Jay-Z Reflects On Kanye West In “Watch The Throne” Mini-Documentary

    As Jay-Z and Kanye West ready their highly-anticipated collaborative album Watch The Throne, the duo has released a mini-documentary featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of their creative process.

    In the documentary, Jay-Z looked back at Kanye’s development over the past decade.

    “Kanye, I’ve seen him, he’s really like a brother to me,” says Hov. “I’ve seen him from the beginning to where he is now and to see him as a producer and how he’s grown as a producer and an artist, for me, on another level, it’s enjoyable. I’m watching the guy I pretty much mentored become his own guy with his own opinion, it’s fantastic.”

    The documentary also shows a young Kanye West predicting his future success in 2002, telling Rap fans to get ready for his takeover. “My album, y’all gonna see, I’m gonna take it to the next level,” he warned.

    Watch the documentary below:

    Related: Release Dates For Jay-Z & Kanye West’s “Watch The Throne” Revealed

    131 thoughts on “Jay-Z Reflects On Kanye West In “Watch The Throne” Mini-Documentary

      1. The Kanye’s verse they play to Russel Crowe sounds fucking great, I guess people who were not convinced by “Otis” changed their mind now.

    1. well-crafted documentary, love it.
      That Russell Crow freestyle was funny and his appearence in general between all those black people was hillarious.

    2. Good video. I don’t know how much credit i’d give Jay for Kanye’s development tho. Ye pretty much put in work on his own to build the artist you see today. Hov didn’t even wanna touch Yeezy at first. For real Kanye might’ve been better for Jay than the other way around.

      1. why people always trying to discredit jay?? yeah kanye helps jay on artistic level, but lyrically jay outshines kanye easily, kanye was doing beats before he came to the roc, but if it wasnt for jay’s success kanye wouldnt have got the exposer that he got…TRUTH

      2. I think they were good for each other. Without Jay, Kanye would have never gotten the national exposure. Without Kanye, The Blueprint wouldn’t have been the classic it is. It was a case of all the stars aligning perfectly. The best example of this is the song Never Change. Kanye originally did that song for a Chicago rapper named Payroll. He gave the beat to Jay and he jacked Payroll’s entire hook and used the beat unchanged. If Kanye had released that song with Payroll nobody outside of Chicago would have ever heard it. Instead it’s on an album that’s still being bought 10 years later. Here’s the original version for those that don’t know: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RKOWrot5Eo

    3. Sigh…wake up people…I’ve noticed for years Jay’s been subliminally following Nas’s flow to the way he tries to flip it “Otis” is another horrid example! Is it me or does it really state “Highly anticipated album”? Seriously from “Ham, the beounce track to Otis” there is nothing close to subpar! Nas drop 1 track called “Nasty”, and a week later Jay postpones his album to 2012 – really! Don’t tell me that no one else caught that…? Nas is doing killah verbal assessain vidoes with Reakown to Common – shutting down the industry with his lyrical content while Lil Wayne struggles and Jay struggles to put out real shit! The youngsters maybe feeling these clowns but the streets and veterans is feeling Nasty Nas! So go ahead and wait for an album that has released 4 tracks – straight blunts and astrays ash as Jadakiss told 50 4 years ago. Jay keeping making production video like Nas did with Damian Marley last year. This album is not worth a cent like 50!

      1. What does Nas have to do with this fam? I don’t get where you coming from with the rant. Nas always was always will be nice. No one ever said he wasn’t, but you’d be a fool to say Jay isn’t either. They both legends from yesteryear.

        I’m just glad they still around with dudes like the Chef, and Common. I don’t know what I would do if I was stuck with most of these young dudes. But I like the Cole kid.

      2. Yeah, there’s no need to bring Nas up here. Also, I don’t understand what makes it so hard for people to like them both. They’re legends and will forever be remembered as ones and personally, I can’t decide which one I like more. Maybe my two favorite rappers of all time.

