Milestones: Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady by Eve
Milestones: Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady by Eve
Eve’s journey from being dropped by Dr. Dre to becoming the First Lady of Ruff Ryders. Her strength and determination helped her rise above setbacks and establish herself as a force in hip-hop.
In 1997, Eve Jihan Jeffers faced a major setback when Dr. Dre replaced her with Eminem at Aftermath Records, threatening to derail her budding career. Initially dabbling in music as a teenager, her passion ignited after an unexpected meeting with Mase at a Bronx strip club where she briefly worked. After impressing an executive at Dr. Dre’s label, she auditioned, flew to Los Angeles, and was swiftly signed. However, eight months later, Dre met Eminem, and Eve found herself back in Philadelphia.
This disappointment, however, only strengthened her resolve. She seized an opportunity with Ruff Ryders, a New York crew transitioning from management to label in the late ‘90s. Eve distinguished herself with her platinum-blonde buzz cut and signature paw-print tattoos on her chest. “They made me write and recite constantly,” she said. “It was like boot camp. You had to prove yourself to them, and that’s what made me a better MC.”
In 1998, as DMX released two platinum albums under Ruff Ryders, Eve began her ascent. Her only prior credit was a track on the Bulworth soundtrack, released under Eve of Destruction. In 1999, she appeared uncredited alongside Erykah Badu on the Roots’ hit “You Got Me” and collaborated with Blackstreet, Janet Jackson, and Ja Rule on “Girlfriend/Boyfriend.” She showcased different styles on each: seductive and sly on one, straightforward wit on another. Her first official release, the salsa-infused “What Ya Want” featuring Nokio of Dru Hill, quickly entered the Top 40.
Despite the crew’s heavy presence, Eve carved out her space. She found room to shine even when her ideas seemed to fit into pre-existing Swizz Beatz productions—such as on “Scenario 2000” with DMX, Drag-On, and The LOX. One skit, “My Bitches,” directly responds to DMX’s “My Niggas,” serving as a manifesto: “My girls who take care of their kids/My girls that you don’t respect/My girls that you always neglect/You guys aren’t real, you guys aren’t anything.” Her lyrics may appear simple on paper, but they resonate with the heartfelt urgency that Philadelphia rap is known for.
Although Ruff Ryders attempted to overshadow her work, Eve’s album is a declaration of independence, where she outperforms the men at their own game. The album doesn’t venture into experimentation—that would come later with her blockbuster Scorpion—but Eve navigates the beats with agility, overcoming Swizz Beatz’s sparse production. Critics and collaborators often attributed her success to her ability to compete with the guys without sacrificing her femininity; Touré described her as “a thug with curves” in a Rolling Stone review. She had to balance being the “pitbull in a skirt” and managing gender expectations before the concept of the “Cool Girl” became mainstream. This framework was oppressive and offensive, mirrored across various genres, and Eve challenged it by using hardcore rap to assert her power.
Amid the Y2K craze and anxieties about the future, Eve released her debut album, Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders’ First Lady. At 21, she became one of the few women to reach the top of the Billboard 200 with a rap album. As the “first lady” of Ruff Ryders, she joined the ranks of Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, Mia X, and Rah Digga, each with their unique styles. Lauryn Hill had also recently achieved monumental success after leaving the Fugees.
Many of these women were exceptionally talented, often more so than their male peers, but frequently had less creative control over their projects. This tension is evident throughout Eve’s debut album. The dominant Ruff Ryders energy is unmistakable; Eve isn’t even the first voice heard on her album. The opening track, “First Lady,” features Swizz Beatz and a male chorus chanting, “When I say E-VAY, y’all say E/When I say RU-UFF, y’all say RYDERS.” On “Let’s Talk About,” Drag-On’s ad-libs precede her entrance, making her arrival feel like a ray of sunshine breaking through clouds.
She defined herself boldly as a feminist and former stripper who loved her male crew but held a particular allegiance to her female friends. The album’s leading singles expressed loyalty to both. “Gotta Man” is an upbeat anthem about being devoted to a partner, featuring lines about bail money and kept secrets. “Love Is Blind,” a semi-autobiographical single, recounts her best friend’s abuse and envisions revenge: “I don’t even know you, and I’d kill you myself/You played with her like a doll and put her back on the shelf/Wouldn’t let her go to school and better herself/She had a baby by you, and you didn’t give any help.” As a teenager, I often cried to this song; though far from my personal experience, it felt like a warning of a possible grim future.
In 2000, Eve appeared on The Queen Latifah Show with the friend mentioned in “Love Is Blind,” turning personal experience into a public service announcement. Women like Salt-N-Pepa and Lil’ Kim had previously pushed hip-hop toward sex-positive feminism. Eve advanced this by rapping about sex—“You make me come, I might flood the block/Wet up your socks”—while also addressing complex, gritty narratives reflective of real life. She counterbalanced the glossy fantasies dominating the charts, like a hard-hitting documentary amid Disney fairy tales.
After the album’s release, Eve experienced depression, feeling overwhelmed by the rapid changes in her professional life. “I was 21,” she told Ebony in the August 2001 issue, “and there was nobody I felt I could really talk to who understood what I was going through. I was growing, changing from a young woman into a woman.”
She overcame this by gaining more creative control and producing Scorpion, a more pop-oriented album featuring “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” which won the first Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. She had moved from working with Drag-On and Swizz Beatz to collaborating with Gwen Stefani and Dr. Dre. In doing so, she expanded the possibilities for women rappers. While her peers like Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown were becoming fashion ‘It Girls,’ Eve aimed higher than appearing in luxury brand ads. “Some of y’all ain’t writing well, too concerned with fashion,” she rapped with a hint of smugness. Yet she soon launched her clothing line, the cherished but short-lived Fetish by Eve.
All the while, she had predicted an early retirement from music, telling a reporter she didn’t think she’d continue making music after 25. She wanted to act, direct, or engage in philanthropy. In the years since Scorpion, she appeared in several major films but released only two albums, keeping her promise.
Great (★★★★☆)