Eve's second studio album, Scorpion (2001) was released to similar success. Its lead single, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" (featuring Gwen Stefani) peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and won her the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, as well as an MTV Video Music Award. Her third album, Eve-Olution (2002) found continued success and yielded the single "Gangsta Lovin'" (featuring Alicia Keys), which likewise peaked at number two on the chart. It also spawned the Dr. Dre-produced single "Satisfaction", which, along with her 2007 single "Tambourine" (featuring Swizz Beatz) and guest performance on City High's 2001 single "Caramel", peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. She also guest featured on Gwen Stefani's Grammy Award-nominated 2004 single "Rich Girl", which received double platinum certification by the RIAA. After parting ways with Interscope Records, Eve released her fourth studio album, Lip Lock (2013) as her first independent project.
At the age of 18, she worked as a stripper until rapper Mase convinced her to quit.[3][4] In 1999, Eve discussed stripping in an interview with Rolling Stone, saying "that was a hustle, too; there's a song about it on my album, 'Heaven Only Knows.' But I don't regret it – I was eighteen and confused, going through personal problems. I did it for about a month, and I was glad I did it. It helped me find Eve, helped me get serious. It was depressing – a lot of those girls have three or four kids. I'd sit there and be like, 'Eve, you don't belong here, this is not your world.'"[5]
Eve's first musical interest was singing. She sang in many choirs and even formed an all-female singing group (Dope Girl Posse or EDGP) with a manager.[6] This group covered songs from En Vogue and Color Me Badd. The group's manager suggested that they should start rapping, and Eve stuck with it. After the group split up, Eve began working on a solo career under the name "Eve of Destruction".[6]
Career
1998–2001: Beginnings, debut album and breakthrough
Her debut album called Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady was released on September 14, 1999, by Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Interscope Records.[9][2] It sold 213,000 copies in the first week. The album has sold over 2 million copies (according to SoundScan) and is certified Double Platinum. The album features singles such as "Gotta Man" and "Love Is Blind".[9] "Love Is Blind" was written when she was 16 and based on her 17-year-old best friend's relationship with a 35-year-old abusive man by whom she became pregnant.[10] All of the songs on the album were written by Eve herself.[11]
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. In November 1999, Eve was featured on Missy Elliott's single "Hot Boyz (Remix)" along with Nas, Lil Mo, and Q-Tip.[11] The remix broke the record for most weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart on the issue dated January 15, 2000; as well as spending 18 weeks at number one on the Hot Rap Singles from December 4, 1999, to March 25, 2000.[11]
In 2002, Eve appeared on the remixed version of Michael Jackson's "Butterflies". She appeared in the action film XXX (2002) and all three Barbershop films (Barbershop,Barbershop 2: Back in Business, andBarbershop: The Next Cut). In 2003, Eve starred as a fashion designer called Shelly Williams in the television sitcom, Eve.[18] The show followed two sets of male and female friends attempting to navigate relationships with the opposite sex.[18] The show aired for three seasons on UPN from September 15, 2003, to May 11, 2006.[18] Eve guest starred as Yvette Powell in an episode of NBC's crime drama television series Third Watch. In 2004, she appeared in two films, The Woodsman and The Cookout.[19]
She played Ophelia Franklin in the British drama film Flashbacks of a Fool (2008). In 2009, she landed a role as Rosa Sparks in the comedy-drama film Whip It, opposite Elliot Page and Drew Barrymore.[23] It received generally positive reviews from critics but did not perform well financially, having made $16.6 million worldwide against its $15 million budget. Also in 2009, she portrayed La-La Buendia in an episode of CBS' crime drama series Numbers and appeared in two episodes of Fox's musical comedy-drama series Glee, appearing as Grace Hitchens.[24][25] She portrayed Latisha in the crime thriller film 4.3.2.1. (2010) alongside Emma Roberts and Tamsin Egerton. Eve hosted the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards.[26]
In 2007, Eve began working on a new album titled Here I Am.[31] Five of the album's songs were produced by Swizz Beatz, including the singles "Tambourine" and "Give It to You" (featuring Sean Paul). "Tambourine" debuted at number 73 on the BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the week of April 19, 2007. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 38, two weeks before the song's physical release. "Tambourine" peaked at number 18 there and was her fifth consecutive top twenty solo hit in the UK. The song peaked at number 68 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007,[32] and was placed at number 70 on MTV Asia's list of Top 100 Hits of 2007.[33]Pharrell Williams produced the song "All Night Long", in which Eve sings rather than raps.[34][35] The album ran into a series of delays due to corporate change at the record label and discontent with the lackluster success of the singles.
