Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady
| type = studio
| artist = Eve
| cover = RuffRyder'sFirstLady.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|1999|9|14}}
| recorded = 1996–1999
| studio = Powerhouse Studio
| genre = *East Coast hip-hop
| length = 57:09
| label = *Ruff Ryders
| producer = *Swizz Beatz
- P.K.
- DJ Shok
- Jay "Icepick" Jackson
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Scorpion
| next_year = 2001
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady
| type = studio
| single1 = What Y'all Want
| single1date = June 1999
| single2 = Gotta Man
| single2date = August 31, 1999
| single3 = Love Is Blind
| single3date = December 9, 1999
}}
}}
Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady is the debut studio album by American rapper Eve. It was released by Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Interscope Records on September 14, 1999. All of the songs on the album were written by Eve herself. It sold over 200,000 copies in the first week.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/eve-rides-to-the-top-of-the-chart-19990922 |title=Eve Rides to the Top of the Chart |first=Eric |last=Boehlert |date=September 22, 1999 |magazine=Rolling Stone |issn=0035-791X |access-date=November 7, 2011}} The album has sold over 2 million copies and was certified Double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.{{cite web |title=Singer of the Week |url=http://au.askmen.com/celebs/women/singer_60/92_eve.html |author=Eve |work=AskMen.com |access-date=November 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118100550/http://au.askmen.com/celebs/women/singer_60/92_eve.html |archive-date=January 18, 2010 }} The album features singles such as "Gotta Man", and "Love Is Blind" with Faith Evans. Eve became the third female hip-hop artist to have her album peak at number-one on the Billboard 200 (Lauryn Hill's debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, being the first to top the chart in 1998 and Foxy Brown's second album, Chyna Doll achieving the feat earlier in 1999).
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |title=Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryder's First Lady – Eve |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r429523|pure_url=yes}} |last=LaVeck |first=Theresa E. |work=AllMusic |access-date=November 16, 2009}}
| rev2 = Robert Christgau
| rev2score = {{Rating-Christgau|hm2}}{{cite web |title=Eve |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=eve |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |work=RobertChristgau.com |access-date=December 30, 2012}}
| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev3score = C+{{cite magazine |title=Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady Review |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,271040,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623065128/https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,271040,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-06-23 |last=Walters |first=Barry |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=November 16, 2009 |date=October 8, 1999}}
| rev4 = Muzik
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |title=Let There Be Eve... Ruff Ryder's First Lady CD Album |url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1076625&style=music&fulldesc=T |work=CD Universe |access-date=December 30, 2012}}
| rev5 = NME
| rev5score = 7/10{{cite web |title=Album Reviews – Ruff Ryders' First Lady |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/1539 |work=NME |access-date=December 30, 2012 |date=November 3, 1999}}
| rev6 = Pitchfork
| rev6score = 8.1/10{{cite web|last=Kameir|first=Rawiya|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/eve-let-there-be-everuff-ryders-first-lady/|title=Eve: Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady Album Review|work=Pitchfork|date=March 17, 2019|access-date=November 26, 2019}}
| rev7 = Q
| rev8 = Rolling Stone
| rev8score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Recordings: Eve, Eve: Ruff Ryders' First Lady |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/recordings/review.asp?aid=20373&cf=8566 |author=Touré |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=December 30, 2012 |date=October 14, 1999 |pages=119–120|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011102120522/http://www.rollingstone.com/recordings/review.asp?aid=20373&cf=8566 |archive-date=November 2, 2001}}
| rev9 = The Source
| rev9score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}
}}
AllMusic editor Theresa E. LaVeck found that "Eve's conviction and passion make her noticeable no matter what the subject, but she truly stands out when the stories become personal, examining the cost of the hard life she champions in other songs. "Love Is Blind" is a painful look at domestic violence. Self-respect and positivity are the moral of "Heaven Only Knows." Both tracks are backed by beautiful arrangements with acoustic guitar and lush vocals. Eve maintains her hardcore image in these tracks, but with a subtle vulnerability that promise lots of interesting things to come from this Philly prodigy."
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady track listing{{cite AV media notes|title= Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady |year= 1999 |type= booklet |publisher= Ruff Ryders, Interscope}}
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = First Lady
| note1 = Intro
| writer1 = Kasseem Dean
| extra1 = Swizz Beatz
| length1 = 1:36
| title2 = Let's Talk About
| note2 = featuring Drag-On
| writer2 = {{hlist|Eve Jeffers|Melvin Smalls|Darrin Dean|K. Dean}}
| extra2 = Swizz Beatz
| length2 = 3:31
| title3 = Gotta Man
| note3 = featuring Mashonda
| writer3 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|K. Dean}}
| extra3 = Swizz Beatz
| length3 = 4:24
| title4 = Philly Cheese Steak
| note4 = Skit) (featuring Swizz, Eric and Fuquan
| writer4 =
| extra4 = Swizz Beatz
| length4 = 1:37
| title5 = Philly Philly
| note5 = featuring Beanie Sigel
| writer5 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|Dwight Grant|J. Dean|K. Dean}}
| extra5 = Swizz Beatz
| length5 = 3:57
| title6 = Stuck Up
| note6 = featuring C.J.
