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August 12, 2011

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When Jay-Z and Kanye West's collaborative album Watch the Throne hit iTunes earlier this week, many expressed amazement that the album hadn't leaked, as nearly every hip-hip album in recent memory has.

What they didn't realize was the months of near-military-scale planning required to keep the album under wraps.

Taking C.I.A.-like precautions to ensure that the album was released on their own terms, the duo successfully staved off hackers with a leak-proof strategy -- an anomaly for an industry consistently brought to its knees by web-savvy individuals eager to share unreleased material with the world.

"It was really important to [Jay] that people experienced this album in its entirety when they first listened to it," says a Roc Nation executive, who asked to remain anonymous. "That was really the driving force of it, to create that nostalgic moment of unwrapping the CD and listening to it for the first time."

Conceived during three iterations in Australia, New York City and Paris, "Watch the Throne" was kept secure by three core engineers -- Mike Dean, Anthony Kilhoffer and Noah Goldstein -- who disabled their computers' Wi-Fi at pop-up studios constructed in hotel rooms. Due to compromising hacker attempts for West's 2010 release "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," outside producers such as the RZA and Swizz Beatz were asked to appear in-person for works-in-progress -- no emailed song drafts were allowed.

To combat pre-release piracy, Kilhoffer, Grammy Award-winner for West's Graduation and John Legend's Get Lifted, claims that all sessions were saved offsite to hard drives in Goldstein's locked Pelican briefcase over the course of nine months. "Everywhere we went in hotels, we were locking hard drives and Noah took them with him," says Kilhoffer, who now travels with external memory units that can only be accessed by biometric fingerprints.

The technology, which Kilhoffer implements while traveling on West's current European tour, takes a live scan of one's finger to serve as key to access protected material.

For less than $100, devices such as the Eikon Digital Privacy Manager and Zvetco Fingerprint Reader measure the finger's ridges and valleys with conductor plates, transmitting imprints through a USB cord to safeguard hard drive contents. While on the road, Kilhoffer and Dean are the sole gatekeepers to unlock the digital safes.



Sent to a manufacturing plant days ahead of its digital unveiling on August 8, Watch the Throne was later shipped to major retail outlets like Best Buy, serviced with exclusive deluxe edition, in time for the album's physical release.. Only two New York City listening sessions -- one at the Mercer Hotel, the other at Hayden Planetarium -- invited the outside world to hear the completed work.


While Jay-Z and Kanye West managed to record one of hip-hop's most hotly anticipated albums without compromise, some label executives agree that the method could set an example for an industry still struggling to adapt to the digital renaissance.

"I think there are a lot of people looking at this and saying, 'Wow, maybe these guys are onto something. That might be the way to go,'" says the Roc Nation executive. "I'd be surprised if many other artists don't use this strategy as well."

[Edited 8/12/11 10:39am]

They should have kept it locked up.

BlaqueKnight said:

They should have kept it locked up.

I remember Gaga saying she kept all the music on a computer that never went online, isn't it as simple as that?

These cats take themselves way 2 seriously. I leaked mine 2 the TRASH can.

This proves that it's possible to stop piracy. It's sad how so many people have forgotten, or ignore, how special it is to buy a record and listen to it at home without all the internet idiot "sharing".

Javi said:

This proves that it's possible to stop piracy.

It proves you can prevent leaks. Piracy will still go on.

RKJCNE said:

BlaqueKnight said:

They should have kept it locked up.

I remember Gaga saying she kept all the music on a computer that never went online, isn't it as simple as that?

Yes, it is. It IS as simple as that.

BlaqueKnight said:

RKJCNE said:

I remember Gaga saying she kept all the music on a computer that never went online, isn't it as simple as that?

Yes, it is. It IS as simple as that.

Too many dumb artists don't even realize that. They're too busy leaving things unchecked on their computer, having no idea that people behind them can put the songs out on a link and then tell them "oh my God someone leaked your stuff". Actually what Jay and Kanye did was USE COMMON SENSE.

I just figured it didn't leak because no one wanted to hear it.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

I just figured it didn't leak because no one wanted to hear it.

lol sometimes some folks just don't want people to hear their stuff until it's ready. People act like piracy is some uncontrollable machine that finds a way into your computer files if you have music and steals it and sells it to whomever. Labels often are the cause of leakage and some of the artists themselves do it either intentionally or unintentionally through their team. I've seen complaints from folks who were mad that their favorite artist's album hadn't leaked yet.

Yes they should kept it in the crapper and watched the throne then. Kanye stick to solo, Jay-Z stick to solo... or whatever the hell you do nowaday's

RKJCNE said:

BlaqueKnight said:

They should have kept it locked up.

I remember Gaga saying she kept all the music on a computer that never went online, isn't it as simple as that?

I hope you realize that Lady Gagas album leaked

Also, there are people who are confusing piracy with leaking. Leaking is about fans getting it before the release date, once an album has been released anyone can get it for free online and theres nothing anybody can do to stop it.

Yes labels are often the cause of leakage, but hackers are just as big of a problem. It aint an uncontrollabe machine leaking the music its very hard to control people.

^ That's why people need to have REALLY STRONG passwords so no one would find a way in. Get a hacker-detected computer. Hell they need to create one.

