Everybody knows Lauryn Hill's a brilliant artist but MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 just confirms it. This double CD acoustic set recorded for the music television channel contains snippets of material from her debut album, but mostly it's all new "L Boogie" folks. Hill gives a raw, honest performance that comes after a shocking period of depression and unhappiness for the ex-Fugees singer. According to reports Hill lost her creative light after copyright lawsuits over her debut) and a tempestuous relationship with her partner Rohan Marley (son of Bob). Now she's divested herself of emotional and physical baggage (though not Rohan), evident in this stripped down performance that is basically just Hill and her unplugged guitar. The material's release has been long delayed, no reasons have been given but this session's highly spiritual nature may lie behind it. Hill's found spirituality in a big way. New material includes "I Find It Hard To Say (Rebel)", a blistering comment on the shooting of African immigrant Amadou Diallo by the New York police in 1999. Throughout Hill's voice is rough and throaty giving the performance an earthy, heartfelt pull. She cuts across musical styles from bossa nova ("Just Like Water") to Marley-esque rebel songs ("Oh Jerusalem", "The Conquering Lion", "Freedom Time"). And Hill's lyrics are deeply personal. She sings of stepping away from her public persona to keep from being trapped by the image fame created for her. She rails against everything from self-delusion to government corruption to religious dogma without being overbearing or pretentious. In destroying her old artistry she discovers a new creative force. And all the while she stays mesmerisingly, enchantingly musical. Who else could leave Alicia Keys sounding like a wannabe? This is an instant classic. --Jake Barnes
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