Rap Song Mondays- Eve and Gwen Stefani "Let Me Blow Ya Mind"

If you remember back to last week (I know it’s hard, but just try), I mentioned in my first edition of Rap Song Monday that in competition with Missy Elliott’s “Work It” as my favorite rap/hip-hop song were two other songs. Well, coming this week is the second of those (with the third following next week) and that song is Eve and Gwen Stefani’s triumphant teaming on “Let Me Blow Ya Mind.”

Even before this song came out, I was (surprisingly) a fan of Eve’s. I had heard both her previous singles (“Love is Blind” and “Who’s That Girl?”) on TRL back in the day and loved them- and still do to this day. They were so different from what I was listening to at the time (Britney Spears, Dream, O Town, etc.) and really helped me to appreciate rap/hip-hop music.

And then came “Let Me Blow Ya Mind.”

I remember seeing the music video long before they started playing the song on the radio and was in awe of how fabulous it was. There is that iconic image of Eve and Gwen on that 4-wheeler riding down the street during the beginning of the video (and I am so pissed I can’t find a picture of it…damn Google Image search) that basically defines the whole attitude of the song- two women fighting their way through a male-dominated society and not giving a shit about the criticism being hurled at them. I love when they crash the party and seeing the horrified looks on the faces of the crusty white bitches as Gwen walks by in, basically, a bra and you can almost see their thought bubbles go “Oh my God, black people!” Eve, in her short, red-haired glory, never looked as great and natural and Gwen Stefani (a couple years before her “Hollaback Girl” success) radiates sex appeal and charisma. Just take a gander at this photo from when Gwen pushes some dopey white bitch away from the mike and sings the chorus:

I think it’s also important to point out that “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” is one of the few songs where I can just belt out most of the lyrics without the music or anything in the background. I don’t know what it is about the song that allows me to do that, but it happens for some off reason. My friend Laura argues that a rap song isn’t a rap song anymore when a white person can memorize all the words and sing along with it. I can see her point to a certain extent, but Eve is definitely a legitimate rapper and “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” although it does rather cater to a white majority audience, is a great rap song.

After “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” Eve tried to cash in again on this winning formula and did “Gangsta Lovin’” with Alicia Keys and even collaborated with Gwen again on “Rich Girl,” but neither of them can really stand up to the awesomeness that radiates from “Let Me Blow Ya Mind.” I really wish that Eve would come back from UPN/CW sitcom hell and make another CD to restore her to her former glory. Maybe she will get lucky again and make another song just as hot as “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”