| writer6 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|George Cantres|D. Dean|K. Dean}}
| extra6 = Swizz Beatz
| length6 = 3:53
| title7 = Ain't Got No Dough
| note7 = featuring Missy Elliott
| writer7 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|Melissa Elliott|K. Dean}}
| extra7 = Swizz Beatz
| length7 = 4:17
| title8 = BM
| note8 = Skit
| writer8 =
| extra8 = Icepick
| length8 = 1:01
| title9 = Love Is Blind
| note9 = featuring Faith Evans
| writer9 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|Anthony Fields|K. Dean}}
| extra9 = Swizz Beatz
| length9 = 4:20
| title10 = Scenario 2000
| note10 = featuring DMX, The Lox and Drag-On
| writer10 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|Earl Simmons|M. Smalls|David Styles|Jason Phillips|Sean Jacobs|K. Dean}}
| extra10 = Swizz Beatz
| length10 = 3:50
| title11 = Dog Match
| note11 = featuring DMX
| writer11 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|E. Simmons|K. Dean}}
| extra11 = Swizz Beatz
| length11 = 4:19
| title12 = My Bitches
| note12 = Skit
| writer12 = {{hlist|Jay Jackson|D. Dean|E. Simmons|K. Dean}}
| extra12 = Swizz Beatz
| length12 = 1:08
| title13 = We On That Shit!
| note13 = featuring P. Killer Trackz
| writer13 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|A. Fields|D. Dean|K. Dean}}
| extra13 = P.K.
| length13 = 3:25
| title14 = Chokie Nikes
| note14 = Skit) (featuring Diona, Eric and Grimy
| writer14 =
| extra14 = Icepick
| length14 = 1:04
| title15 = Maniac
| note15 = featuring Swizz Beatz
| writer15 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|D. Dean|K. Dean}}
| extra15 = Swizz Beatz
| length15 = 4:22
| title16 = My Enemies
| note16 = Skit
| writer16 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|K. Dean}}
| extra16 = Swizz Beatz
| length16 = 1:43
| title17 = Heaven Only Knows
| writer17 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|Michael Gomez}}
| extra17 = Shok
| length17 = 4:29
| title18 = What Y'all Want
| note18 = Remix) (bonus track
| writer18 = {{hlist|E. Jeffers|K. Dean|M. Gomez}}
| extra18 = Shok
| length18 = 4:05
| total_length = 57:09
}}
Personnel
Credits for Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady adapted from AllMusic.{{cite web |title=Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryder's First Lady: Credits |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r429523/credits|pure_url=yes}} |author=Eve |work=AllMusic |access-date=November 17, 2009}}
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
- Adam "Bunnie" Grossman – engineer
- Adam Gazzola – instrumentation
- Charles Duffy – art direction, design
- Chris Theis – engineer
- Dee Dean – executive producer
- DMX – performer
- Eric – performer
- Eric Smith – engineer
- Eve – vocals
- The Icepick – producer
- Jonathan Mannion – photography
- Kithe Brewster – stylist
- Mario DeArce – editing
- P.K – producer
- Rich Keller – multi Instruments, mixing, instrumentation
- Ron Martinez – vocals
- Shok – producer
- Swizz Beatz – producer, associate producer
- Taryn Simon – photography
- Tony Dawsey – mastering
- Tony Maserati – mixing
- Waah – executive producer, art direction, design
{{div col end}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady !Chart (1999) !Peak |
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|16|artist=Eve|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 28, 2020}} |
| scope="row"|Canadian R&B Albums (Nielsen SoundScan){{cite web|url= http://www.canoe.com/JamMusicCharts/RANDB.html|title=R&B : Top 50|website=Jam!|date=October 4, 1999|access-date=January 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991007034354/http://www.canoe.com:80/JamMusicCharts/RANDB.html|archive-date=October 7, 1999}}
|style="text-align:center;"|1 |
|---|
| {{album chart|Billboard200|1|artist=Eve|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 28, 2020}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|1|artist=Eve|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 28, 2020}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 1999 Year-end chart performance for Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady !Chart (1999) !Position |
| scope="row"|US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ|title=1999 The Year in Music|magazine=Billboard|volume=111|issue=52|page=YE-56|date=December 25, 1999|access-date=May 24, 2021}}
|96 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ|title=1999 The Year in Music|magazine=Billboard|volume=111|issue=52|page=YE-56|date=December 25, 1999|access-date=May 24, 2021}}
|31 |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2000 Year-end chart performance for Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady !Chart (2000) !Position |
| scope="row"|US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2000/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 15, 2021|archive-date=January 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110171552/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2000/top-billboard-200-albums|url-status=live}}
|91 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ehEEAAAAMBAJ|title=2000 The Year in Music|magazine=Billboard|volume=112|issue=53|page=YE-52|date=December 30, 2000|access-date=May 24, 2021}}
|43 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Eve|title=Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady|award=Gold|relyear=1999}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Eve|title=Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1999|salesamount=2,000,000|salesref={{cite magazine|first=Mariel|last=Concepcion|magazine=Billboard|date=June 9, 2007|title=A bad rap?|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_7BIEAAAAMBAJ/page/n23|pages=24–25|via=Internet Archive|access-date=February 3, 2022| volume=119 | issue=23}}}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}