Eve album Scorpion

Eve
Album : Scorpion
Release Date: March 6, 2001
Label: Interscope Records

Review :

Give Eve credit for not succumbing to hip-hop’s fickle feminine fetishization. While Foxy Brown and Lil’ Kim have degenerated into scantily clad clichés, Eve (the self-described "pitbull in a skirt") has maintained her rougher edge without sacrificing a whit of her sexy energy. "Pretty with the heels on, or shitty with the Timbos," is how she puts it on "Gangsta Bitches," one of the standout tracks from this, her second, album. Eve’s clearly progressed as a lyricist, though her flow is occasionally on-the-beat clunky.

That aside, she switches easily from anti-hater anthems ("Cowboy") to bitter revenge fantasies (the power-guitar-driven "You Had Me, You Lost Me") to straight-up bragging ("Got What You Need"). Throughout, she’s assured and poised, matching Teena Marie’s manic torch-song energy on "Life Is So Hard" and outshining most of her Ruff Ryder partners elsewhere. But, secure as she may be, Eve realizes that the game doesn’t always last: "I’m trying to make a quick flip, nigga. Can you dig this?" she asks on "Cowboy." Sexy and smart. What’s not to dig?

With most rappers, after having a double platinum debut they lose their hunger and become way too cocky. This is not the case with Eve. On her sophomore album, she is more hungry than ever before. She is confident, not cocky, and delivers some of the best rhymes ever to come out of the mouth of a female emcee. (And she even does some singing on here! And she can actually carry a tune.) The beats on here, once again, are top notch on every song. There are a few too many guest appearances, but that really proves to be this album’s only flaw. This album is a huge improvement from her okay first, Let There Be Eve... In my eyes, this is a hip hop classic and everyone should at least give it a listen. I bump this one start to finish. I highly recommend.

Tracklisting :

1. Intro With Swizz
2. Cowboy
3. Who’s That Girl?
4. Let Me Blow Ya Mind
5. 3 Way
6. You Had Me, You Lost Me
7. Got What You Need
8. Frontin’
9. Gangsta Bitches
10. That’s What It Is
11. Scream Double R
12. Thug In The Street
13. No, No, No
14. You Ain’t Gettin’ None
15. Life Is So Hard
16. Be Me