The Ruff Ryders First Lady, Eve | Women’s History Month
Written by: Alexandra Paul
Graphics by: Anytza Delgado
One might know her from her iconic roles in some of your favorite movie franchises like Barbershop, or one of her hits ‘What Ya Want’. Eve is a multi-talented creative who has greatly influenced the female rap game as it exists today.
Born Eve Jihan Jeffers in 1978, she grew up in the projects in Philadelphia. She excelled at poetry at Martin Luther King High School and, even at an early age, had musical talents that she showcased regularly on the junior talent-show circuit. She even formed her own rap duo called EDJP with a friend.
Eve got her first big break when producer Dr. Dre signed her to Aftermath Entertainment. She was able to record a few tracks, one of which ended up on the Bulworth soundtrack in 1998, called “Eve of Destruction.” Although she was dropped from the label, Ruff Ryders signed her, and she got to experience being treated as an equal to her male counterparts which was something not all female rappers had the opportunity to experience.
Throughout her career, Eve has been known as an MC with a strong, no-nonsense personality who was able to hold her own and define success on her own terms. She has won two Grammys: one for “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” which won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Gwen Stefani, and one for “You Got Me.”
Her win for “You Got Me” was long overdue, as it won Best Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2000 Grammys, but Eve went uncredited, which excluded her from the award. When Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. was made aware of the situation, he wanted to make it right by presenting Eve with the Grammy at the Recording Academy Honors event during Grammy week in 2026.
Eve was heavily influenced by Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, and MC Lyte, who inspired her to hold her own in a heavily male-dominated field. In addition, she was influenced by Missy Elliott’s musicality, Lil’ Kim’s flow, and artists like LL Cool J. She released her memoir titled ‘Who’s That Girl’ in 2024 and then joined the Women in Rap Reunion Tour, which has sparked inspiration to create new music.