Hip hop legend Eve joins Nelly, Ja Rule and other special guests on the “Where The Party At” Tour this summer.
The Recorder sat down with Eve Cooper — known professionally as Eve — to discuss musical milestones, balancing motherhood with work and what she hopes to bring Hoosier fans on the next stop of the “Where The Party At” Tour on Aug. 14 in Noblesville.
Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
How does it feel to be touring again? What has the overall vibe and response been for the cities you’ve already stopped in?
Eve Cooper: The crowds have been pretty great. They’ve been fun. I started in Europe, and then we had the month off and coming to America, I kind of was like, ‘Oh, I wonder how the crowds will be?’ And honestly, it’s pretty much been the same; everyone is just coming to have a good time.
What kind of energy do you hope to bring to Ruoff? Are there any surprises during your set that fans can anticipate (throwbacks, deep cuts or new twists, etc.)?
Cooper: There’s all of that. There’s definitely throwbacks. I designed the show so that it keeps it nostalgic in a lot of the songs. It takes you on a journey of my career, in a way, of some of my really, really early verses, really early songs. But then it brings you into some of the hits that I want people to sing, and takes them back to a place, but there are some new little spins on things. There’s some really fun visuals and things for people to look at.
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As you celebrate a few musical milestones with your debut album “Let There Be Eve” and “Scorpion,” are there any songs that hit differently at this point in your career?
Cooper: Yeah, they all do in a way when I perform them. Obviously, now it’s done in a way that I probably enjoy more than I did then. And to a certain extent, I think in the beginning of my career, even though it was fun … there was so much kind of hanging on, ‘Oh, this album is out.’ ‘This single has to do well,’ and things like that. Whereas now I perform these records, and I love them. I perform them just out of excitement for myself, but excitement from the crowd, the energy from the crowd.
You’ve had a dynamic career beyond music, including being an actress, TV host and fashion icon. You’re also a wife and a mom (congratulations!). When you think about performing now, which part of your identity shows up the most?
Cooper: It’s funny because my son is with me on the road. When I’m on stage, I put my superhero cape on, but as soon as I come off stage — like last night, for instance — you go straight back into ‘mom;’ you want to hug him, you want to comfort him. Onstage for sure, is my superhero, but at the same time, because he’s on the road, I’m wearing the ‘mom’ hat. When my husband’s here, I am wearing the ‘wife’ hat, so I don’t know. As all women, though, we just compartmentalize, and we just show up and do what we need to do.
“Let Me Blow Ya Mind” is just about as popular as when it first dropped. What is it about that era of music, or your work specifically, that still resonates with people today?
Cooper: I think it’s a few things. It’s a classic. It starts with Dre — the beat. Dr. Dre is, you know he is the godfather, pretty much. There’s the way that I wrote the lyrics as well, which he also helped with in the production of this record. And there’s Scott Storch on this record. I just think it’s one of those records that from beginning to end, it just is done precisely.
You’re considered one of the pioneering female rap artists of the ’90s and one of the first women to really hold her own in a crew like Ruff Ryders. What do you think about the way the role of women in hip hop has evolved in the last few years?
Cooper: I think it’s great. I do think that in my era, my time coming up, it was kind of a thing of the cosign of the crew for the one girl, basically, or the two girls to come out. Whereas now I think that, thankfully, there are so many other female voices in the landscape, and while I was very lucky and would never take anything back with Ruff Ryders, I think it’s great that these female voices can be out here and not be worried about the male cosign or the crew cosign, like they’re just out here doing their thing, living their life, and making the music that they want to make without that other part of it that’s not necessary.
What do you hope your Hoosier fans take away from this era of Eve — whether they’re long-time fans or just now discovering your music?
Cooper: I don’t take for granted that people want to hear my music and still want to come see me perform. So, for me, it’s important when people come see me, they leave feeling better than when they came. I just want them to feel and be happy, have an amazing time, kind of lose yourself in this hour, however long you’re going to be there.
Nelly’s Where The Party At Tour with Eve, Ja Rule and other special guests features a stop on Aug. 14 at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit ticketmaster.com.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
