Eve

DMX, Eve, The LOX To Reunite On Ruff Ryders Tour

19 Jan 2012 18:18:05 EST

Swizz Beatz also onboard for U.S. and overseas dates, RR co-CEO Joaquin 'Waah' Dean tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman

DMX
Photo: Larry Busacca/ Getty Images

At their height, Ruff Ryders were one of the most electrifying crews in rap. Now, DMX, Swizz Beatz, Eve and the LOX are planning to reunite on an upcoming Ruff Ryders Tour. "Everybody's on deck. It's just that we're making sure all of the schedules are intact," RR co-CEO Joaquin "Waah" Dean told MTV News. Dates are still being finalized, but Dean confirmed that he expects the tour to start between March and April. The plan is for the crew to begin their run overseas and then come over to the U.S.

"We gonna take it nice and slow. We ain't gonna do like how we used to do, 30 or 40 cities; we not gonna go that far just yet," he said. "We gonna take it slow. Do a nice little five to 10 joints overseas and then some dates on this side just to build the momentum and have some fun with it." "We are all family and we're going to come back stronger than when we left. ... It's going to take the nation by storm," DMX told TMZ on Thursday (January 19). When the story was first reported by TMZ, there was some question concerning the LOX's involvement, but Dean insists that Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek Louch will be onboard. "LOX is done; can't do nothing without the LOX," he boasted. In addition to all the original members of Ruff Ryders, the tour will also showcase RR's new talent like Murda Mook. "We're not starting from scratch, but we're starting from a whole new generation who have to get familiar with us," Waah said. Will you check out the Ruff Ryders Tour? Let us know in the comments!

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Eve Is A 'Genius,' Says 'Get Em' Collaborator Wolfgang Gartner

22 Sep 2011 18:04:30 EDT

'This was meant to be,' Gartner tells MTV News of their collaboration.
By Akshay Bhansali

Eve
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/ WireImage

When MTV News caught up with rapper Eve and famed electronic dance music DJ/ producer Wol fgang Gartner, they were full of compliments for each other. The two collaborated on "Get Em," the latest single from Gartner's new album, Weekend in America, which dropped on Tuesday.

"She's a genius," gushed Gartner, who was born Joey Youngman. "The only two people on this album that I actually worked with in person were Eve and will.i.am. And I would say the same thing about both of them: that they are musical and lyrical geniuses. "The hook that she wrote for this song, there is something that can't really be put into words about it," he continued. "I've compared it to Sugar Hill Gang before. It's just got this old-school innocent-chant catchiness to it." When MTV News' Sway caught up with Eve, she too spoke very highly of working with Gartner. "I think he's great," Eve said. "What's crazy is that I had just finished doing a record with him, but I had never seen him perform. So I wrote the first verse to the record and felt like I needed to see him perform to finish the record because I don't know that world. So after I saw him perform I was like, 'Whoa, that's a whole other world.' I think he's great. In his lane he does amazing work. So I'm happy to be a part of that movement." In fact, Gartner has roped in quite a few hip-hop collaborators for Weekend, including will.i.am, Omarion and Cam'ron and Jim Jones. But observing Eve do her thing in the studio appeared to be extra-special for Gartner, who plans to shoot a video for "Get Em." "In the studio with her, just the way that she starts throwing out ideas and the way that stuff comes to her — they were things that obviously I would never think of, but I'm not a lyricist, so my mind doesn't work that way," Gartner said. "But the way that she wrote this song over the music, it flows with the song. The words work with the rhythm. It just forms one cohesive sound. "Whereas you hear a lot of dance rap tracks and it's like they wrote a rap and threw it over somebody else's beat, she wrote this thing to work with it and get embedded into it," he continued. "She was obviously feeling the beat. This was meant to be. These two things were meant to be together."

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Eve, Diplomats Turn Out For Wolfgang Gartner's Weekend In America

20 Sep 2011 18:40:43 EDT

'I could go on and on with what I feel for hip-hop,' the dance music producer tells MTV News of roping in all-star rap features on new album.
By Akshay Bhansali

Eve
Photo: Jason LaVeris/ FilmMagic

After a stint in Texas, electronic dance music producer Wolfgang Gartner moved back to his native California, where he resumed recording in a new studio. Now that he's all settled in, Gartner's got a treat for his fans too: a brand-new album that boasts so much hip-hop star power he may become to rap what superstar EDM producer David Guetta is to pop.

