The Best of Ivy Queen

The five tracks on The Best of Ivy Queen which were originally from Diva were recorded between 2000 and 2003. These are "Papi Te Quiero" from the platinum edition of Diva along with "Sangre", a collaboration with Mexicano 777, "Me Acostumbré", "Tuya Soy" and "Guillaera". The other seven tracks, "Dale Volumen", "Dile", "Rebulera", "Mi Barrio", the lead single "Chika Ideal", "Ángel Caído", "Matando" and "Mi Sitaución", were on Real.

Disc two consists of music videos from her early discography up until the compilation's release. These include songs on her fifth studio album, Flashback ("Muchos Quieren Tumbarme" and "Reggae Respect") while "In The Zone", a duet with the Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean appeared on her 1998 studio album, The Original Rude Girl.

Production of both albums was by a variety of hip hop and reggaetón producers,[1] including Noriega, DJ Nelson, Ecko, Tony "CD" Kelly, DJ Adam, DJ Alex, DJ Eric, Rafi Mercenario and Dennis Nieves. Diva was released on August 19, 2003, and independently distributed by Real Music Group. On January 27, 2004, Diva: Platinum Edition was released with five remixes of songs on the original Diva album.[2]

Real was released on November 26, 2004. The album's original release date had been set for September 2004, but this was delayed to November 26.[1] The album was also released in "edited" and "clean" versions.[3] It was re-released on September 25, 2007, on Machete Music,[4] as a result of Ivy Queen's success with her seventh studio album, Sentimiento, which was certified platinum within two months of its release.[5]

The mid-tempo, "bubble-gum pop" "Papi Te Quiero" ("Baby I Love You"), named one of the album's biggest hits, "pairs a straightforward love song with the well known reggae riddim Buyout."[6] Ramiro Burr of Billboard stated "Papi Te Quiero" showcases how "effortlessly and quickly she alternately sings and raps, claiming that she has a distinct vocal style that evokes Gwen Stefani".[7] Although, the literal translation of "Papi Te Quiero" is "Daddy I Love You", it is not directed towards Queen's father but to her love interest; "Papi" can be translated to "baby".[8] "Dale Volumen" ("Add Volume"), in a minor key, is characterized by simple harmonic progressions, synthesizers and stick-drum percussion and influenced by reggae and Afro-Latin music.[9]

"Dile" ("Tell Her") features lilting rhythms from Colombia (including cumbia),[10] combining Latin vallenato with reggaetón.[11] Queen noted that she sang the song without rapping to prove she is a complete musician and not just a rapper.[11] "Me Acostumbré" ("I Got Accustomed") and is a "hip-hop ballad".[12] "Rebulera", composed in minor-key song, has Queen asserting that she is "queen" in the genre of reggaetón. The track features synthesizers and strings, and is influenced by reggae and Afro-Latin music.[13] "Mi Barrio" ("My Hood") criticizes "the problems present in Añasco, Puerto Rico".[11] Queen compared the song to "Corazones" by Daddy Yankee from his album, Barrio Fino (2004).[11] On "Tuya Soy", ("I'm Yours") she explains "the story of woman who suspects her husband of infidelity", a controversial theme which has been prominent in Queen's lyrical content.[14]

"Chika Ideal" ("Ideal Girl") assures the protagonist's lover that she wants to be with him and fulfill his dreams.[15] "Guillaera" (Attitude), a duet with Gran Omar, explains what type of man she does and does not desire.[14] Another collaboration with Gran Omar, "Matando" ("Killing"), follows. The song explores dancing in a club.[15] It, in a minor key, features the synthetic instrumentation of techno music.[16] "Muchos Quieren Tumbarme" ("Many Want To Knock Me Down"), alludes to a boxing match with the phrase "many want to knock me down", and cites female empowerment as a prominent theme in the song.[17] In addition to this, she degrades the thought of women's power being underestimated.[17] She speaks directly to men requesting that they not be cowards.[17] She then argues that women are actively struggling for equality among their male peers, later asserting that "women are coming strong".[17] "Reggae Respect" musically returns to the early styles of "old school reggaetón".[18] "Quiero Bailar" ("I Want To Dance") incorporates the Liquid riddim, a musical riddim produced by the "Jamaican cross-over guru" Jeremy Harding.[19] The song's lyrics warn her dance partner not to misinterpret her moves.[20] In the song, she berates a lover who thinks that just because they dance she is automatically going to bed with him.[21]

The Best of Ivy Queen entered the Billboard Latin Albums chart at #60 in the issue week of January 7, 2006. A week later, it reached the peak position of #55.[22] It became Ivy Queen's second album to chart on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Albums chart after Flashback (2005) reached #3 on the chart, while her following studio album, Sentimiento, (2007) reached #1 on the chart two years later.[23] The Billboard Latin Rhythm Albums chart along with the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart were introduced after both Diva and Real were released deeming the two albums to be eligible to appear on the chart.

In terms of chart performance, Diva was a commercial success. It was her first commercially successful album, peaking at #24 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart.[24] On the Billboard Top Heatseekers (South Atlantic) chart, the album peaked at #8.[25] On the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, the album peaked at #4.[26] On the Billboard Tropical Albums chart, the album peaked at #1, spending four non-consecutive weeks at the top with a total of 86 weeks on the chart.[27] On the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, Real peaked #25, one position higher than Diva.[28] On the Reggae Albums chart, the album peaked at #4, her highest peak on the chart with Diva reaching the same position, while spending a total of 17 consecutive weeks on the chart.[29] On the Billboard Tropical Albums chart, the album peaked at #6.[30] Queen was unable to enter the Billboard 200 until 2007, when her sixth studio album, Sentimiento, reached #105 on the chart.[31]