Let Me Blow Ya Mind
"Let Me Blow Ya Mind" is a song by American rapper and singer Eve featuring fellow American singer Gwen Stefani. It was released on April 2, 2001, as the second and final single from the former's second album, Scorpion. It became Eve's highest-charting single on the US Billboard Hot 100 (later tied with 2002's "Gangsta Lovin'"), peaking at number two on the week of August 18, 2001. Worldwide, the song reached number 29 in Canada, number four in Australia and the United Kingdom, and number one in Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland.
"Let Me Blow Ya Mind" | ||||
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Single by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani | ||||
from the album Scorpion | ||||
B-side |
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Released | April 2, 2001 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:51 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Eve singles chronology | ||||
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Gwen Stefani singles chronology | ||||
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The song was listed at number seven on the 2001 Pazz & Jop list, a survey of several hundred music critics conducted by Robert Christgau.[2] It won a Grammy Award in 2002 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, which was a new category at the time.[3] The music video won the 2001 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video.
Composition and lyrics
"Let Me Blow Ya Mind" was written completely by Eve and produced by Dr. Dre and Scott Storch. Eve had previously been signed by Dr. Dre, but had then been dropped from his Aftermath label for lack of direction. After her second deal with Ruff Ryders, she was able to reconnect with Dr. Dre.[4][5] The lyrics address those who doubted Eve's ability to maintain mainstream popularity.[6] Eve was told that the song was "never going to work"; however, her chemistry with Gwen Stefani was strong.[7][8] The song is performed in the key of G♯ minor with a tempo of 90 beats per minute.[9][10]
Music video
In the video, Gwen Stefani and Eve are shown stopping at a red light. Eve brings in a gang of party crashers, and she tells Gwen to tag along. Gwen gets out of her car and gets onto a all-terrain vehicle. They crash a formal party (whose attendees include actor Udo Kier) with their loud music and rowdiness and are subsequently arrested. A Leona Helmsley lookalike appears in the video. She tells police officers about the disturbance as Stefani and Eve disrupt the party. Rapper/producer Dr. Dre also makes an appearance at the end of the video when he comes to jail and pays the bail for Eve and Stefani. Fellow Ruff Ryders Jadakiss and Styles P appear in a scene in which Eve acts as a bartender.
The video won the 2001 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video, and it was also nominated for Best Hip-Hop Video, losing to Outkast's "Ms. Jackson".[11]
Track listings
All versions of "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" feature Gwen Stefani.
Australasian CD single[12][13]
European enhanced CD single[15]
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UK CD single[16]
UK 12-inch single[17]
UK cassette single[18]
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Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[67] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Belgium (BEA)[68] | Platinum | 50,000* |
France (SNEP)[69] | Gold | 250,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[70] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[71] | Gold | 5,000* |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[72] | Platinum | |
Sweden (GLF)[73] | Gold | 15,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[74] | Gold | 20,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[75] | Platinum | 628,000[76] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | April 2, 2001 |
|
[77] | |
United Kingdom | August 13, 2001 |
|
[78][79] | |
Netherlands | CD | [78] | ||
Europe | August 20, 2001 | [78] | ||
Australia | [80] |
References
- "Eve, Usher, and More—Tracks That Take You Back To Summer of 2001". Billboard. August 23, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- "Jazz & Pop 2001: Critics' List". The Village Voice. February 12, 2002. Retrieved August 15, 2007.
- "2001 Grammy Winners". Grammy Awards. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- "Eve, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" (2002)". Rolling Stone Australia. January 26, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
- Markman, Rob (November 29, 2012). "Eve On Dr. Dre: I Didn't 'Like Being Told What To Do' - News". MTV. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
- Taylor, Chuck (April 14, 2001). "Reviews & Previes – Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 15. p. 31. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
- Gray, Arielle (October 21, 2021). "Eve Was Told 'Let Me Blow Ya Mind' Would 'Never Work.' She Made It Anyway". Glamour. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
- Crowder, Khaaliq (December 18, 2018). "Eve Says Her Record Label Had Trepidation About 2001 Gwen Stefani Collaboration". VIBE.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
- "Spot on Track – The Spotify Tracker". www.spotontrack.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- "Eve featuring Gwen Stefani: Let Me Blow Ya Mind Digital Sheet Music by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani". www.sheetmusicdirect.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- "MTV Video Music Awards | 2001 – Winners". MTV. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- "Eve feat. Gwen Stefani – Let Me Blow Ya Mind". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- Let Me Blow Ya Mind (Australasian CD single liner notes). Eve. Interscope Records, Ruff Ryders Entertainment. 2001. 497 562-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Let Me Blow Ya Mind (European CD single liner notes). Eve. Interscope Records, Ruff Ryders Entertainment. 2001. 497 590-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Let Me Blow Ya Mind (European enhanced CD single liner notes). Eve. Interscope Records, Ruff Ryders Entertainment. 2001. 497 605-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Let Me Blow Ya Mind (UK CD single liner notes). Eve. Interscope Records, Ruff Ryders Entertainment. 2001. 497 593 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Let Me Blow Ya Mind (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Eve. Interscope Records, Ruff Ryders Entertainment. 2001. 4975931.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Let Me Blow Ya Mind (UK cassette single sleeve). Eve. Interscope Records, Ruff Ryders Entertainment. 2001. 497 593 4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - "Issue 605" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
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