But longtime fans of Gartner that have been devoted to him for hits like "Undertaker" and "Animal Rights" need not worry: Even with the big collabos, the Wolfgang product sounds no less underground. Weekend in America, which dropped on Tuesday (September 20), features 11 tracks. Thematically, it's an effort borne of "life on the tour," according to Grammy-nominated Gartner. "There is definitely a sense of patriotism there," Gartner (born Joey Youngman) told MTV News recently. " 'Illmerica,' the track came far before I knew the album was going to be called Weekend in America. Once ['Illmerica'] became a song, I started having these mental images of when you're flying over the center of the U.S., you see the little houses and you see America. "And for some reason, that's what this song made me see: the soul of America, which is the bad part and the good part and all of the messed up stuff and the good stuff combined," the producer continued. "For some reason, that's just how it made me feel. "Weekend in America was more alluding to going out on the weekends playing these shows, [where] I'm playing these tracks that I've been making. I'm playing other people's tracks, too, but it's kind of a culmination of what I see and what I hear out there that influenced the making of this album." Even before its official release, America tracks like "Space Junk," "Menage a Trois" and "818" have already taken off as singles on the EDM scene. But with Tuesday's album release, Gartner emphasizes what his hard-core fans already knew: He's got a serious love for hip-hop. Rap princess Eve is featured on the party-hard "Get Em." Dipset's Cam'ron and Jim Jones jump on "Circus Freaks." Omarion belts on "Still My Baby" and as WG fans know, will.i.am gets busy on "Forever," which was released earlier this year. "I definitely listen to hip-hop more than I listen to dance music," Gartner confessed to us. "When I'm in my car, all I listen to is rap. Obviously, I'm really into the Dipset crew — that's like half my playlist right now, the new Jim Jones album. I listen to a lot of old Snoop and West Coast. A lot of old Biggie and the classics. Kanye. I really like Drake, Lil Wayne, that whole [YMCMB] crew. I could go on and on with what I feel for hip-hop." Of course, with that many hip-hop features on tap, many will draw comparisons to Guetta's pop crossover success, which has helped to bridge the dance and mainstream music worlds. But while their styles may be different, it's a comparison Gartner welcomes. "David Guetta has been instrumental in creating the climate that we have now, where I can work with Eve and I can work with will.i.am, and they are receptive, the public is receptive and radio is receptive," Gartner explained. "He played a role in opening the door up for people like me to do the same thing and have success. I think the dance music community, including myself, owes something to him for sort of paving the way for that." Weekend in America is available at Beatport.com. Next up for Gartner is the video for "Get Em," with Eve.

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20 Sep 2011 18:00:58 EDT

Wolfgang Gartner: The 'Weekend' Trip
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Wolfgang Gartner
Photo: MTV News

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Eve Talks 'Dope' Swizz Beatz Video For 'Everyday (Coolin')'

03 May 2011 18:14:34 EDT

'I couldn't keep up,' Eve confesses to MTV News about Swizz's dance moves in new black-and-white clip.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Eve
Photo: MTV News

It's been a while since fans have gotten to see Eve spitting some fiery verses while rocking killer couture. But the MC is back now, appearing on Swizz Beatz's funky track "Everyday (Coolin')," from his Haute Living album. She gives her quick cameo her signature sass. She spits, "Eve-y E, I'm back on my bullsh--/ Came back, came back, back with a full clip/ Who want problem, wah, wah, wah, who want flip?/ Gun taste, one lick, wanna get some of this/ You see that hot pink Birkin, that's a problem/ I'm hot like everything kickin', I'm a problem/ Yeah, I'm a walking bow/ You might talk a lil' one, but your looks are 'oh.' "

MTV News caught up with Eve on Monday, and she spoke to us about "Everyday (Coolin')" and the sleek new black-and-white video for it, which features lots of high-end fashion and one of Diddy's sons as one of the kid dancers. "The video, well, like you said, that's Swizz [being himself]. People don't know, Swizz's energy is through the roof, but that's what makes him him," Eve said. "It was a dope video. It's very stylish. It's in black-and-white, but you can see everything and Taj, who's an up-and-coming director, directed it and he's real dope." Flashing lights, high-octane energy and playful set-ups make for one eye-catching video. "[Taj] has a great eye and a lot of the stuff looks like it could have been a still picture, and I think that's how he wanted it," she said of the fashion-shoot vibe. "And I think, just look-wise, obviously, I wanted to make sure I looked amazing, so Swizz is beyond it. He's got his dance moves; I couldn't keep up. I couldn't keep up with the dance moves, but I think a lot of people are going to like the video." What do you think of Swizz and Eve's new video? Tell us in the comments!

