August 2010: Jay Z guests on Kanye West’s Monster off My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The track is huge and dominates the rest of the year. Kanye announces the track will be part of a five-track EP called Watch the Throne. Fans salivate excessively.

October 2010: Kanye says that Monster and other previously released tracks won’t be on the EP which has been expanded to a 10-track LP

November 2010: Recording begins in the UK. Jigga and Yeezy agree to record in the same room together rather than mailing it in.

January 1, 2011: Kanye boldly proclaims that Watch the Throne will be released in one week.

January 11, 2011: More than a week later H.A.M. drops to tepid reviews.

February 2011: ‘Ye and Hov move into Manhattan’s Mercer Hotel with all of their equipment.

April 2011: Kanye and Jay are spotted together in Paris.

June 2011: Rumors surface that the album will be released on Independence Day.

July 4, 2011: The Givenchy-designed album cover artwork is released and the Watch the Throne becomes available for pre-order.

July 7, 2011: Jay Z holds a private listening party in New York for the unfinished album.

July 20, 2011: The first single from the album Otis drops to rave reviews.

August 1, 2011: Jay Z and Kanye West hold the first official listening party for the completed album at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The album is scheduled for release on August 8th.

(courtesy of Vibe Magazine)