Listen: Jay-Z & Kanye West – Otis

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Published on July 21st, 2011
Written by Rameez S Quadri (Ramz)

Given the green light by Funkmaster Flex, a new track from Jay-Z and Kanye West dropped in regards to their duo in crime album “Watch The Throne”. The song “Otis”, produced by Kanye West, features samples of American soul singer Otis Redding himself, piled on with added beats and snares around whatever the case, you know, the typical Kanye West standards of making a beat happen…

Overall this in my opinion is actually pretty decent. Admittedly I found myself refusing to listen to a lot of Kanye West stuff thanks to H.A.M but I can’t help finding myself bopping my head to this track, for this is the style of Hip Hop I really like: whilst still keeping well to old school hip hop roots, the modern vibe given by both Jay-Z and Kanye West is there to appreciate the blend. It is the way it should be sometimes.

My problem I have over this track (and possibly album) is this: The beat is not amazing, decent, but not the best clearly. In fact, it is pretty straightforward to which the average Joe himself experienced in producing beats could equally do the same thing, but if the average Joe himself brought in this same track to a DJ such as Funkmaster Flex, the average Joe would be straight up looked over. It’s stupid how artists can say certain things about a new generation when they accept trash only at times OR refuse to work with different artists to give their break. If both Jay-Z and Kanye West called this an “experimental album”, then seeing some new faces within the tracks featured would have been a perfect term of “experimental”. Giving artists their break to spit a verse on a track as fairly simple as this would have been a great approach, especially considering it’s by two ‘major’ artists who claim the throne is theirs and telling us to watch it. Confidence boost, basically.

Nonetheless overall I do like this track, but I’d rather take a seat at a comfortable cafe chair right now. Maybe my thought can change depending on your thoughts, which you can leave below.

Checkout the track:

  • Mani

    These two don’t have the same chemistry as Em and Royce, both are as equally talented but they don’t sound right going back-to-back, flow is all good but lyrically there’s a lack of balance…. just my opinion….

  • http://www.facebook.com/rameez.quadri Rameez Quadri

    I think the chemistry between Jay-Z and Kanye is like an ego thing. Both rapping as if every song must be a competition between each other maybe? Whereas Em and Royce just blend so well because it looks as though they’re just making music (whilst also blatantly trying to hit mainstream money), no experimentation between them, just get a beat, make a track.

    Still I find myself liking this track, but they ain’t GOATs