Shawn Carter has done it again. He has taken the stories of the streets, the struggle and his life, and made them musical masterpieces.
Carter, better known in the rap community as Jay-Z or Jigga, has recently released a new album in conjunction with MTV Productions, Jay-Z Unplugged.
It is not your normal live hip-hop concert, though. It has a twist. It combines the sounds of soul artists The Roots, hip-hop diva, Mary J. Blige and Pharrel from the Neptunes.
Jay-Z takes his new songs and greatest hits to a new level. The beats are tight and laced with a dash of neo-soul.
He seems to be pulling everything from his heart and soul and letting it flow out of his mouth.
The album includes such songs as “Izzo”, “Girls”, “Heart of the City”, “Song Cry”, and “Hard Knock Life”.
Jay-Z call’s the unplugged creation special, “The epiphany of neo-soul.”
This marks a new transition in hip-hop music. Now, more than ever, rap artists and soul artists are combining their skills to create an evolution in music. This is evident in such duos as Bilal and Dr. Dre with “Fast Lane.”
It provides ear candy for both hip-hop heads and soul searchers. This is the epitome of Jay-Z Unplugged.
Jay-Z is the mastermind behind such albums as Reasonable Doubt, In My Lifetime, Vol.1 and “Hard Knock Life, Vol.2.
His hot tracks have kept heads nodding and clubs bumping for several years now, and the unplugged album, is sure to continue that legacy.
Jay-Z Unplugged gives fans a chance to experience a softer side of Hova, as he speaks about the songs during the interludes.
It opens a new door for the hip-hop world, especially for those in the world of MTV. Besides Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z is the only hip-hop artist to successfully produce an unplugged album.
This album is recommended for everyone, no matter what genre of music you’re in to.
It gives a little bit of everything with each song. If you ever doubted Jigga’s skills give this album a try. If it doesn’t change your mind, at least it will make you think.