Kanye West & Jay-Z – H.A.M. (Def Jam)
4/5
By: Thomas Hannan
Remember when P Diddy went to Ibiza and took loads of drugs? Sounds like Kanye and Jay-Z had an infinitely better time.
‘H.A.M’, the first cut to be lifted from the forthcoming Watch The Throne full length collaboration, sees rap’s most notable pair return to topics they seem to find inexhaustible, namely their own brilliance and considerable physical prowess. In that respect, it could be viewed as something of a disappointment, as on last year’s superlative Kanye LP My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the most affecting moments were the ones entirely devoid of bravado, drawing inspiration instead from the human vulnerability still suffered by pretty much every member of the stellar cast West assembled for it (apart from Nicki Minaj, who knows not what ‘vulnerability’ might be).
Yet whilst its subject matter has been addressed by countless hip hop songs over the past twenty years, what makes ‘H.A.M.’ still a winner is how completely unhinged it sounds. In its five minutes we get Gregorian chanting, stupid stupid stupid synthesised strings, and a chorus where both parties behind it revel in blasting out the titular acronym in to its constituent parts – “I’m Hard As A Motherf*cker!’
Hell no is it the best thing they’ve ever done – it’s not even the best thing they’ve done together – but its ridiculousness, ambition and attention to detail still have to be admired and applauded. That’s Kanye and Jay Z all over really, isn’t it?
Artists in this article: Kanye West, Jay Z
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