West, Jay-Z 'H.A.M.' it up with new single

Kanye West and Jay-Z continued the rollout of 2011's most-anticipated singles Tuesday, with "H.A.M.," the first release from their album-length collaboration, "Watch the Throne," due out in March.

With two of hip-hop's biggest stars joining forces, expectations are high, but "H.A.M." doesn't disappoint.

Over a hard-hitting backdrop of thunderous beats and sampled operatic flourishes, 'Ye and Jay rhyme - with explicit language - about their relative awesomeness and how they can kick it up to the next level when they "go H.A.M."

"I swam waters with great whites / Y'all -- woulda been chewed / I hustle with vultures late night / Y'all -- woulda been fooled," rhymes Jay, who gets rolling as producer Lex Luger, the teen phenom behind Rick Ross' "B.M.F." and West's "See Me Now", stacks beats to egg him on.

Yesterday's release of "H.A.M." had some questioning if the industry was heading into West overload, as it arrives so close to the release of his "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" album in November.

Maybe that's why "Watch the Throne," which was supposedly being released this week, is now expected in March - around the same time Britney Spears' album, featuring the single "Hold It Against Me" that debuted Monday, is slated for arrival.