    4. I respect this documentary for one reason. They are grown MEN who ACT and LIVE like it. I’m so tired of Hip-hop stars looking/acting/and living like they still 20 embarrassing themselves and our culture. (ie. Baby who is 52) “Otis” was a nice buffer but these snippets I heard on here are NICE.

      Looking forward to the album, already bought it on pre-order. Should be worth it. Haven’t bought a hard copy of an album in about 3 years. This was my first and J Cole debut will be the second.

    5. daamn, so these dudes was in my city and i didnt even no about? shit, ida bum rush that private estate if i knew 🙁

      1. Glad to see somebody caught that in the documentary. All these conspiracy theorists that act like they know something don’t even know what to look for. Nobody even mentioned the checkerboard floor that was clearly noticeable in the documentary. Now if you knew what checkerboard floors were used for and how they’re connected to free masonry then you would know that they are used for rituals and witchcraft. There’s clearly a subliminal message here. Its just hidden behind what’s being shown in the making of the album’s creative process. While although the possibility that both Jay-Z and Kanye can very well be connected to the elite powers of the industry (whether it be illuminati or free masons) doesn’t take away from their talents it does raise questions to those that really do have knowledge of these societies about the underlying direction and subliminal messages that could be all over the album artwork and throughout the LP’s entirety.

      2. @vg I highly doubt that you are bc you’re a nobody who clearly knows nothing about illuminati symbolism and freemasonry. But to answer your stupid question, the accusations that Jay and Kanye are affiliated with illuminati and free masonry fits what’s being seen in all their recent videos, album artwork, clothing, imagery, and definitely this documentary. Do your research before trying to be sarcastic and ask the obvious ignorant question

    6. You poor blind SHEEP are being deceived! Do any of you see the connections being made?! This “Watch The Throne” is only a weapon for the elites to use for world domination while Jay-Z and Kanye West are just mere PUPPETS in the cult of Dasnipetswurhot! The signs are right infront of your blind faces! Notice how Jay-Z says “he’s really like a brother to me.” I remember my brother was some ol punk. He’d beat the shit out of me and take my money then eventually sleep with my girl. Wiz Khalifa happens to be saving some hoes and sleepin with Kanye’s ex bitch. These two happen to have a track called That’s My BITCH! Don’t any of you see the connection now?! The elites will use this album to consume your own mind and soul for dominating the earth and creating a one world government where no one is equal! These are pure facts! Seek the truth! WAKE UP!

      1. LMAO dude your very entertaining, if anything. You also have alot(too much) of time on your hands…

      2. Lmao!@That Nigga In His Basement…i think you’ve been in the basement to long. Please seek help asap! Your new name is: DumnAss Nigga in his basement.

      3. lmao..WTF.. This fool high as fuck off some wack shit.. I’m sure he’s doing this mostly to get attention, or he’s really just that stupid..

      4. lmao at the first reply, if you seriously cant tell this guy is joking then maybe you’re the stupid one. this dude is hilarious because hes satirizing those dumb people that always try to link everything to the illuminati haha

    7. yo if i hear one more comment about illuminati im gonna shoot my foot or something. anyways bra the songs sound fantastic kanye is on another level with his innovative abilities. russel crowe song, take it to the stars, and why i love you. 3 sickest snippets ive heard since all of the lights which was a sick ass snippet a lil while back too

    8. Looks like they’re back on their 66-6 shit. ‘Twill be interesting to see how the whole album plays out….

      But yeah, that ‘I love you so’ track sounds like it could be so hot when it comes out.

    9. Let me clear a few things up for yall illuminati folks who are really misinformed and need to stop watching “youtube” videos.

      First off those symbols yall seeing in these videos and songs have multiple meanings and history behind them. Look up Hermeticism (which is ancient Egyptian, the same symbols are used), then check out some Greek myth. After doing so you will have a better understanding of the way symbols can be used and interpreted. (i.e. the beginning of the Davinci Code discusses this fact). (If anything these groups would have a vested interest in secrecy, they wouldn’t parade it around.)

