Listen: Kanye West & Jay-Z – Otis

Let’s just say it, ‘H.A.M’ wasn’t all that good was it? Sure it was an incredulous effort to strive for true originality but with its over the top opera choir, not well explained religious reference, hyperactive icy synths and, let’s not forget, that theatrical string section it left many with a puzzled face. Then, after a brief flirtation with the upper echelons of worldwide charts it dropped without a trace.

Thankfully, Kanye West and Jay-Z have decided to do a musical flip (with H.A.M now relegated to CD 2 on the deluxe edition of Watch The Throne), ‘Otis’ sees them returning to hip-hop’s roots; DJ scratching, sampling old classics and creating water-like flows with their MCing.

Sampling 1967 soul jam ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ by no one other than Mr.Otis Redding himself, Kanye and Jay-Z choppy take on the track sees the pair trade braggadocio blows. Stereotypical claims of greatness aside, it’s a brilliant track and you can download it below.