07/29/2024

Rapper Eve traces her arc from the Philadelphia projects to the top of the charts in this galvanizing personal history. Taught to love hip-hop by her aunt (who “slept with the radio on”), Eve was the only girl at her West Philadelphia high school who regularly participated in rap battles. She’d often cut class to attend music video shoots and perform her original songs at local talent shows, but it took a chance conversation with rapper Ma$e while she was dancing at a strip club to convince her that her rap dreams were possible. In exuberant prose, Eve highlights the thrill of recording her first demo, “Eve of Destruction” (“I thought I had arrived and was living the dream”), and signing with the hip-hop label Ruff Ryders; offers behind-the-curtain peeks at the writing and recording of her four full-length albums (each one gets its own chapter); and recounts the birth of her son in 2022. Her straightforward reflections shine brightest when she discusses the struggles of making it as a woman in the rap game. The result is a vibrant testament to self-belief. Agent: Robert Guinsler, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Sept.)

A vibrant testament to self-belief.”—Publishers Weekly

08/09/2024

When Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders' First Lady was released in 1999, rapper Eve became only the third woman rapper to have a number-one album on the Billboard 200. But making history was not an easy road. Eve's memoir, written with hip-hop journalist Kathy Iandoli (King of New York: A New Mafia Tale), explores her life starting in West Philadelphia's Mill Creek housing projects to her successful career as a rapper, actor, producer, and designer. Eve talks candidly about growing up in Philly, being discovered by Ma$e while dancing in New York, becoming the first woman Ruff Ryder, and navigating being hip-hop's It girl at only 21. Eve writes frankly about being a woman in the music industry and working in film and television. She doesn't shy away from the downside of her early fame—from drug and alcohol use to paralyzing anxiety—sharing the ups and downs of stardom. She ends with details of her relationship with her husband, Maximillian Cooper, her struggles to conceive, and the birth of her son, Wilde Wolf. VERDICT Eve's historic place in hip-hop is highlighted in this candid memoir that will appeal to both music lovers and fans of the artist.—Rebekah J. Buchanan

2024-07-10
The pioneering, multihyphenate female rapper traces her odyssey from vulnerable teenager to fierce superstar.

Eve (born Eve Jihan Cooper) recounts her childhood raised poor in West Philadelphia’s Mill Creek housing project. She had an early affinity for music and eschewed college to pursue a career as a rap artist. After relocation to New York City, Eve endured a brief, “pretty sobering” stint as a topless dancer. She started rapping for customers, one of whom turned out to be newly discovered talent Ma$e, who ushered her into the industry. As “Eve of Destruction,” complete with her signature paw print chest tattoos, she rose to fame amid industry manipulation, misconception, and cutthroat competition. It didn't help to be condescended to by stars such as Jay-Z, who offered congratulations on her 1999 Billboard chart–topping debut album,Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady, yet foresaw its inevitable failure "because female hip-hop albums don’t really do that well” within the predominantly male-dominated rap music industry. On the contrary, to date she has produced four successful albums, not to mention her numerous film and television credits. Co-authored by hip-hop journalist Iandoli, her earnestly written memoir shares many memories: the melodrama of creating songs and albums with numerous producers and co-writers; a collaboration with Prince; becoming the new “it” girl in hip-hop; the downside of touring at 21 “trapped in a hurricane of my own making”; and becoming the first artist to win a Grammy for best Rap/Sung collaboration. She also reveals the intimate details of her relationship with husband Maximillion Cooper and the numerous fertility challenges she faced before their first child, Wilde Wolf, was born in 2022. Eve fans will have a lot of behind-the-scenes details to savor in this inspirational and heartfelt self-portrait.

A potent, passionate celebrity autobiography grounded in authenticity and fearlessness.