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Chuck D Puts “Watch The Throne” On “Notice”

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Posted by Katherine St Asaph on 08/11/2011 at 12:25 PM News

We’ll give Chuck D a pass for breaking the WTT Rules and hopping on “Otis” for a track of his own. Unlike Ne-Yo, his rationale isn’t “hey, Watch the Throne‘s release seems like as good an occasion as any for me to try out this rapping thing I don’t normally do!” (Sorry, Ne-Yo. We still like you.) No, he’s got a problem with Watch the Throne‘s endless trophy-case of luxury name-drops while the U.S. skids into a double-dip recession. It’s a point anyone who’s read any Watch the Throne think piece over the past few days is quite familiar with, but who’s got time (uh, except fellow music geeks) to do that?

And, y’know, if Chuck D wants to rap over “Otis,” he damn well can because he’s Chuck D. He starts out strong with “trickle-down got us less than zero” and continues through “16.2 percent [the record unemployment rate for African Americans in June] is depression inside a recession.” Points deducted for the “no _____” construction again, but points re-added for not exactly going for the “NOtis” pun when it’d have been so easy. We’ll give him the last word:

This is a polite respect call to the troops , to continue to inspire but reflect the people better. OTIS Redding was a humble country man from Macon Georgia who bought a jet to work in, not flash. He perished in that plane. Heres to hoping that the J & K supergroup can elevate the masses and try a little bit more to reflect OTIS heart rather than swag, because they’re too good to be less.