Grammy Award-winning rapper Eve is making her big comeback on the music scene with Lip Lock, her first new album since 2002's Eve-Olution. She stopped by What's Trending to chat with Shira Lazar and Ross Everett about working on the new tracks, major collaborations, and what on Earth she's been up to for the past decade!
"I've been just traveling and working, performing and recording," she says. "I had to get out of my other label deal. I had to find a new label deal and now it's just all good."
While we still have to wait for Lip Lock to be released on May 14, fans got their first taste of Eve's new work with the single and music video for "Make It Out This Town," featuring Gabe Saporta of Cobra Starhip.
She explains that the album didn't start out with the name Lip Lock, but rather went through a few different titles, including "Here I Am" and "Flirt," both of which are also individual tracks that didn't make it onto the album. However, she did keep one older song from two years ago -- a reggae track.
"It was very organic," she says of creating the record. "I chose to work with certain people, then we had a meeting. They wanted to be on the album. It happened."
The record also features some amazing collaborations including Snoop Lion, Missy Elliot, Dawn Richards, and a new young female MC, Nacho.
"Missy's really one of my friends in the industry," Eve says. "I've known her since I started." "She's such a visionary. She's, to me, such an inspiration."
Eve also speaks out about how the female rap scene has evolved since she was a pioneer of the genre, with many fresh faces having emerged in the industry.
female rapping world "Any time a girl can get out there, a female MC
"I'm girl power all day," she says. "There's just too much testosterone in the game. We, as females need a voice, need somebody to speak for us and represent us."
Finally, she sends us off with a teaser for the new album. "It's a more global sound," she says, citing her residence in London. "The songs are bigger, but lyrically, it's still me. I think that's what I wanted to come across with 'Lip Lock.'"
Subscribe to What's Trending for more exclusive interview with your favorite stars!