Arabic version: إيف تتأمل الراب والصمود وإيجاد التوازن

According to The Guardian, Grammy-winning rapper and actor Eve has reflected on her path from Philadelphia rap battles to major-label success, describing the determination that shaped her career and the pressures she later faced. Born Eve Jihan Jeffers in Philadelphia in 1978, she began rapping at 11 and decided by 15 that music was her goal.

Eve said Philadelphia’s reputation for toughness influenced her approach. She recalled battling boys at school and developing an obsession with words and poetry. After meeting Ma$e in her late teens, she was encouraged to pursue rap seriously and signed to Dre’s Aftermath under the name Eve of Destruction. She was dropped eight months later, an experience she described as devastating but one that helped prepare her for later success.

She subsequently joined Ruff Ryders, which she called a safe place and a hip-hop boot camp. Her 1999 debut, Let There Be Eve … Ruff Ryders’ First Lady, entered the Billboard 200 at No 1. Its follow-up, the platinum-selling Scorpion, included “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”, which won a Grammy. Eve said she pushed for Gwen Stefani to appear on the track despite initial resistance in label meetings, where she was often the only woman in the room.

Eve also discussed burnout after Scorpion, saying she struggled with anxiety and depression when mental health was not widely discussed. She said the demands of combining music, acting and television became unsustainable, leading her to focus on being happy and healthy through therapy, acupuncture and healing work. Eve, who appeared in the Barbershop films and starred in the sitcom Eve, said rapping in her 40s feels different because she is now present and no longer has people pressuring her to sell records. She is set to tour the UK and Europe in 2027.