Eve-Olution [Clean] [Edited]

Performer: Eve
Artist: Alicia Keys; Mashonda; Snoop Dogg; Jadakiss; Styles Of The Lox; Nate Dogg; Truth Hurts
Engineer: Carlisle Young; Dragan "Chach" Cacinovic; Tom Rounds; Gabe Chiesa; Rich Keller
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Eve, Truth Hurts, Alicia Keys, Mashonda, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Jadakiss, Styles Of The Lox. Producers: Swizz Beatz, Dr. Dre, Irv Gotti, 7, Teflon, Bink, Trackmasters. "Satisfaction" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Female Rap Solo Performance. Personnel: Iceberg, Anthony Hamilton, Teflon (vocals); Larry Phillabaum, Mike Elizondo (guitar, keyboards); Tracie Spencer (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Doug Wilson; Barry "Oh" Goldstein; Larry Phillabaum; Steve Baughman; Brian Springer. Recording information: Conway Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA; DoggHouse Studio "The Church", Diamondbar, CA; Encore Studios, Burbank, CA; Powerhouse Studio, Yonkers, NY; Sony Music Studio, New York, NY; The Hit Factory, New York, NY; The New Hit Factory, New York, NY; Under City. Photographer: Michael Hart Thompson . Unknown Contributor Role: Ekaterina Kenney. With the help of the Ruff Ryders crew, Philadelphia rapper EVE rocked the hip-hop world straight out of the gate with her debut album and kept up the momentum with follow-up release SCORPION. Third outing EVE-OLUTION shows no signs of letting up. Produced by such hot studio rats as Swizz Beatz and Irv Gotti, and featuring high-profile guests like Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, and Jadakiss, this is obviously an elaborate, big-budget affair. However, Eve's reputation was made in large part on her ability to avoid vacuous lifestyle trappings in favor of an honest, proud representation of modern urban womanhood. That ethos stands her in good stead here. While such tracks as "Gangsta Lovin'" don't exactly bespeak a complex sociological aesthetic, EVE-OLUTION as a whole presents Eve as entirely more down-to-earth and just plain believable than many of her peers. Having proved herself with 2001's rough and tough Scorpion, Eve changed direction slightly for Eve-Olution. The focus here is less hip-hop and more contemporary R&B, with fewer rappers invited as guests -- only appear on only two tracks, "Hey Y'All" features Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg and the Scorpion sequel "Double R What" features Jadakiss and Styles. After the intro, Eve focuses squarely on neo-soul. The productions keep the groove going coutresy of the beatheads behind the boards Irv Gotti, Dr. Dre, Swizz Beatz, and Poke & Tone. ("Irresistible Chick" features a smooth Irv Gotti production that's moving almost as fast as Eve's fluid raps. There are a few tough-love tracks along the lines of Scorpion's "You Had Me, You Lost Me" and "You Ain't Gettin' None," and a nod to her Ruff Ryders past with "Ryde Away." [The album is also available in this clean version.] ~ John Bush Having proved herself with 2001's rough and tough Scorpion, Eve changed direction slightly for Eve-Olution. The focus here is less hip-hop and more contemporary R&B, with fewer rappers invited as guests -- only two tracks, "Hey Y'All" featuring Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg and the Scorpion sequel "Double R What" featuring Jadakiss and Styles. After the intro, Eve focuses squarely on neo-soul, but doesn't contribute much to the style; "What" (with Truth Hurts) and "Gangsta Lovin'" (with Alicia Keys), are surprisingly mediocre, with the guests vamping over bland choruses and Eve contributing only a few good rhymes. Elsewhere, the productions keep the groove going, but not much else: definitely a surprise, considering the beatheads behind the boards (Irv Gotti, Dr. Dre, Swizz Beatz, Poke & Tone) don't get much hotter. ("Irresistible Chick," one of the few keepers, features a smooth Irv Gotti production that's moving almost as fast as Eve's fluid raps.) There are a few OK tough-love tracks along the lines of Scorpion's "You Had Me, You Lost Me" and "You Ain't Gettin' None," and a nod to her Ruff Ryders past with "Ryde Away," but Eve-Olution can't offer as much as either of her first two solid LPs. [The album is also available in this clean version.] ~ John Bush

Rolling Stone (9/19/02, p.102) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Celebrating melody....this is the album that's finally all about Eve." NME (Magazine) (8/22/02, p.43) - 7 out of 10 - "...Nothing but a display of hip-hop muscle....proof that mainstream hip-hop can learn new tricks..."

A Philadelphia native, Eve met Ruff Ryders camp head DMX while in Los Angeles. Impressed with her ability to rhyme, DMX invited Eve to join the Ruff Ryders crew for guest appearances on their debut album. Her photogenic looks and sassy rhyme style earned her instant popularity, which was parlayed into Eve's 1999 debut album. Maturing into a media icon, the stylish, platinum-tressed Eve has since signed a modeling deal, appeared in several fashion shoots, appeared in numerous films, and gone on to be a reigning queen of hip-hop.

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