Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady cover

Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady

Eve · 1999

57 min · 18 tracks · contemporary R&B

A vibrant blend of hip-hop bravado and R&B smoothness, showcasing a confident female voice in a male-dominated genre.

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Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Gotta Man — This track highlights Eve's ability to balance assertiveness and vulnerability, exploring themes of love and desire while maintaining a catchy hook.
  • →
    Love Is Blind — Addressing complex emotions surrounding love and betrayal, this track showcases Eve's storytelling prowess and emotional depth that resonates strongly with listeners.
  • →
    What Y’all Want (remix) — A collaboration featuring DMX and other prominent artists, this remix underscores Eve's strong connections within the Ruff Ryders family while delivering an infectious energy that exemplifies her style.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

45 /100
Lowland
Higher than 5% of albums we've rated

The album showcases a confident voice with varied production but struggles with cohesion due to its length and skit interruptions.

What we noticed

  • Several tracks prominently feature guest verses from other artists, adding variety to the vocal delivery.
  • The sequencing places the more aggressive tracks toward the beginning, gradually transitioning to more introspective themes as it progresses.
Composition 25% of the score
6/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
7/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
5/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
6/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
4/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • dynamic flow with engaging interludes
  • confident storytelling with attitude
  • wave-like pacing for varied moods
  • empowering anthems for self-expression

Maybe skip if you

  • prefer straightforward track progression
  • seek purely mellow listening

Where this album fits

Career context
Released as Eve's debut studio album, Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady positioned her firmly within the Ruff Ryders collective after she gained attention on DMX's 'Ruff Ryders Anthem'. At this time, Eve was emerging as a significant force in hip-hop, representing female artists with both lyrical skill and commercial appeal.
Stylistic neighbors
Missy Elliott· Lil' Kim· Aaliyah
New to Eve? Find your way in →

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 First Lady (intro) 1:36
  • 2 Let’s Talk About 3:31
  • 3 Gotta Man 4:24
  • 4 Philly Cheese Steak (skit) 1:37
  • 5 Philly, Philly 3:57
  • 6 Stuck Up 3:53
  • 7 Ain’t Got No Dough 4:17
  • 8 BM (skit) 1:01
  • 9 Love Is Blind 4:20
  • 10 Scenario 2000 3:49
  • 11 Dog Match 4:19
  • 12 My Bitches (skit) 1:08
  • 13 We on That Shit! 3:25
  • 14 Chokie Nikes (skit) 1:04
  • 15 Maniac 4:22
  • 16 My Enemies (skit) 1:43
  • 17 Heaven Only Knows 4:29
  • 18 What Y’all Want (remix) 4:05

What to play next

Scorpion
Listen next

Scorpion

2001
Full Eve discography Where to start with Eve Artists like Eve
contemporary R&B hip-hop

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata