Lauryn Hill – MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 (2xLP)

Lauryn Hill’s Unplugged 2.0 album was a body of work that arrived far ahead of its time. Sixteen years ago, fans expected the multi-hyphenate superstar to kick in the door with a dynamic follow up to The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. The record-shattering album racked up an astonishing five Grammys (unheard of for a female artist both black and raised by hip-hop). After vanishing from the spotlight for roughly three years, Hill’s return to the stage went completely against the grain.

Taking to the MTV set in a baseball cap, gold hoops, and her trusty guitar, Hill bared her soul and unveiled her truth in front of an intimate and captive audience. In an interlude preceding the song “Adam Lives In Theory,” Hill succinctly explains the reason behind her transformation both sonically and spiritually: “Fantasy is what people want, but reality is what they need. And I’ve just retired from the fantasy part.”

- Lauryn Hill’s Unplugged 2.0 album was a body of work that arrived far ahead of its time. Sixteen years ago, fans expected the multi-hyphenate superstar to kick in the door with a dynamic follow up to The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. The record-shattering album racked up an astonishing five Grammys (unheard of for a female artist both black and raised by hip-hop). After vanishing from the spotlight for roughly three years, Hill’s return to the stage went completely against the grain. Taking to the MTV set in a baseball cap, gold hoops, and her trusty guitar, Hill bared her soul and unveiled her truth in front of an intimate and captive audience. In an interlude preceding the song “Adam Lives In Theory,” Hill succinctly explains the reason behind her transformation both sonically and spiritually: “Fantasy is what people want, but reality is what they need. And I’ve just retired from the fantasy part.”

- Vibe.com