Eve opens up about her long and complicated career in her new memoir (Picture: Eve)
The rap genre has never been welcoming to female emcees, a reality that Eve, one of hip-hop’s most iconic figures, is now openly and bravely addressing.
Her forthcoming book Who’s That Girl?: A Memoir, which marks 25 years since her debut album Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady, explores what it meant for Eve to attempt to break through in an industry designed to set her up for failure and self-doubt – and she’s not pulling any punches.
Sitting down with Metro.co.uk from her home in London, Eve displayed the kind of level-headed insight about her own story that’s usually only possible for an outside observer.
The way the rapper, 45, reflects on her long and celebrated career is almost as if she’s speaking about someone else – maybe a younger, messier sister for whom she has limitless compassion. For Eve, the quarter century since her debut album rocked the music industry has been as much about healing as it’s been about maintaining relevance.
‘I say sometimes that I have PTSD, and some people are like, that’s a little harsh, but in a way it is PTSD. I have these feelings and issues and to be quite honest, a lot of it…’ she trails off, trying to think of a concise way to make her point.
Eve’s memoir comes out on September 26 (Picture: Eve)
Eve was a defining force on 00s hip hop (Picture: Ollie Millington/Redferns)
‘I take responsibility for the parts of me that were numbing myself and maybe burying my head, but in the same token, you know, I think there’s a lot of women in the business that have their own trauma when it comes to being in this male-dominated space.’
Unfortunately, very little has changed since Eve’s heyday. When she first rose to prominence in 1999, she became only the third female rapper to top the Billboard 200. Shockingly, more than two decades later, there have only been five women to achieve that same feat.
‘That’s insane,’ she exclaims when this is pointed out. ‘I mean that’s insane. There’s still an issue,’ she says, firmly. She adds that while the landscape has improved with more female MCs like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion dominating the charts, the underlying bias remains.
The icon opened up about the toxicity of the rap industry in the 90s (Picture: Eve)
Even as recently as last year, during the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the overwhelming focus on male artists was undeniable, with the foremothers of modern rap – emcees like Eve – being largely ignored. ‘You know, especially in America, there were exhibitions, there were concerts that would be 25 or 30 men and maybe two females, and Im like what is this? What are we doing? Like, how are we still here?’
Even when Eve was invited into the room where it happens, she was made to feel like staying in that position required far more of her than it …read more
Source:: Metro