      Second, there is a ridiculous number of people in this country with more power/money than Jay-Z or Kanye will ever have. If they wanted to go for most influence in Hip-Hop, they would use Em, since he has the largest share of the market, and has brought more people into HIP-HOP(because of his race). That is if they existed.

      1. and you sir don’t have a clue also. I see the wool is still over your eyes also. look at exhibit in the lyrics and watch how the youth play on it. most here don’t have a vocabulary outside of hip hop. besides they want to gang bang like there favorite bloods and crips but at the same time never knowing the gangs original intent. So to look into His Story to justify how that are using it today is misleading.

      2. Thank you Thank you Thank you.I mean im on this illuminati shit to but some of these niggas arguements suck.

      3. @anonymous you missed the entire point of the post. The truth is none of us know. I was highlighting the fact that what is considered devil worship today was not always the case.

        And another thing. I’m from the streets. That gangbanging shit you talking about is way played out. Nobody care about that anymore. Maybe in Cali, but these young guys don’t need any affiliations anymore. They wild and don’t care.

      4. Your right why would the illuminati be interested in Jay-z and Kanye – Satanism has been in music for many years it use to be in rock back in the 70-80s then 80-90s in POP and now in rap. And illuminati existed way before you even know back with ancient egypt, then it was greeks then it romans, then it was the German Nazi, then it was the united kingdom and now it is America – it is so wide spread you will not believe its ranks – they have been for more then 2000 years and they have been influencing the mind of people since then – they have spread sex, drugs, and now as for as homosexuallity – gayness is more visible then anything – the legal gay marriages… we can go all day about these guys but I do not care I just try and not effect me. Jay-z said it he doesnt believe in religion but believes in high power in a radio interview – beyonce married a non-christian which is not even possible of the type of woman she was and now is, look at her – money is evil people and you need to find God – you think when you die you are going to be giving a free gate into heaven – thats where you are stupid and people. If you belive in heaven you have to believe in God it is as simple as that! It doesnt matter what religion you are, Christian, Jewish, Muslim – cause they all believe int the same principle which is ONE GOD!

      5. There is no such thing as the illuminati. It was simply a club of intelligent philosophers and scientists back in the 1700s and the only reason it was a secret society was because in those days the church persecuted and attacked anyone that challenged their world view. It stopped existing centuries ago. People believe in these conspiracies because it’s easier to blame your problems on something you can’t fight rather than actually deal with it or try to figure out the solution yourself. also conspiracy theorists tend to think of the members of the illuminati to be omnipotent and above emotion but they’re not, they are just as human as you and I and like humans they have different personal agendas. Its crazy to think that all of the worlds richest and most powerful ppl will just band together for a common purpose because the richest most powerful ppl are often the most polarizing and opinionated.

    10. Illumanti dont give a fuck about what Hov And Ye are doing. Why do people think that every successful black person is illumnati

      1. This is exactly what I was just saying. I know some “elite” black people. They don’t even associate with entertainers like that.

      2. …. jay-z is illuminati cuz he throws up the third eye all the time.. and his label is called roc-a fella witch is illuminati.. so yes jay-z and kanye are illuminati

      3. To fool dumbfucks like you who feel like they discovered the true mechanics of the world after watching a YouTube video and get the talk started, there’s no better promo than this and it works everytime.

    11. all these stupid bitchez sayin dat jay-z! and kanye r in da iluminati r just bein pure haterz. just bcuz they make more money than u and make da diamond sign don’t mean there in it.

      da songz in da video r sick. watch da throne lookin like it’z gon b a classic. and watchin kanye b4 college dropout wuz cool bcuz he new he wuz gon change shit in da rap game and he did. now evry1 wanna work wit kanye.

      RNGMB BITCH! WATCH DA THRONE!

    12. Man, aside from accusing them for being ‘illuminati’ or whatever. I’m gonna say this. These guys look like their about to have a sayons lol. Not feeling the light they put themselves in, look at bob marley, a great innovative artist but he was down to earth, and positive in spirit. These guys are insecure and I’m not feeling the mood. Sorry to all you wanna be creative dudes but that’s the truth.

