Eve-Olution is the third studio album by American rapper Eve, released by Ruff Ryders Entertainment on August 27, 2002 and distributed through Interscope Records. Production was handled by frequent collaborators Dr. Dre, Swizz Beatz and also Irv Gotti, among others. The album spawned the internationally successful single "Gangsta Lovin'", which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop song charts as well as number four in Australia, and debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 133,000 copies[1] while also reaching the top twenty in Canada, France, and Switzerland. For selling over 600,000 copies in the US, it was certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Eve-Olution
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 27, 2002
Recorded2001–2002
GenreHip hop
Length54:45
Label
Producer
Eve chronology
Scorpion
(2001)
Eve-Olution
(2002)
Lip Lock
(2013)
Singles from Eve-Olution
  1. "Gangsta Lovin'"
    Released: July 23, 2002
  2. "Satisfaction"
    Released: February 25, 2003

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic68/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
Blender     [2]
E! OnlineB+[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[4]
IGN8.5/10[5]
NME     [6]
Robert Christgau [7]
Rolling Stone     [8]
Slant     [9]

In a positive review, Entertainment Weekly writer said that Eve-Olution is a "more complex and sophisticated sound that dexterously mixes up moods and tones." He also stated that "instead of the record coming off like a pu-pu platter -- a little R&B from column A, a little pop from column B -- it maintains its focus, making it a wholly satisfying experience."[4] Hope Gonzalez of IGN called the album a "smorgasbord of beats" because it "dapples in soul, electronic, and even salsa music to create yet another opus of hip-pop jingles." She also said "Gangsta Lovin'" is "quite different" from most of the tracks on the album because it is "the most radio-friendly track on the album."[5]

Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani said "Eve fares better when the rhythms are sexy and the rhymes are slick".[9] AllMusic noted that the "focus here is less hip-hop and more contemporary R&B, with fewer rappers invited as guests". He dismissed the songs "What" and "Gangsta Lovin'" as "surprisingly mediocre", adding that the guest vocalists are "vamping over bland choruses and Eve contributing only a few good rhymes."[3] He compared the album to Eve's previous releases and claimed "Eve-Olution can't offer as much as either of her first two solid LPs."[3] In contrast, Cinquemani said that "Eve's Eve-Olution might not change the order of the hip-hop food chain as we know it but it's another tight record that will undoubtedly keep her, um, rydin' high."[9]

Singles

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"Gangsta Lovin'" was released in September 2002 as the first single from the album. In the United States, it peaked at number two on both the Billboard Hot 100 (becoming Eve's second highest-charting song on the chart) and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.[10] Internationally, it peaked inside the top twenty in most countries such as Norway, New Zealand, Belgium, the UK and Switzerland, among others, except for Austria, where it peaked at forty-one.[11][12]

"Satisfaction" was released as the second and final single from the album in late March 2003. It saw moderate success in the US, reaching at number twenty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number twenty-two on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.[13] It debuted inside the top twenty in the UK, and dropped off the chart after four weeks.[14] It was a minor hit in the Netherlands, where it only peaked at number eighty-seven.[15]

Track listing

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Eve-Olution track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"  1:24
2."What!" (featuring Truth Hurts)Dr. Dre3:19
3."Gangsta Lovin'" (featuring Alicia Keys)
  • Jonah Ellis
  • Lonnie Simmons
  • Alisa Yarbrough
3:59
4."Irresistible Chick"
  • Gotti
  • Channel 7
3:34
5."Party in the Rain" (featuring Mashonda)Swizz Beatz4:10
6."Argument" (Skit) 
  • Eve
  • Jay "Icepick" Jackson
1:14
7."Let This Go"
Hotrunner4:12
8."Hey Y'all" (featuring Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg)
Hotrunner4:04
9."Figure You Out"
3:14
10."Stop Hatin'" (Skit) 
  • Eve
  • Jackson
1:43
11."Satisfaction"
  • Dr. Dre
  • Elizondo
4:18
12."Neckbones"
  • Jeffers
  • Amon Flanagan
  • Jean Baptiste
  • Wade Warner
  • Neckbones
  • Flanagan
3:55
13."Double R What" (featuring Jadakiss and Styles P)
Swizz Beatz3:56
14."Ryde Away" (featuring Anthony Hamilton)Bink!3:44
15."As I Grow"
  • Jeffers
  • Armique Wyche
Staxx3:49
16."Eve-Olution"
  • Jeffers
  • Christian Ward
Teflon3:59
Total length:54:45

