Two weeks before their joint album, “Watch The Throne,” comes out, hip-hop titans Kanye West and Jay-Z make their collaboration official: the two have formed a new group called The Throne.
The two will also tour together behind the project, starting in Sept. 22 in Detroit for a 24-date outing. Below are the tour dates and the album’s track listing.
There”s a tremendous amount of hype in the press release but the album is called a “once-in-a-lifetime” collaboration, so we”re taking that to mean that The Throne will not necessarily be an ongoing recording entity-unless, of course, the album sells millions – given that both West and Jay-Z are plenty busy outside of this venture.
Starting today, fans can pre-order the album online via iTunes. It will drop digitally on Aug. 8, but won”t be available at physical retail until Aug. 12. Consumers who pre-order the deluxe version of the album today through iTunes, will instantly get the current track, “Otis.”
Tickets for the tour will go on sale on Aug. 8, and fans who purchase their tickets online through TicketMaster and LiveNation.com will receive a digital copy of the album. The tour will feature The Throne, as well as each artist performing his classic hits.
Bits and pieces of “Watch the Throne” have leaked out, including an early track, “H.A.M.,” which is on the deluxe version of the album. The pair only recorded together in person, leading to recording sessions in London, Abu Dhabi, Sydney, Paris and New York. Outside producers include The RZA, the Neptunes and Mike Dean.
THE THRONE TOUR DATES
9/22/11 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
9/24/11 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
9/25/11 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
9/27/11 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center
9/28/11 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center
9/29/11 Washington DC Verizon Center
10/4/11 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
10/6/11 Chicago, IL United Center
10/7/11 Chicago, IL United Center
10/8/11 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
10/10/11 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
10/13/11 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
10/14/11 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
10/16/11 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
10/17/11 Sacramento, CA Power Balance Pavilion
10/19/11 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
10/20/11 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
10/21/11 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
10/25/11 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
10/26/11 Houston, TX Toyota Center
10/29/11 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
10/30/11 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
11/1/11 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
11/3/11 Boston, MA TD Garden
OFFICIAL SEQUENCE
1. No Church In the Wild (feat. Frank Ocean)
2. Lift Off (feat. Beyoncé)
3. N—as In Paris
4. Otis (feat. Otis Redding)
5. Gotta Have it
6. New Day
7. That”s My Bitch
8. Welcome to the Jungle
9. Who”s Gon Stop Me
10. Murder to Excellence
11. Made In America (feat. Frank Ocean)
12. Why I Love You (feat. Mr. Hudson)
**** AVAILABLE ON THE DELUXE VERSION
13. Illest M———-r Alive ****
14. H.A.M ****
15. Primetime ****
16. The Joy (feat. Curtis Mayfield) ****