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Eve Hopes To Avoid A 'Sex And The City' Moment On Heart Truth Catwalk

09 Feb 2011 17:27:01 EST

Rapper is walking in Heart Truth show during fashion week to raise awareness about heart disease.
By Jocelyn Vena

Eve
Photo: MTV News

Eve will be one of many celebrities sauntering down the catwalk for the Heart Truth fashion show, kicking off this season's New York fashion week. The Heart Truth aims to shed awareness on heart disease, which is a leading killer among women. This year's show will feature a number of celebrities, including Audrina Patridge, Camila Alves, Cat Deeley, Denise Richards, Dita Von Teese, Julianne Hough, Katrina Bowden and Natasha Bedingfield, to name a few.

When MTV News caught up with Eve recently, she opened up about prepping for the show. "It makes me feel like a lady," she said of her red David Meister dress. "Which is nice! I want to go to a ball in it! It's beautiful. I definitely will have to have good posture in this dress. It's a beautiful dress." Eve is known for her tough, street-smart style, and she said she wanted to show a new side of herself in the show. "From what I know about David's dresses, they are very elegant. They are very pretty. I did want to wear something that would sway with me on the runway, just because I'm not a model and I'm not trying to do a crazy walk. I guess this will help me walk down the aisle the right way." Sure, Eve has graced many a red carpet, but she admits that walking down the runway has her shaken. "I'm ridiculously nervous! I just hope it's over quickly. You know, I want everyone to see the dress and I want to walk. I don't want to run down the runway, but I'm scared. I am. I'm stressed, but my mom will be there," she explained, hoping to not trip and fall like Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City." "No 'Sex and the City' moments, even though she did look fabulous and she got up and kept it moving," she added. "So if it did happen, then we'll see."

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Eminem's 'Love The Way You Lie' Isn't First Video To Deal With Domestic Abuse

06 Aug 2010 15:56:17 EDT

Ludacris, Eve, Ashanti, Dixie Chicks have also dealt with the issue in their clips.
By Gil Kaufman

Rihanna performs in front of a burning house while filming a music video with Eminem for "The Way You Lie" on July 20
Photo: Danny Mayer/ Eric Ford/ On Location Photos

The shocking images of domestic violence in the new Eminem/Rihanna video for "Love the Way You Lie" have sparked a heated debate online about the depiction of an abusive relationship in a music video. And though Slim Shady has chronicled his contentious relationship with twice-ex-wife Kim Mathers throughout his career, the "Lie" video is certainly not the first time the topic has been dealt with in a video. The clip for Ashanti's 2003 song "Rain on Me" also depicted the seesaw battle between intense love and physical violence, as the singer moved from hugging and holding hands with her video boo to using makeup to cover the bruises and scars after their altercations. Similarly, Ludacris' collabo with Mary J. Blige on 2006's "Runaway Love" showed teenage runaways who fled their homes after abuse at the hands of their stepdads and mothers' boyfriends, who also laid hands on their mom. The topic has been ripe for other rappers, including Eve, who released "Love Is Blind" in 2000, which chronicled her anger at her friend's abusive boyfriend and her plot of revenge against him.

The topic has also been covered by country artists, including the Dixie Chicks, who took a kitschy, "Thelma & Louise" approach in their "Goodbye Earl" clip, in which the battered woman gets her revenge for landing in intensive care after a beating. In the video for 2002's "Family Portrait," Pink and her childhood doppelgänger relive the chaos and drama of "growing up in World War III" by trying to remember the good times, but not lingering on images of abuse. Even if they didn't address the issue directly in their videos, plenty of other acts have also written songs about dating and married violence, from Sublime ("Date Rape") and Nirvana ("Rape Me" and "Polly") to Christina Aguilera ("I'm Okay"), Tori Amos ("Me and a Gun"), Suzanne Vega ("My Name Is Luka") and Em's own "Kim." Nickelback sang about personal violence on their first major album, Silver Side Up, on the song "Never Again," which had harsh depictions of domestic abuse, and though the original video was never officially released — a live version was issued instead — it can still be found online. While Em's "Lie" has mostly been praised for its serious handling of the issue, another often controversial artist, shock rocker Marilyn Manson, was widely panned for his ultra-violent "Running to the Edge of the World" clip, in which he seemed to be glorifying violence against women by beating up on a bloodied female who resembled his then-ex-fiancée Evan Rachel Wood. How do you think "Love the Way You Lie" handled domestic violence? Let us know in the comments.