Sample credits

  • "Gangsta Lovin'" contains elements from "Don't Stop the Music" as written by Alisa Yarbrough, Jonah Ellis, and Lonnie Simmons.
  • "Double R What" contains a sample of "P.S.K. What Does It Mean" as written by Jesse Weaver, Jr.

Personnel

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Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for Eve-Olution
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Silver 60,000*
United States (RIAA)[43] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release history for Eve-Olution
Region Date Format Label Catalog
United States[44] August 27, 2002 CD, digital download Interscope B00006FR68
Canada[45] Universal Music B00006FR68
United Kingdom[46] May 26, 2003 Spectrum B00006HCKB

References

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  1. ^ "HITS Daily Double: Previous Album Sales Chart". Archived from the original on 2014-04-20. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  2. ^ a b c "Critic Reviews for Eve-Olution". Metacritic. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  3. ^ a b c Bush, John. "Eve-Olution - Eve". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  4. ^ a b Weingarten, Marc (2002-09-06). "Eve-olution Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  5. ^ a b Gonzalez, Hope (2002-10-03). "Eve-Olution". IGN. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  6. ^ Segal, Victoria (2002-08-20). "Eve : Eve-Olution". NME. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  7. ^ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Eve". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  8. ^ Walters, Barry (2002-09-19). "Recordings: Eve, Eve-Olution". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2002-09-02. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  9. ^ a b c Cinquemani, Sal (2002-08-27). "Eve: Eve-Olution". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  10. ^ Eve - Eve-Olution - Billboard singles Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  11. ^ australian-charts.com - Eve feat. Alicia Keys - Gangsta Lovin' Hung Medien.
  12. ^ austrianchart.at - Eve feat. Alicia Keys - Gangsta Lovin' Hung Medien.
  13. ^ Satisfaction - Eve | Billboard.com Nielson Business Media, Inc. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  14. ^ "Eve - Satisfaction". Chart Stats. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
  15. ^ dutchcharts.nl - Eve - Satisfaction Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
  16. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Eve – Eveolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  17. ^ "ARIA Urban Albums Chart – Week Commencing 21st October 2002" (PDF). The ARIA Report (660). October 21, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Eve – Eveolution" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Eve – Eveolution" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Eve – Eveolution" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  21. ^ "Eve Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  22. ^ "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. October 17, 2002. Archived from the original on October 21, 2002. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  23. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eve – Eveolution" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  24. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20, no. 38. September 14, 2002. p. 16. Retrieved April 21, 2023 – via World Radio History.
  25. ^ "Lescharts.com – Eve – Eveolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  26. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Eve – Eveolution" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  27. ^ "イヴ"ォリューション~進化。" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  28. ^ "Charts.nz – Eve – Eveolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  29. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Eve – Eveolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  30. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  31. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Eve – Eveolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  32. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Eve – Eveolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  33. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  34. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  35. ^ "Eve Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  36. ^ "Eve Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  37. ^ "Top 200 Albums of 2002 (based on sales)". Jam!. Archived from the original on September 6, 2004. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  38. ^ "Canada's Top 200 R&B; albums of 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  39. ^ "Top 100 rap albums of 2002 in Canada". Jam!. Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  40. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  41. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  42. ^ "British album certifications – Eve – Eve-Olution". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  43. ^ "American album certifications – Eve – Eve-Olution". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  44. ^ Amazon.com: Eve-Olution: Eve: Music Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  45. ^ Eve-Olution: Eve (rap): Amazon.ca: Music Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  46. ^ Eve-Olution: Eve: Amazon.co.uk: Music Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved January 5, 2011.