Fade to Black backdrop
DOCUMENTARY . 2004 . 1h 49m . 6.1/10

Fade to Black_

"The ultimate concert. Now the ultimate movie."

An intimate look at hip-hop artist Shawn Carter, Jay-Z, revealing the multiple Grammy Award winning artist as never before, from his background and rise to fame to the recording of his last album. The film chronicles the legendary concert of Jay-Z's performance at Madison Square Garden in November 2003. In an unprecedented event, a hip-hop artist sold out an arena in only two hours. Nearly one year later, fans and artists alike still reflect on this monumental musical night. The event was a spectacular culmination of Jay-Z's recording career prior to his self-proclaimed retirement from solo performing. Yet this one night also defined a musical generation, showcasing the evolution and reach of the world's most popular music genre. Guest performers included Jay-Z's closest friends and music industry colleagues: Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, R. Kelly, Foxy Brown, Pharrell, and Questlove and The Illadelphonics along with appearances by hip hop icons Damon Dash.

Starring Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige
6.1/10
Rating
1h 49m
Runtime
2004
Year
Updated Feb 16, 2026
Fade to Black poster
The ultimate concert. Now the ultimate movie.

An intimate look at hip-hop artist Shawn Carter, Jay-Z, revealing the multiple Grammy Award winning artist as never before, from his background and rise to fame to the recording of his last album. The film chronicles the legendary concert of Jay-Z's performance at Madison Square Garden in November 2003. In an unprecedented event, a hip-hop artist sold out an arena in only two hours. Nearly one year later, fans and artists alike still reflect on this monumental musical night. The event was a spectacular culmination of Jay-Z's recording career prior to his self-proclaimed retirement from solo performing. Yet this one night also defined a musical generation, showcasing the evolution and reach of the world's most popular music genre. Guest performers included Jay-Z's closest friends and music industry colleagues: Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, R. Kelly, Foxy Brown, Pharrell, and Questlove and The Illadelphonics along with appearances by hip hop icons Damon Dash.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Cast
Jay-Z stars as Self in Fade to Black.
Jay-Z →
Year context
Fade to Black was released 22 years ago in 2004.
Overview
An intimate look at hip-hop artist Shawn Carter, Jay-Z, revealing the multiple Grammy Award winning artist as never before, from his background and rise to f...
Fade to Black is a Documentary, Music film with a runtime of 1h 49m.

CAST (11)

Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Self
Beyoncé
Beyoncé
Self
Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Self
Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Self
Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Self
Ye
Ye
Self
Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Self
Memphis Bleek
Memphis Bleek
Self
FF
Funkmaster Flex
Self
Foxy Brown
Foxy Brown
Self
Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott
Self

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
109 min (1h 49m)
Country
Rating
6.1/10 (15 votes)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Fade to Black about?
An intimate look at hip-hop artist Shawn Carter, Jay-Z, revealing the multiple Grammy Award winning artist as never before, from his background and rise to fame to the recording of his last album. The film chronicles the legendary concert of Jay-Z's performance at Madison Square Garden in November 2003. In an unprecedented event, a hip-hop artist sold out an arena in only two hours. Nearly one year later, fans and artists alike still reflect on this monumental musical night. The event was a spectacular culmination of Jay-Z's recording career prior to his self-proclaimed retirement from solo performing. Yet this one night also defined a musical generation, showcasing the evolution and reach of the world's most popular music genre. Guest performers included Jay-Z's closest friends and music industry colleagues: Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, R. Kelly, Foxy Brown, Pharrell, and Questlove and The Illadelphonics along with appearances by hip hop icons Damon Dash.
How long is Fade to Black?
Fade to Black has a runtime of 109 minutes (1h 49m).
Who stars in Fade to Black?
The cast of Fade to Black includes Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Rick Rubin, Sean Combs.
What is the rating of Fade to Black?
Fade to Black has a rating of 6.1 out of 10 based on 15 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (2)

Documentary Music
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