Those who have missed Hip-Hop’s sample-based mid-90’s sound are in luck courtesy of Kanye West, who has declared his new Jay-Z collaboration EP Watch the Throne will be that “’94-’95 shit.”
West, who’s heavily promoted his well-received G.O.O.D. Friday series on Twitter, revealed more details on the project’s theme and focus. He advised fans that the five-song EP will build on their work from last year’s Blueprint 3, but model itself after the classic albums New York emcees were putting out in the mid 90’s.
“Music is so fun right now. Hip-Hop is alive,” Kanye said. “The Hip-Hop I always loved; an extension of what me and Jay did on BP3. That Mobb Deep.. That Nas… That Wu… That Biggie… 94′ [and] 95′ shit!”
During that period, the aforementioned artists released some of their most critically acclaimed work: Mobb Deep’s Infamous (1995), Nas’ with Illmatic (1994), Wu-Tang’s initial solo run (Tical, Return to the 36 Chambers, Only Built for Cuban Linx), and the Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die.
Like his upcoming solo album Dark Twisted Fantasy, West is enlisting multiple producers for the EP. To recreate that desired vintage sound, West has brought together several of that era’s defining boardsmiths and modern producers with throwback leanings.
“We got new Pete Rock Joints on the Watch the Throne album,” West revealed. “Q-Tip joints…We bout to spit on this Madlib beat. We don’t play by radio rules…We come together as a family and give the fans what they need… Good Fridays.”
Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Watch the Throne is set for a November 23 release date. The next G.O.O.D. Friday commences on October 1.
September 24’s G.O.O.D. Friday release, “So Appalled,” can be listened to here.
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Kanye is just in a zone right now and saying everything a Hip-Hop fan like me wants to hear. Normally I’d be a skeptic since artists will always claim their latest album are their best work. But ‘Ye is backing up his words of taking it back to the essence by actually working with the producers that can give him that classic sound.
I wasn’t rocking with Kanye AT ALL during his 808s & Heartbreaks phase, but what he’s doing now is right up my alley.
November can’t get here in fast enough. In the meantime, G.O.O.D. Friday is more than enough to hold us over.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 