    13. Funny how people in the black community find excuses on why other blacks are successful. I guess LeBron is Illuminati also. I don’t think I ever see anything about Bill Gates success even though he openly promotes population control with different vaccinations. But he can’t be apart of any organizations he just must have worked hard to become a billionaire.

    14. so this si the preview of some songs on watch the throne? it sounds bad and jays bars were awful how long u gonna rhyme on it in a verse??? and whats all this illuminati shit… they just like pushing people. they even said it in the video were u paying atention?

    15. always a laugh when i hear this. Jay didn’t mentor shit. He wanted Kanye to stick to making beats. Back in the day Dame was the only one hyping up Kanye as a dope rapper. Jay cool and all, but don’t confuse picking beats from Kanye way back with mentoring him. You mentored Bleek and got tracks from Ye. Big difference.

      1. leave that old bs in the past where it belongs. even kayne himself has dedicated an entire song (Big Brother) to Jay-Z explaining the extent of their relationship. and, yeah, mentoring is one of the roles he mentioned jay has played in his life. kill yourself

      2. No Blackula’s right. I remember when Dame and Jay split up, and Kanye stayed with Jay. Kanye said that he felt guilty for pretty much this reason.

    16. All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.- Adolf Hitler

      This was accomplished on this site on the subject of Illuminati.

      1. if you think Jay Z is in the illuminati you should commit suicide by punching yourself in the face repeatedly.

      2. YEA WHAT PEOPLE DONT REALIZE IS THAT JAY Z KANYE KNOW EVERYONE IS TALKIN THAT ILLUMINATI SHYT..SOO WHY NOT USE IT TO SELL RECORDS..ITS SMART
        ALL THE TWISTED DARK FANTASTY VIDEOS DID IT
        ON TO THE NEXT ONE DID IT ALSO..

        IT GENIUS GREAT MARKETING TOOL

      3. Wake up you dumb fucks. If the Illuminati did exist they a racist organization anyway. Thats why everyone who talks this shit just look like a bunch of crabs in a barrel. The Black community can never see their own get to the very top without idiots like you branding them something negative and hating. Divide and conquer works wonders and your playing right into their hand. United we stand, divided we fall and the hip-hop and black community has forgotten what this means…

    17. loved this kanye/jay-z documentary, not long enough though for me, could of watched an hour or more of it, showing how they work as a duo and as solo artists was so cool.

    18. Ppl don’t know but Russell Crowe knows his hip hop. Dude had RZA go to Australia and help his Rugby team record some tracks. That’s why Crowe is gonna be in RZA’s new film.

    19. I’m always surprised that even though Jay-Z is married to Beyoncé and Kanye is always around them, there are still only few tracks featuring Beyoncé. I’m mean if you have a Beyoncé – a world class voice – in the room, why don’t just use it for at least backing vocals? She doesn’t necesseraly have to have a whole hook or something.

      1. I always ask myself the same thing! Just listen to the live version of “Young Forever” they did a couple of times… That’s a monster. And that let you imagine what they could do together!

    20. lol i hate to see rich or /(wealthy black people ) get put on the illumintai page….. What people dont understand is that these rappers, musicians, entertainers are not in the iluminati….. The illuminati are people like the Bilderbergs, and Rockefellers etc….. Entertainers are just used because they can influence the masses….. But 4GET all this illuminati crap……… Jay Z and kanye Diss Jesus Christ….. U can say w.e but u know its true… But ppl arent dump anymore, ppl just believe what they want 2 believe. youtube has millions of videos on it but they also have a lot of bs. But lyrics dnt lie………… My mssg is to just get right with Jesus becuz living in Hell is Like living in an Oven times a millioon more degrees for Eternity…. Think about it…..

      1. Your just another sheep trying to stuff that young ass religion that was probably taught to your ancestors (if your black) less than 3-4 generations ago. Get with it, there are 7 billion people on earth and a very small percentage are christians. Not everyone believes in Jesus you dip shit.

