Eve lets The Coveteur raid her closet where she opens up about what it’s like making a comeback with a new tour, her iconic paw print tattoos and life advice she has received from a few of her celeb friends. Get the highlights inside….
She’s back!
Raptress Eve is stepping back into the limelight after going on hiatus to marry her British entrepreneur Maximillion Cooper and live life in the fab lane in London, along with her adorable French bulldog.
After kicking off the “This Is What the Truth Feels Like” tour with pop singer Gwen Stafani, the self-proclaimed “pitbull in a skirt” let The Coveteur raid her fabulous closet that is filled with high-end designers such as Dior, Givenchy, Smythson, Amen and Edeline Lee.
The Ruff Ryderz First Lady dishes to the site on what it’s like going out on tour after not touring in the States for a long time, why she hasn’t darkened her signature paw print tattoos that have faded since she got them, life and career advice she has received from Ice Cube, Queen Latifah and Snoop Dog, and making sure she takes time out for herself while traveling the nation.
Below are the highlights:
On taking time for herself while trekking around on tour: “It’s definitely difficult being on tour, but you have to remember to take time for yourself—whether that’s a steam, a workout, a massage. For me, it’s going to be walking [my dog] Hendrix. It’s a good excuse for me to get out for a minute, that’s so important. I’m really big on that. We don’t take enough time for ourselves. Sometimes, we just work work work, and you really do have to take time to recharge. Being on stage, that’s a lot of energy you put out, but it’s also a lot of energy you take in. You have to take care of yourself.”
On the theme of the tour with Gwen Stafani: “We worked really hard on my show for this tour. It’s really fun—I’m so excited! It’s definitely a lot of hard work though. I haven’t toured in the States in a long time. But, once I got the call about coming out with Gwen [Stefani], I was like, this is a good way to come back.”
“There’s a whole iridescent theme for my tour. I’m obsessed. So my nails match, too. I’m trying to make [manicurist Michelle Won] send me nails while I’m on tour so I can just press them on. Hair is my jewelry. Whatever mood, color, it definitely is what I’m feeling. This will probably be up to my chin in like a week. Getting to play with weaves and wigs is so fun. And then I can keep my hair underneath healthy.”
On how this tour is different from touring back in the day: “It is definitely ridiculously different now than it was when I first came into the industry, in a good and bad way. You don’t have to wait to try to get signed to a label. You can, literally, do whatever you want, whatever you need to do to get your own following. Put yourself out on social media, it’s all amazing. In other ways it’s not so amazing, in terms of how music gets sold now. Ultimately, as an artist, just do your thing, put your music out there, express yourself, find your following, be on social media. That, honestly, is just the best way. Even established artists, we have to do the same thing. Just put yourself out there.”
On her tattoos: “All my tattoos are stories for me. I remember what country, what city [I got them in.] I have one right here that is a Japanese symbol and I thought it meant “Evil Eve,” which is what my uncles used to call me when I was little because I used to pout a lot. I was such a snotty little kid. So I got that and then I went to Japan and this woman was like, ‘Aw, tiger!’ And I was like, ‘No, Evil!’ And she literally gave me the face like, ‘No bitch, I’m Japanese.’ It was crazy. And then it made more sense and as I got older, I’m glad that it doesn’t say evil. I’m glad it’s just tiger and not something nuts, it worked out well.”
On her paw print tattoos: “At first, I was terrified to show my mother [my tattoos.] Because it was a dare, it was just one of those things where I was like, ‘ok, cool, I’m going to do this.’ And it was before I had gotten into the industry. Now, it’s like a birthmark. It’s crazy. Thank god they’re not lopsided because that would’ve been shitty, haha. It’s weird because I don’t think about them unless someone else mentions them. I don’t dress around them. I used to when I was getting started, but now, I never really think about them. Sometimes, they’ll pop out and I’ll be like, ‘oh, right, that’s right. They’re still there.’ I like them now though because they’re faded. A friend of mine asked me, ‘Why don’t you get them darkened?’ And I was like, actually, I kind of like that they’re faded. They’ve grown with me.”
On good advice she has received from her celeb friends: “Knock on wood, I, actually, got good advice from good people. I got great advice from Ice Cube about people in your life and taking care of your business. If you give someone a certain amount of years and they don’t show up after that time, it’s time to rotate, which makes so much sense. Queen Latifah always told me to diversify and do other things and try new things. I got really lucky with some people in the business and the wisdom they gave me. And Snoop Dogg. I kind of forgot what he told me because we were smoking, haha. Like, ‘nuts, I do remember it was a very important conversation that was very helpful, but I don’t really remember’ haha. But, he is smart as fuck because he’s been around the industry so long.”
On acting:“[Acting] has been cool. I didn’t want to act at all. When I started getting offers, I was like that’s never going to happen. And then my manager was just like, ‘Get an acting coach.’ And I said, ‘Ok.’ So I got this one acting coach and she was like, ‘Look, every time you do a video, you’re acting.’ And then that completely changed my whole idea of it. And I was like, ‘okay, that makes sense.’ She slowly brought me into it and then I fell in love with it. I still get so nervous when I’m about to go on set. It’s not second nature the way singing is for me, so there’s nerves. Bu, I love it and I always want to do a good job. They’re good nerves because I want to rise to that challenge.”
On her beauty must haves:“My three must haves are face wipes, Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream and my perfume. If I can’t get a quick shower right after the show, at least I can wipe my face down and slather that Elizabeth Arden cream on.”
You can read her full interview here.
Eve and Gwen will hit the BB&T Pavilion stage in Camden, NJ tonight (July 19th).
Photos: Jake Rosenberg via The Coveteur
