On July 7 , 2011 , Jay-Z hosted a private listening session at the Mercer Hotel in New York City , previewing the album 's songs from his MacBook Pro for a select group of reporters and music journalists . It was also exclusive to two teenage fans who had won access to the session for being the first people to pre-order the album through Jay-Z 's Life Times website . The album 's cover and artwork , both designed by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci , were also premiered at the session . Benjamin Meadows-Ingrim of '' Billboard '' , who attended the session , said of the previewed material , " The songs were dramatic and boastful , with Jay-Z often taking the lead lyrically , and the collection showcased the differences between the two artists – Jay-Z , the technical marksman , and Kanye , the emotive chest beater . " On August 1 , Jay-Z and West held a listening session for the album at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City 's American Museum of Natural History . The session premiered the album in its entirety and featured attendance from journalists , models , industry types , and recording artists such as Busta Rhymes , 88-Keys , and Beyoncé Knowles . On August 28 , Jay-Z and West performed " Otis " at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
Watch the Throne