The album was renamed twice from "Here I Am" to "Flirt" to "Lip Lock". After Eve left Interscope Records and signed with EMI, Lip Lock was expected to be released in 2011, but it was delayed again. In 2012, Eve decided to release the album as an independent artist, and stated that there will be several buzz singles before the official single release.[36][37] In an interview with Billboard, Eve stated that "one of the biggest things that I wanted to do on this album was make people realize why they fell in love with me in the first place and then take them on a journey to where I am now musically. My ear is different but I think people will recognize me. I think you'll hear that I'm in a happy place. I miss my music. My hunger is different than the first time around".[38] On October 9, 2012, Eve released a promotional single titled "She Bad Bad" on iTunes.[39] In November 2012, Eve released a series of weekly remixes on YouTube called EVEstlin' Tuesdays, in which she added freestyle rap verses on 2012 hit singles, such as Rihanna's "Diamonds" and Miguel's "Adorn".[40]
On March 6, 2021, Eve released a 20th anniversary re-release of her album Scorpion with four new remixes.[65] On June 16, 2021, Eve and Trina battled in the webcast series Verzuz.[66]
On March 8, 2021, it was announced that Eve was to join the cast of American Broadcasting Company's music series Queens, alongside Naturi Naughton and Brandy.[67][68][69][70] In May 2021, it was announced the show was being picked up for a full series,[71][72][73][74] followed by the first official trailer, released on May 18, 2021.[75] On October 1, 2021, the first promo single from Queens ("Nasty Girl")
was released featuring Eve alongside the cast: Brandy, Naturi Naughton and Nadine Velazquez.[76] A music video, directed by Tim Story, was released on the same day.[77] This was followed on October 18, 2021, by another rap song from the Queens soundtrack: "The Introduction", which was co-written by Nas.[78]Queens debuted on October 19, 2021, and reviews were largely positive; Caroline Framke for Variety praised the quartet's musical offering, calling their raps "sharp and distinct […] making clear their talent as both individuals and a swaggering collective".[79] Angie Han for The Hollywood Reporter called the show "Impressive […] lavish […] magic".[80] The show was cancelled in early 2022 after one season.[81]
In 2003, Eve launched a clothing line titled Fetish which was targeted towards black women.[84][85] Fetish was discontinued in September 2009.[86][87]
Personal life
Eve divides her time between London, Los Angeles and New York. She began dating Maximillion Cooper in 2010.[88] The couple became engaged on December 25, 2013,[89] and married on June 14, 2014, in Ibiza, Spain. Eve has four stepchildren, all from Cooper's previous marriage.[90] In October 2021, Eve announced she was expecting her first child with Cooper.[91] Their first child, a son, was born on February 1, 2022.[92]
^ abcFrisby, Mister Mann (September 2, 1999). "Eve "n' the Score: All About Eve: Rapper Posed to Break Out of Germantown". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 47.
^Bromley, Melanie; Heller, Corinne (June 14, 2014). "Exclusive: Eve Is Married! Rapper Weds Maximillion Cooper in Ibiza". E! News. Retrieved November 2, 2020. The two have been together for about four three years and got engaged on Christmas Day last year. He shares four children with an ex-wife.