Following the success of
Blueprint,
Jay-Z took a break from the studio productions of
Timbaland and
Just Blaze and stepped into acoustic surroundings for a taped edition of MTV's long-running Unplugged series. With the talents of
the Roots as his backing band,
Jay-Z fails to miss a step and feels just as comfortable in the unplugged arena as he does with drum machines and a mixing desk in front of him. The skills of
Roots drummer Ahmir Thompson emulate even the slightest nuance from the originally programmed electronic beats, and
Jay-Z fails to take this for granted, gently shifting from one song to the next in medley form with ease. With a strong track listing spanning his entire career of chart-topping hits, this album is the perfect introduction to
Jay-Z's prolific catalog and a fun listen for the most dedicated of fans. ~ Rob Theakston