Watch the Throne, was the soundtrack to a multi-generational family summer beach vacation in 2011. A gaggle of giddy young adults inhabiting the rental property next door blasted the collaboration between Jay-Z and Kanye West from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. The partiers saved me the trouble of queuing up the instant classic.
As good as it is, I mistakenly considered Watch the Throne mildly disappointing at the time. It’s not as stunning as 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy or 2012’s Yeezus.
Heavy Is the Crown, Anderson .Paak and Cordae’s brand new homage to Watch the Throne, is absolutely fine. The best tracks are even worthy of comparison to the 2011 recording. Yet the consumerism that amused me fifteen years ago now seems offensive. I won’t complain if my neighbors bump Heavy Is the Crown this Friday night, but I’ve already had my share of analogous fun.