Timmy84 said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

I just figured it didn't leak because no one wanted to hear it.

lol sometimes some folks just don't want people to hear their stuff until it's ready. People act like piracy is some uncontrollable machine that finds a way into your computer files if you have music and steals it and sells it to whomever. Labels often are the cause of leakage and some of the artists themselves do it either intentionally or unintentionally through their team. I've seen complaints from folks who were mad that their favorite artist's album hadn't leaked yet.

Leaks have become trial balloons for label/artists to gauge the initial response from the public and to generate buzz. Most often leaks are merely promotional releases without the labels saying so.

Musicslave said:

Timmy84 said:

lol sometimes some folks just don't want people to hear their stuff until it's ready. People act like piracy is some uncontrollable machine that finds a way into your computer files if you have music and steals it and sells it to whomever. Labels often are the cause of leakage and some of the artists themselves do it either intentionally or unintentionally through their team. I've seen complaints from folks who were mad that their favorite artist's album hadn't leaked yet.

Leaks have become trial balloons for label/artists to gauge the initial response from the public and to generate buzz. Most often leaks are merely promotional releases without the labels saying so.

Right. It's become routine at this point.

ManlyMoose said:

RKJCNE said:

I remember Gaga saying she kept all the music on a computer that never went online, isn't it as simple as that?

I hope you realize that Lady Gagas album leaked

Also, there are people who are confusing piracy with leaking. Leaking is about fans getting it before the release date, once an album has been released anyone can get it for free online and theres nothing anybody can do to stop it.

Yes labels are often the cause of leakage, but hackers are just as big of a problem. It aint an uncontrollabe machine leaking the music its very hard to control people.

It leaked 5 days ahead, which is very impressive for one of the most anticipated releases in years.

Watch the throne was kept under wraps because it went live on Itunes before it went to stores.

Wanting to avoid an album leak is the dumbe$t music busine$$

model right now. You want your album to leak - hell, give it

away for free. The big buck$ i$ in touring, merchandi$ing and

licen$ing. Album $ale$ ain't what it u$ed to be.

People who will probalby argue with my contrarian a$$ - plea$e

notice I $aid "u$e".

The video for "Oti$", $ave for An$ari, made me embara$$ed to be the

grand$on of the Civil Right$ Movement.

duccichucka said:

Wanting to avoid an album leak is the dumbe$t music busine$$

model right now. You want your album to leak - hell, give it

away for free. The big buck$ i$ in touring, merchandi$ing and

licen$ing. Album $ale$ ain't what it u$ed to be.

What if you're not healthy enough to tour? What happens if you can't secure licensing deals? Album leaks deprive writers of royalties.

Identity said:

duccichucka said:

Wanting to avoid an album leak is the dumbe$t music busine$$

model right now. You want your album to leak - hell, give it

away for free. The big buck$ i$ in touring, merchandi$ing and

licen$ing. Album $ale$ ain't what it u$ed to be.

What if you're not healthy enough to tour? What happens if you can't secure licensing deals? Album leaks deprive writers of royalties.

No one ever thinks of that but they should.

duccichucka said:

Wanting to avoid an album leak is the dumbe$t music busine$$

model right now. You want your album to leak - hell, give it

away for free. The big buck$ i$ in touring, merchandi$ing and

licen$ing. Album $ale$ ain't what it u$ed to be.

People who will probalby argue with my contrarian a$$ - plea$e

notice I $aid "u$e".

The video for "Oti$", $ave for An$ari, made me embara$$ed to be the

grand$on of the Civil Right$ Movement.

There is no way avoiding a leak will hurt you as an artist. Will piss off some jackasses but thats it.

I'm still not getting how albums "leak". Who else is privy to it beyond the artists, producers, managers and label execs? I would think that the studio engineers and anybody else around during the sessions are gagged. I think the vast majority of "leaked" albums are the doings of the managers or label execs., just to wet peoples appetites and/or get early feedback. Don't buy albums being leaked via some phantom like hackers.

chamber said:

I'm still not getting how albums "leak". Who else is privy to it beyond the artists, producers, managers and label execs? I would think that the studio engineers and anybody else around during the sessions are gagged. I think the vast majority of "leaked" albums are the doings of the managers or label execs., just to wet peoples appetites and/or get early feedback. Don't buy albums being leaked via some phantom like hackers.

Yeah the RIAA and 'em are trying to say a boogeyman is doing this.

chamber said:

I'm still not getting how albums "leak". Who else is privy to it beyond the artists, producers, managers and label execs?

Workers at media manufacturing and distribution have access to CDs before they reach retail outlets. Associates who work at one near my home have offered me a variety of discs and I've always declined because to me it's a form of thievery.

duccichucka said:

Wanting to avoid an album leak is the dumbe$t music busine$$

model right now. You want your album to leak - hell, give it

away for free. The big buck$ i$ in touring, merchandi$ing and

licen$ing. Album $ale$ ain't what it u$ed to be.

People who will probalby argue with my contrarian a$$ - plea$e

notice I $aid "u$e".

The video for "Oti$", $ave for An$ari, made me embara$$ed to be the

grand$on of the Civil Right$ Movement.

Wrong.