    21. I checked out that Fareign Friday EP. It’s definitely good money-I fuck with it. But Lil B and Waka Flocka ain’t the problem with rap right now-it’s the dumbass fans who are the problem. Jay and Kanye still got it, but Jay should of did this with Nas in 06′ instead of that bullshit Kingdom Come.

    22. Kanye is the realist nigga in the game, period. U Cant Tell Me Nothing.
      Jay-Z never fell off.
      Beyonce’ is badd than a muhfucka.
      This documentary is dope.
      Killuminati.

      1. why hate for one jay-z sittin on money kanye is good they only doing it for the fans if you not a fan shut the fuck up cause it will not make them of brake them if you dont pay them no mind they already paid jay-z paid 5mill for bp3 if they was in it for the money they would of drop’d some shit that sound like flo rider … they just getting it in for the love of the muzik an the true fans….

    23. wow, them niggas living ‘haute’ for real! i aint see swizz! im buyin album for that fly ass artwork

    24. I love The Interracial Rom-ance! It is so nice. My boyfriend and i both think so. lol. I know him via (HotBlackWhite.)(C0M)—a nice place for black white singles, to interact with each other…no bounds or extremes in front of true love. Check it out or tell your friends.thanks

    25. I disagree with the illest I’m sorry im not Stan but…. Eminem is better than Kanye at rappin’ Kanye is one of the best producers but not at rappin’ although Jay and Nas have been in the game longer I feel the potential from Eminem (not relapse) is far greater than all 3 of these im sorry if you hate what im saying but I don’t give a fuccckkk, still…. I’m looking forward to “Watch the Thrown” good luck to em.

      1. I know eh, he is just playing another song, period. Man there two parts to producing in hip hop. Having the ear for samples, and then flipping it or making the beat. People give kanye more dues than the people who made the original track. And that song sounds like it’s probably from 2 years ago or something lol. Not even like it’s some 1960 gem that everyone forgot or wasn’t born to experience.

    26. this is what kanye should of done for my beautiful dark twisted fantasy instead of previewing 2 minutes of every song

    27. that original cover art for ‘monster’ was f*cking awesome… you can tell by the big smile on jay’s face that he loved it too

    28. are you serious .. they really have russel crowe just chilling in austrailia while they work on this album … wtf man!! artists arent built like this no more man . damn!!

      1. lol well what the hell you talking about dog. This is now, how are they not built like this anymore. And I don’t think you need russel crowe sitting in to make your album any better.

    29. YO, I’m DISAPOINTED IN HIPHOPDX

      YALL NIGGAS NORMALLY HATE ON EVERYTHING!!! YALL will talk shit about illmatic if it was up here. GET OFF THESE NIGGAS NUTS AND B CRITICAL.

      THIS SHIT SUCKED!!! Wiz’s reality show, Beyounces “making the video”, and Jay’z “fade to black” are each WAYYY more entertaining than this bullshit… Hell Ed lovers sex show is better than shit.

      This is two of the best Mc’s EVER and all we get is bullshit imagery, poor sound quality, and discussions on how great they are? DUH! thats Y’m I’m watchin this bullshit! Give me a fucking break! Where’s the real musical insights? Real discussions about the concept of the album? Real interviews about WHY the hell thier boarded up in a got damn castle. All I got was one bullshit verse from jay, that he tries to make sound like the hardest shit he EVERR said. DAMN! This bullshit was 2 minutes of actual footage mixed with 8minutes of fake ass illuminati inuindo, celebrity cameos, and needless pics of cool shit scarcly related to the album…

      AKA A WASTE OF TIME

      1. @J – One of the realest comments about the video. This bullshit ain’t no documentary. Instead of somebody like Spike, they got some whiteboy running around with a Home Alone camcorder & expect us to be in awe…

        We’re in the era where everybody is either directing, producing, or editing their own videos and this is what they come up with? I’ve seen amateur YouTube docs more interesting & original than this.

