Russell V1. Fade to Black (2004)
Yes, we know, Jay Z never retired from rap like he said he would following the release of his critically-acclaimed The Black Album. But even with that being said, Fade to Black is an interesting hip-hop document as it showcases a rapper at his peak as Jay Z rocks a sold out Madison Square Garden crowd with guest appearances from R. Kelly, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, and P. Diddy. Fade to Black is also worth watching for those now infamous studio footage of the young Kanye West working on some production. Jay Z even offers up some valuable insight into his creative process, which alone is worth a viewing or two.