Da Kicker Review: No Church In The Wild

Watch The Throne album cover

Ok, Watch the throne is finally out and with it comes the single No Church in the wild which happens to be the albums opening song. This song whose hook has been done by Frank Ocean surrounds its theme around the idea of alternative knowledge, and the freedom to seek a spiritual enlightment relevant to own self-summed in three words: Challenging popular belief. It is a song that almost guarantees a controversy with the insinuations that one does not need to be a believer to alright.

The song opens up with a simple kick beat, before Frank Oceans lazy-voiced chorus opening. As much as this hook isn’t  upbeat,  it is from it where the controversial theme stems from as it opens with the rhetoric’s;

Frank Ocean lending his vocals

“Human beings in a mob/

What's a mob to a king?

What's a king to a god?

What's a god to a non-believer?

Who don't believe in anything?”

Jay then steps on the first verse questioning historic events such as the Thanksgiving being turned into a feast, accusing priests of telling lies and wondering if Prayers of birds reach. He tackles these issues before doing what he knows only too well, flossing about his ride this time being a Rolls-Royce Corniche. He describes the Rolls-Royce as being so white, with all white seats, that he has to hide from the police who might think that cocaine are stuffed inside.

A white Rolls-Royce Corniche 



The C.E.O of the R.O.C, also makes a reference of Socretes- a Greek philosopher whose indefatigable search for ethical knowledge challenged conventional mores, and led to his trial and execution on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth.



The Greek Philosopher Socrates



His 16 bars end with the word “preach”.

The second verse by Kanye, is mostly about a girl who he is involved with and this girl creates the big chunk of his 20 bars verse. The most striking lines by Mr. West are

Thinkin' 'bout the girl in all-leopard…/

Two tattooes, one read "No Apologies"/
The other said "Love is cursed by monogamy"/
That's somethin' that the pastor don't preach /
That's somethin' that a teacher can't teach/

Lines such as “We formed a new religion” and “When we die, the money we can't keep
But we prolly spend it all 'cause the pain ain't cheap” are also highlights of the verse.

The Miss

Generally this Kanye West and 88-Keys produced joint, has little Hiphop value when it comes to its production and the general feel. It is a song that was made with an audience beyond Hiphop circles in mind. 

The Kick

Lyrically and when it comes to flow, Jay-Z stepped-up and in my view he killed Kanye on this one. The content of the song is also thought provoking and despite it not being the rugged Hip-hop we all love, it maintains the fragments of Hip Hop here and there besides Kanye’s beats and Ocean’s hook being crafted in highly artistic manner.

Enjoy the lyrics

[Frank Ocean]

Human beings in a mob
What's a mob to a king?
What's a king to a god?
What's a god to a non-believer?
Who don't believe in anything?

We make it out alive
All right, all right
No church in the wild

[Jay-Z]

Tears on the mauseoleum floor
Blood stains the coliseum doors
Lies of the lips of a priest
Thanksgiving disguised as a feast
Rollin' in the Rolls-Royce Corniche
Only the doctors got this, I'm hidin' from police
Cocaine seats
All white like I got the whole thing bleached
Drug dealer chic
I'm wonderin' if a dove's prayers reach
It's pious Pius, the god loves Pius
Socrates asks, "Whose bias do y'all seek?"
Or for Plato, the screech
I'm out chere ballin', I know you hear my sneaks
Jesus was a carpenter, Yeezy, he lay beats
Hova flow the Holy Ghost, get the hell up out your seats
Preach

Human beings in a mob
What's a mob to a king?
What's a king to a god?
What's a god to a non-believer?
Who don't believe in anything?

We make it out alive
All right, all right
No church in the wild [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/k/kanye+west+jay+z/no+church+in+the+wild_20976397.html ]
Let me buy you
Desire
I stand by you
Walk through the fire
Your life
Is my Scripture
And I need it
Through your encryption
Yeah, yeah

[Kanye West]

Coke on her black skin made a stripe like a zebra
I call that jungle fever
You will not control the threesome
Just roll the weed up until I get me some
We formed a new religion
No sins as long as there's permission'
And deception is the only felony
So never fuck nobody wit'out tellin' me
Sunglasses and Advil
Last night was mad real
Sun comin' up, 5 a.m.
I wonder if they got cabs still
Thinkin' 'bout the girl in all-leopard
Who was rubbin' the wood like Kiki Shepard
Two tattooes, one read "No Apologies"
The other said "Love is cursed by monogamy"
That's somethin' that the pastor don't preach
That's somethin' that a teacher can't teach
When we die, the money we can't keep
But we prolly spend it all 'cause the pain ain't cheap
Preach

Human beings in a mob
What's a mob to a king?
What's a king to a god?
What's a god to a non-believer?
Who don't believe in anything?

We make it out alive
All right, all right
No church in the wild
No church in the wild
No church in the wild
No church in the wild



Jay Z