Eve Serves Notice That She’s Ready to Join Hip-Hop Elite

*** EVE

“Scorpion”

Ruff Ryders/Interscope

After Lil’ Kim’s letdown album and the lack of attention accorded Rah Digga’s excellent debut release last year, it seemed as if there were no female rappers around with the combination of musical skills and marketing power to propel them to the land of Eminem and Nelly.

Eve should change that situation with her second album. The 16-cut follow-up to 1999’s “Let There Be Eve . . . Ruff Ryders’ First Lady” features a few catchy club tunes that will set off parties, and enough rough-riding tracks to satisfy hard-core hip-hop fanatics. The latter group will be barking like DMX for “Scream Double R,” a bouncy boast-fest on which the New York rapper is a guest, while radio fans are sure to make “Who’s That Girl?” a highly requested number. The Philadelphian also flexes surprisingly strong singing chops on an update of the reggae staple “No, No, No” with two of Bob Marley’s sons, Damian and Stephen.

But it’s “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” that makes this album worth getting. Over a textured, Dr. Dre-produced track featuring guitar riffs so sexy they alone could seduce you, Eve raps with confidence about her staying power while No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani pops in to sing the chorus.

*

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.