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Rihanna's 'Battleship' Will Join Pantheon Of Singers' First Flicks

27 Jul 2010 14:42:06 EDT

From Madonna's 'A Certain Sacrifice' to Taylor Swift's 'Valentine's Day,' pop stars' first forays into acting have been interesting.
By Eric Ditzian

Taylor Swift in "Valentine's Day"
Photo: New Line Cinema

Last February, during a swing through South Korea, Rihanna told MTV Asia that she had dreams of becoming a Hollywood superstar. "I would love to get into comedic movies," the 22-year-old said. "As well as action. I love action. I would love to play a badass one day." Well, a badass she very well might be, as she's signed onto "Battleship," a sci-fi action flick based on the classic board game and co-starring Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgård. Of course, this isn't the first time a celebrated singer has ditched the recording studio for the soundstage. As Rihanna boards "Battleship," she joins a long line of artists-turned-actresses. Let's take a look back at the first movie roles from some our favorite singers. Beyoncé in "Austin Powers in Goldmember" No disrespect to the 2001 MTV movie "Carmen: A Hip Hopera," but 2002's "Goldmember" was Beyoncé's first turn on the big screen. And what a debut it was. She essentially played herself, albeit a '70s version of herself with super high hair and a handgun, but that is exactly what Beyoncé needed. The role didn't require very much in terms of acting chops and gave her the chance to get comfortable in front of the camera. Veteran comedic talent like Mike Myers, Seth Green and Michael Caine got the laughs, while Beyoncé benefited from simply sharing the frame. "Goldmember" grossed almost $300 million worldwide, and she went on to star in the critically acclaimed "Dreamgirls" a few years later. Madonna in "A Certain Sacrifice" Madge's first high-profile role arrived in 1985 with "Desperately Seeking Susan," but she actually shot her first movie six years earlier. The low-budget "A Certain Sacrifice," a sex-and-violence filled story set in New York's Lower East Side, languished on the shelf for years until Madonna hit the mainstream. She actually did everything she could to prevent the film's release, but "Certain Sacrifice" eventually got a home video release. Madonna might not be proud of the flick, but it certainly didn't have a negative effect on her Hollywood career. She went on to star in a slew of glitzy productions, including "Evita," for which she won a Golden Globe in 1997. Queen Latifah in "Jungle Fever" Latifah signed her first record deal when she was just 17. By the time she was 21, she'd also landed a small role in Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever." She went on to meatier roles in "House Party 2" and "Juice," opposite Tupac Shakur. By the new millennium, she had an Oscar nomination for "Chicago" on her résumé and a string of starring credits to her name. Britney Spears in "Crossroads" At perhaps the height of her fame, Spears took on a starring role in 2002's "Crossroads," a road-trip story featuring musical interludes and the talents of Dan Aykroyd and Zoe Saldana. The film was a critical dud and a box-office disappointment, and Spears has yet to get another chance at the big screen. In recent years, she's contented herself with cameo appearances in "How I Met Your Mother." Taylor Swift in "Valentine's Day" The country superstar appeared as herself in 2009's "Hannah Montana: The Movie," but not until this year's hit ensemble comedy, "Valentine's Day," did Swift slip into an acting role. She played a high school student who falls for her classmate, played by none other than Taylor Lautner. No word yet what her next movie project might be, but her, "Valentine's" director Garry Marshall is gearing up for his next ensemble flick, "New Year's Eve." Ms. Swift, ya interested? Who is your favorite musician-turned-actor? Talk about it in the comments. Check out everything we've got on "Battleship." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Eve Talks Interscope Split

26 Apr 2010 20:06:00 EDT

'They promised me the machine,' she tells Vibe of why she left longtime recording home.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Eve
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/ Getty Images