        Gonna have to scrap this & create something less shallow and more original to earn my dollar.

      2. You sat thru the video and wanna bitch about it and type a paragraph about the video take your emotional ass to another site or click on some shit that will make your bitch ass happy

      1. true dat bro… mayb coz it had a lex luger beat which i thought was epic?? people just hate to seem like they opinions matter..

    30. “I’m watching the guy I pretty much mentored become his own guy with his own opinion, it’s fantastic.”

      That’s great, Kanye is finally becoming a man with an opinion of his own :D. These two have got to be the biggest douchebags in hiphop.

    31. yo dre album supposed to drop tmrw, have a good feeling that it isnt cuz there isnt any adviertisement on it. really starting to loose respect fot the man.

    32. this shits gonna be hott. no doubt about it.
      i dont give a fuck if they illuminati, masons, or undercover jews they got talent so lets love or hate the music and keep it movin.
      if you dig wat im sayin check out a fat chick getting into a fight with a guy over fried chicken look at it here bitch is crazy fat

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e42iKGVcPQ

    33. Jaz Z and Kanya,
      Youth Connection News’ Premiere October 12, 2011 issue highlights some of the well known leaders that the youth are familiar with. Will you participate in this particular issue? We would need a photo of you when you were a teenager, for the then and now piece, any video footage that you can spare 10 minutes or less talking about your youth to connect through youtube or from a disk 10 minutes or less, and a few written paragraphs from you on the topic of teenage dreams, adult realities. What were you dreaming of becoming as a teenager in high school, some of the things you used to do, and how did those experiences affect where you are now?

      The deadline for submissions is September 15, 2011 by 5:00 p.m. I hope you can participate. It would mean a lot to the kids.

      Peace,
      Connie

    34. HARPERSIDE VOLUME 6 – 08/09/2011!!!!!!
      HARPERSIDE VOLUME 6 – 08/09/2011!!!!!!
      HARPERSIDE VOLUME 6 – 08/09/2011!!!!!!
      HARPERSIDE VOLUME 6 – 08/09/2011!!!!!!
      HARPERSIDE VOLUME 6 – 08/09/2011!!!!!!
      HARPERSIDE VOLUME 6 – 08/09/2011!!!!!!

    35. I like Jay as an M. C. and creatively speaking I like Ye. Although I wouldn’t call myself a fan I do appreciate the level of artistry these boys are on because they make it for themselves at this point . They are MEga Rich they don’t need hitz they have been good earners for their “ëmployers”and how many other people can say that they made an album for the hell of it over a weekend that dosen’t nedd to sell but will still if not now eventually go platinum but with each passing year I’ll be collecting royalties on whatever is sold.They are making art for fun and getting paid. They find solace in their friendship amongst negative exposure. Tha is what this album is about … They do what they want while we talk about it they don’t even pay attention to us they the type to leave the room unnoticed while we argue our critcizms they go out and do somethin they wanna do…Watch the Throne. Anyway I;m still waiting on Nas to drop life is good. Hoping for a real collab album with him and az( no pressure fellaz ..whenever ya’ll feel it … ).but i kno Life Is good will be enough for right now.

    36. This album is feel good music…Not a serious album. for cryin out loud they just tryin 2 relax and have fun and get us to do the same. IMO.

    37. One happened to one take Jay?? Funny gay rehearsal voice.. bahaa!

      Which tracks did they record in Australia???

      I live in Melbourne and they said when Jay was here for U2 concerts he was doing with them, they were up in a studio down the road from me, beyonce too.

      Album is the best I heard in a while. 4.5/5

    38. Watch The Throne was Epic…bcuz one its was a great cd that musically pushed rap to the brink. Its high def rap… and 2 dem niggas livin like KINGS. Liek Pusha T said they competing with Bono not Lil Wayne etc…

    39. i swear to god i could watch a whole fucking feature length movie about this shit. idk what it is about them but they just so likeable lol

    40. Lets see little wayne, drake, or em rap about black on black violence the way jay and kanye did on “murder to excellence”.

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