Hated it. Well…not exactly, but the “blonde bombshell,” did bomb on this one. I do understand that there is a difference between conscious hip-hop and commercial hip-hop. Eve perfectly balanced herself between the two – until “Eve-olution.” Her third CD’s whacked out tracks perturbed my eardrums.
Even with help from newcomer Truth Hurts, Grammy snatcher Alicia Keys, West Coast veterans Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg and of course some love from the Ruff Ryder family, “Eve-olution” still can’t sustain mediocre ratings.
“What,” featuring Truth Hurts, is an intro track, full of unnecessary profanity, to get you into the album. Needless to say it didn’t. Truth Hurts’ unique vocals just doesn’t amount to the crunkness that a great intro track requires.
“You know what this is, got the crowd like, what. Ain’t a b- alive that can take my what. This time when I come it’s gon’ be like, what. It ain’t hard to tell you just been done.
The fourth track, “Irresistible Chick,” has a beat obviously intended for Eminem. “Let This Go,” also weak in lyrics and beat, is meant for ex-boyfriend/producer Stevie J. Everyone knows tracks that are revenge-oriented and meant for broken relationships should be the strongest on the album.
The only songs that are satisfactory are the overplayed “Gangsta Lovin,” featuring Alicia Keys, and “Party In The Rain,” featuring Mashonda (I haven’t the slightest clue). “Party In The Rain,” has Eve’s robust street style written all over it. And who better to create the beat than veteran Ruff Ryder “track lacer,” Swizz Beatz. Maybe Eve should’ve stuck with Swizz throughout the whole album.
The monumental upsets of this album are the skits, which would have been better suited for “Baby Boy.” There was really no need for them. The titles “Argument” and “Stop Hatin’,” both dialogues about how females player hate on Eve, are painfully self-explanatory.
This album is disappointing and nowhere near the level that Eve can reach. This is supposed to be a self-discovery album, I advise for Eve to “rediscover” and be the artist that she can be.
Gabrielle Finley can be reached at gabrielle_finley@hotmail.com