MTV Unplugged No. 2.0

Infobox Album
Name = MTV Unplugged No. 2.0
Type = live
Artist = Lauryn Hill


Released = May 7, 2002
Recorded = July 21, 2001
Genre = R&B, soul, acoustic, performance
Length = 106:31
Label = Columbia
Producer = Lauryn Hill, Alex Coletti
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:bz841vg3zzpa link]
*Review-Christgau|D-|album=11796
*Slant Rating|2.5|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=89 link]
Last album = "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill"
(1998)
This album = "MTV Unplugged No. 2.0"
(2002)
Next album = TBA

"MTV Unplugged No. 2.0" is a live album by American hip hop/soul artist Lauryn Hill. The performance comes from her 2002 "MTV Unplugged" special recorded on July 21, 2001 at MTV Studios in Times Square, New York City.

Album Theme/Content

The album is lyrically driven where Ms. Hill shares her thoughts on religion, society, God, and love. All songs are written by Hill except for "So Much Things to Say" (Bob Marley) and "The Conquering Lion" (traditional adaptation).

Chart performance

"MTV Unplugged No. 2.0" peaked at #2 on "Billboard"'s Billboard 200 chart, and peaked at #3 on the magazine's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=194137&model.vnuAlbumId=532039] In the UK, it charted at #50. The album was certified platinum in June 2002.

Critical response

Unlike the near-unanimous praise of "Miseducation," "2.0" sharply divided critics. Some critics have called this album career suicide, while others hailed Hill as a genius. [http://www.riaa.com/gp/database/search_results.asp] Vernon Felton of Bike Mag wrote, "Though Hill had reportedly only recently taken up the guitar when she decided to cut an album consisting of solely her voice and a single acoustic guitar, she makes much more interesting music out of three chords, than you might expect possible." [ [http://www.bikemag.com/news/massmedia/040105_hill/ Media: Lauryn Hill Unplugged 2.0 ] ] Amazon.com (UK) raved, "Everybody knows Lauryn Hill's a brilliant artist but MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 just confirms it." [ [http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/product/B000065ERM/ref=cm_cr_dp_hist_1/026-3367858-3688404?%5Fencoding=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar Amazon.co.uk: Customer Reviews: MTV Unplugged 2.0 ] ] But Walter Chaw of Film Freak Central sneered at Hill's new image, calling the tracks "racist, adolescent, and naïve...one-note and off-key." [ [http://filmfreakcentral.net/dvdreviews/laurynhillunplugged2.htm LAURYN HILL: MTV UNPLUGGED NO. 2.0 - DVD ] ] Slant's Sal Cinquemani wrote, "Hill's guitarwork is multi-textured and fine-tuned but her vocals lack confidence and seem to toe the edge of her range throughout the album. And though the stripped-down nature of the show is fitting, many of the songs sound as if they are still in their infancy." [ [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=89 Slant Magazine Music Review: Lauryn Hill: Unplugged No. 2.0 ] ] Despite the mixed reviews, "2.0" debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum four weeks after its release.

Track listing

Disc one

#"Intro" – 2:28
#"Mr. Intentional" – 6:58
#"Adam Lives in Theory" – 7:25
#"Interlude 1" – 1:55
#"Oh Jerusalem" – 8:53
#"Interlude 2" – 1:22
#"Freedom Time" – 4:58
#"Interlude 3" – 3:18
#"I Find It Hard to Say (Rebel)" – 6:49
#"Just Like Water" – 6:08
#"Interlude 4" – 1:40
#"Just Want You Around" – 4:36
#"I Gotta Find Peace of Mind" – 9:18

Disc two

#"Interlude 5" – 12:11
#"Mystery of Iniquity" – 5:10
#"Interlude 6" – 1:43
#"I Get Out" – 5:17
#"Interlude 7" – 0:21
#"I Remember" – 3:46
#"So Much Things to Say" – 5:59
#"The Conquering Lion" – 3:19
#"Outro" – 2:57

Charts

Album

Notes

ee also

*MTV Unplugged