huh?/ By the way n*gga you should f*cking quit n*gga/ Just forget it you talk it, I live it.” (“H.A.M.”)
Jay adds on to the lyrical chaos with his own 16 bars.
“F*ck ya’ll mad at me for, ya’ll don’t even know what I been through/ I play chicken with a mack truck, ya’ll muthaf*ckas would’ve been moved…I swam waters with great whites, ya’ll muthaf*ckas would’ve been chewed/ I hustle with vultures on the late night, ya’ll muthaf*ckas would’ve been fooled.” (“H.A.M.”)
The song’s producer, Lex Luger, shared his input on the song’s overall presentation.
“Kanye let me do me on the tracks made for him,” Luger said in an interview. “He told me just send him beats, whatever sound I feel he can bring something new to and send it…This is really a hard track, Kanye and Jay step out of the park with this but it has sort of a movie feel. It’s not regular eight bar loops with sounds muted. It changes the whole feel of the track for the hook, the verses are kind of mellowed out and chill. It’s different from what I usually do.” (Rap Fix)
A Watch the Throne release date has not yet been officially announced.