Eve's "Tambourine" stopped shaking awhile ago when her album Here I Am was shelved indefinitely by Interscope. The Philly rapper confirmed a rift with her longtime recording home when she tweeted back in January that she had left the label. Now, she's opening up about her reasons in an interview with Vibe. The former first lady of the Ruff Ryders alleged she didn't get the proper backing from Interscope for what would have been her next LP. "They promised me the machine," she said. "The machine is basically the rollout. It's 'Yo, when ["Flirt"] comes out, we'll give you this, we'll give you that.' And that's what made me mad. It'd be different if we didn't have a meeting where people promised me sh--. If they were just like, 'Oh, we're going to put the album out and see what happens,' that would be one thing. "But they were like, 'No, we're making sure this happens. It's coming out on this date,' " she continued. "It was concrete. But it's all good. Everything happens how it's supposed to, when it's supposed to." For the stalled Here I Am, Eve recorded with Swizz Beatz, Sean Paul and Robin Thicke. Back in 2007, she gushed about working with the blue-eyed crooner. "The Robin song is called 'Fantasy,' " she told MTV News. "My lyrics are basically talking about ladies — how when guys see you in a club but [aren't] ready to talk to you. Like a guy who sees you in a club and he wants to do all these things to you. ... You're his fantasy. It's real. A guy might be looking out from across the club like, 'Oh my God, I love her,' but you might not even know he's looking at you." Currently, Eve is unsigned and at work on her next album. Are you excited to hear new music from Eve? Let us know in the comments!

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Anderson Cooper, 50 Cent, Eve, Hinder, More Backstage At BRAVE Concert

24 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EDT

'Tambourine' rapper talks World Series, while G-Unit hang with gold medalist LaShawn Merritt.
By James Montgomery

Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — The action might have been on the stage at Thursday night's "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," as 50 Cent50 Cent, LudacrisLudacris, Kanye WestKanye West and Linkin ParkLinkin Park paid tribute to the troops, but behind the scenes at the Nokia Theatre, there was no shortage of activity either. Media stars, musicians and even Olympic gold-medalists provided the show behind the show, mingling in the venue's two VIP green rooms — not to mention the "TRL" studios upstairs, where even more folks were packed away — watching the concert live on flat-screen TVs, cracking jokes, exchanging digits and posing for photos. Early on in the evening, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo held court outside their dressing room, with an army of assistants, photographers and label workers nearby. After a few minutes of hanging out, Fif kicked the door to the room shut so that he could put on his camouflage pants in peace. He emerged a minute later (pants on), telling an associate that he was excited for the night's performance, "because I can reach the troops, and I don't have to go back to Iraq to do it."

Later, after finishing their performance, the entire G-Unit clique posed for photos with sprinter LaShawn Merritt, who won two gold medals in the Beijing Olympics (and, yes, he was wearing them backstage). After the photo op, 50 went back into his room to change, and Banks — decked out in a massive Pelle Pelle jacket — checked out Hinder'sHinder's set, nodding in time to the pounding drum beat. Across the hallway, as Hinder were screaming through their set, Ludacris was having a tough time of things. Not only was he visibly limping (as is generally the case when your left foot is immobilized in a giant cast), but the walls of the venue were preventing him from getting cell phone reception. "I only got one bar down here, man," he said to a security guard, before limping into an open area to try his luck again. On the other side of the theater, in a bizarrely Moroccan-themed VIP area, EveEve reclined on a couch while having her hair styled and talking to a friend about the World Series. And though she's a Philly girl, she didn't exactly sound like she had been paying attention to recent events.

"I'm not really watching it. I know the Phillies are in it, but who are they playing?" she asked the room, which included comedian Jeffrey Ross and CNN's Anderson Cooper. "Who? The Tampa Bay Rays? OK, now I know what to say if people ask me." Eve was escorted to the stage, leaving Cooper to check out Angels & Airwaves' performance on a flat-screen, and Ross and comedian Whoopi Goldberg to exchange pleasantries and pose for a few pics. Upstairs in the "TRL" studios, things weren't nearly as jovial. Sure O.A.R.O.A.R. seemed content in their dressing room, but the real drama was between rival rock acts Hinder and Saving AbelSaving Abel. No one seemed to be able to say just what the beef was about, but several headset-wearing members of the MTV production team were whispering about it. It bears mention that though the two bands shared adjacent dressing rooms, no one came to blows (though the guys in Hinder did request some Sprite, which, given their hard-partying personae, was a bit of a disappointment). Perhaps, in keeping with the spirit of things, both sides decided to quash their beef for one night only. Don't miss "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," presented by MTV's Choose or Lose campaign and CNN to support veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The show features performances by 50 Cent, Ludacris, Kanye West, Linkin Park, Hinder, Saving Abel and more, and airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

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