Kanye West, Jay-Z Pay Tribute to Slain DJ Henry in 'Watch the Throne'

Two of the biggest hip-hop artists of the last two decades pay tribute to Easton native Danroy “DJ” Henry, the 20-year-old Pace University student and football player who was shot to death by a police officer in October after a disturbance outside of a New York bar.

Jay-Z and Kanye West — who have previously worked together on quite a few songs but never on a collaborative full-length album, until now — give the nod on the track “Murder to Excellence” off the album “Watch the Throne,” which dropped on iTunes on Monday around midnight.

“This is to the memory of Danroy Henry / Too much enemy fire to catch a friendly,” Jay-Z opens over beats and background vocals that sound like they belong on West’s latest solo release, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.”

“I want to thank Kanye West and Jay-Z on behalf of my family for joining us to bring attention for what is for us real life,” Danroy Henry, Sr., DJ’s father, says in a response on the family’s Facebook page. DJ was a fan of both artists, according to his mother, Angella; so much that West’s song “Champion” played at his memorial service in October.

The album, one of the most highly anticipated hip-hop releases of the year, quickly reached No. 1 on iTunes sales charts. Download the album from iTunes to hear the track (warning: explicit language).