A Life Most Ordinary

Fade to Black (2004)

Really interesting look at the making of Jay-Z's Black album and his final concert at Madison Square Garden. The part I found most interesting was the repeated mention that this was the first time that a solo rpa artist was playing MSG. I guess in the modern world where the Billboard charts and MTV are flooded with rap artists, I would never have guessed that this was considered a the pinnacle of rap, and a pinnacle no rapper had yet reached.

The parts where songs are just made from a beat is incredible. It's amazing to think that this guy can write rhymes in his head in a matter of minutes.

The producers are awesome: Pharrell and the Neptunes, Timbaland, Rick Rubin, and Kanye West (Who at that time was relatively unknown). Seeing Rick Rubin standing in the recording studios in his ecclectic home with Mike D as JAy-Z records is eye-opening. To think that when I was a kid the only main stream rap was coming from Mike D and the Beastie Boys and now its everywhere and only Eminem has been able to break into and maintain any stature in the rap community.

Very good movie, makes me wish I had gotten a chance to see Jay-Z before he retired.