Eve has opened up about the early years of her music career. She recalled how Ruff Ryders and the late DMX helped create a protective environment for her as she navigated a male-dominated music industry.
The Grammy-winning rapper, born Eve Jihan Jeffers, discussed her rise from Philadelphia battle rapper to Ruff Ryders' First Lady in a new interview. She said her experiences before joining the hip-hop collective included encounters with male producers who appeared more interested in her than her music.
On Being Taken Seriously As an Artist
Eve recalled travelling to New York to play her demo to producers, only to be hit on and invited to dinner rather than being taken seriously as an artist. She described those experiences as the 'kind of bullshit that all women go through in most industries'.
Her experience changed after she was introduced to Ruff Ryders following her departure from Dr Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. Eve had been signed to Aftermath under the name Eve of Destruction, but was dropped after eight months. She later spent a month at her mother's home before receiving a call from Jimmy Iovine about meeting the New York-based collective.
'Ruff Ryders were my safe place,' Eve told The Guardian, explaining how different the group was from some of the people she had encountered.
'My Safe Place'
Rather than encouraging her to dress more provocatively, Eve said Ruff Ryders wanted to protect her image. She recalled that she liked wearing 'little heels and shorts and tube tops', while the collective would tell her to put on a vest and Timberland boots.
'They were like: 'Here, put this vest on! Get these Timberlands on!' she recalled.
The protection was part of a wider relationship that helped shape Eve's career. She said Ruff Ryders also taught her how to structure songs, having initially known her primarily as a battle rapper. She described the experience as a 'hip-hop boot camp.'
The 'Hip-Hop Boot Camp'
The collective included DMX, The Lox, Jadakiss and Swizz Beatz, with Eve becoming one of its most recognisable artists. Her debut album, Let There Be Eve... Ruff Ryders' First Lady, was released in 1999 and entered the US Billboard 200 at No. 1, making Eve the third female rapper to top the chart at the time.
Her follow-up album, Scorpion, arrived in 2001 and included Let Me Blow Ya Mind, her Grammy-winning collaboration with Gwen Stefani. Eve said she had to fight for the pairing during major-label meetings, where she was often the only woman in the room.
Executives were initially resistant to the idea because Eve was a rapper and Stefani was known as a rock singer. Eve said she insisted the collaboration would work and urged them to trust her judgement.
Pressures of Success
The rapper also reflected on the pressures that followed her success. She said the relentless workload after Scorpion contributed to burnout, while anxiety and depression were difficult to discuss publicly at the time.
Eve said she eventually sought therapy, acupuncture and other forms of healing after recognising that her lifestyle was unsustainable.
Now looking back on her career, Eve said she remains grateful for the people who supported her early on. She is preparing to tour the UK and Europe in 2027, continuing a career that has included music, acting and television.
Her recollection of Ruff Ryders offers a different perspective on the group's role in her career: alongside helping launch her music, Eve credits the collective with giving her a sense of safety and allowing her to remain herself while she learned to navigate the industry.
