Jay Z - Fade to Black

Starring:Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, Damon Dash, Q-Tip, Ahmir-Khalib Thompson, Foxy Brown, Common, Tim Mosley, Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs, Mary J. Blige, Ghostface Killah, Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott, Pharrell Williams, Usher Raymond, Rick Rubin, Voletta Wallace, Michael Buffer, Farnsworth Bentley, BeyoncÃ© Knowles, Mike D
Director: Patrick Paulson, Michael John Warren
Studio: Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Fade to Black is a document of Jay-Z's self-proclaimed final concert; a grand affair that took place before a sold-out crowd at New York's Madison Square Garden in November 2003. (But anyone who follows celebrity news knows that Jay-Z was out of retirement and back performing at the Garden just a year later.) Fade to Black is a legitimately powerful record of a truly historic event in the annals of rap. Muttering offhand narration with typical bored, streetwise affect, Jay hails the concert as a momentous occasion for being the first time a hip-hop show was allowed to headline at the Garden.

It's unlikely that the full impact of the live performances will hit home to viewers unfamiliar with Jay-Z and his Roc-A-Fella Records stable of artists. Another frustration is trying to identify the array of visitors who trade raps on Jay's stage. Included in the star-studded lineup are Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Pharell, Ghostface Killah, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, and R. Kelly. One unmistakable figure--and we do mean figure--is Jay's squeeze Beyonce, who raises the temperature and the roof with her skimpy outfit, flowing hair, soulful yowl, and sexed-up dance routine that leaves her boyfriend and the whole of Madison Square Garden slack-jawed with animal desire.

Amazon.com

Fade to Black is a document of Jay-Z's self-proclaimed final concert; a grand affair that took place before a sold-out crowd at New York's Madison Square Garden in November 2003. (But anyone who follows celebrity news knows that Jay-Z was out of retirement and back performing at the Garden just a year later.) Fade to Black is a legitimately powerful record of a truly historic event in the annals of rap. Muttering offhand narration with typical bored, streetwise affect, Jay hails the concert as a momentous occasion for being the first time a hip-hop show was allowed to headline at the Garden.

Description

FADE TO BLACK takes a look at the rapper's career, providing a backstage glimpse during the concert and showing how his last album was conceived. Narrated by Jay-Z himself, the film features notable guest performances by Beyonce, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, R. Kelly, Pharrell Williams, Foxy Brown and appearances by P. Diddy and 2004 Grammy-winner Kanye West.

Customer Reviews:

My Inspiration.......2007-06-05

This film shows Sean Carter is the most positive light. I see a man with a strong work ethic and so much drive. He's hungry for success and he never settles for anything. He always aims higher. I think I enjoyed the studio footage more than the actually concert footage. Much love goes out to Jay Z and his production crew!

An Authentic Peek.......2007-05-29

I recently began seeking out hip-hop documentaries after watching Jin's No Sleep Till Shanghai. I was pretty skeptical though as to how much a superstar like Jay-Z would be willing to show. It's actually a much more insightful doc than I expected, in terms of understanding the music process. I was surprised how much, and sometimes how little, effort goes into making an album, especially for an artist of Jay's stature. Of course, Fade to Black can also be enjoyed simply for its concert footage, which makes this an excellent film overall.

It is what it is...........2007-05-14

What more can I say?... It's Hova baby.... The concert footage is hot... The studio footage showing the many producers he worked with in creating the Black Album was hotter... Only one reason for falling short of five stars... It wasn't long enough...

"The Last Waltz" of Hip-Hop.......2007-01-08

Jay is one of the few hip-hop artists who can not only fill the seats at the Garden, but play to an audience that large as well. There are tons of guest appearances here and they are universally strong. Even potentially mismatched performances such as Beyonce's appearance work extremely well. The behind the scenes footage of Jay in the studio is riveting. He has a soft, almost hoarse speaking voice yet a powerful voice on the microphone. Like his contemporary Biggie Smalls, he listens to beats with a frighteningly focused intensity and then writes and records all from memory. Some scenes, like when Jay visits Rick Rubin and spits an entirely new verse to the Public Enemy classic "Welcome To The Terrordome" are alone worth the price of admission.

The picture quality of this DVD transfer is decent, though not stunning. Saturation is pushed a little high and the transfer can appear a bit soft at times. The audio track is a well executed surround mix that really captures the acoustics of the Garden. Audio and video sync appears to be quite good.

This is one of the great hip-hop DVDs. Highly recommended.

Jay-Z in My Lifetime.......2006-07-29

From begining till the ending rolls, Shawn Carter has done the wittest and most meticulous work to promote his The Black Album in 2003. Well maintained!

Charlie Rose with Paul Gigot, Daniel Henninger, Dorothy & Susan Lee; Jay-Z (October 27, 2004)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Paul Gigot, Daniel Henninger, Dorothy & Susan Lee; Jay-Z (October 27, 2004)

Manufacturer: "Charlie Rose, Inc."
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

A discussion of the upcoming 2004 presidential election with the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, including, editor Paul Gigot, deputy editorial page director, Daniel Henninger, columnist Dorothy Rabinowitz, and editorial board member, Susan Lee. Then, rap impresario Jay-Z discusses his life, career and new film, Fade to Black.

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