Eve and Nicki Minaj are proof that trailblazing female rappers can get along. This weekend, the “Pink Friday” rapper gave Eve her flowers for being a “trendsetter” and the “groundbreaking” remarks she has made recently.
“Dear Eve…thank you,” Minaj wrote on X. “The level of grace; the level of emotional & spiritual maturity it takes to be this vulnerable & transparent is a sign of TRUE peace, happiness, fulfillment, & mastery of self. Self-reflection [at] its height. I always say that I think accountability is the sexiest trait a person can have.”
Following the release of her new memoir, “Who’s That Girl,” Eve has been on a press tour discussing various aspects of the book. From motherhood to music, the Ruff Ryders’ first lady opened up about the impact the male-constructed industry had on her relationships with female rappers and her mental health. In the book, she recounts the first time she met Minaj on the set of “Barbershop: The Next Cut” and how it altered her perspective.
“I’ve lived through what happens when women project their own insecurities onto other women. It happened at the start of my career and continued in waves as my fame grew. I wasn’t going to be that woman to someone else, but in order to do that, I had to physically and mentally prepare myself,” Eve said, per Hot97. “Nicki and I were actually fine on set. We got along well and shot our scenes together with no problems. It was nothing like what I had expected … I’d see her writing songs on her bus in between takes, hurrying offset to go hit some show dates over the weekend and then come right back on set for these 12-to-16-hour shoots, all while trying to hold together her personal life and her relationship.”
“It was at that moment that I didn’t envy her, and I kind of wanted to give her a hug. I thought I was going to resent her, and really all I felt was compassion. I remembered being that person, the girl who felt like she had to do it all. The girl who was pressured to do it all, because it was all eyes on her. Instead of feeling insecure around Nicki, I started to sympathize with her,” she continued.
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The rapper’s candor inspired Minaj to speak about how nervous she was to work with the rap veteran on set. The Queens rapper recalled watching Ruff Ryderz on TV and seeing Eve handle her rise to fame with “grace” and “a big sprinkle of unapologetic TALENT and charisma.”
“I was so nervous coming onto that movie set every day. You looked like a pro & I admired that so much,” Minaj added. “Thank you for trying to not do to me what was done to you. Women feel so much pressure to compete & it’s a shame b/c we usually have so much in common & could rlly benefit from one another just as human beings. We all share so many of the same experiences as artists, wives, moms, ups & downs, anxiety, etc.”
Eve elaborated on the topic during a CNN interview with Laura Coates. The rapper felt it was important to share her experience with Nicki Minaj because of its relatability, but most importantly, because it showcased her using other modalities like therapy to cope with her anxiety rather than drinking.
“No matter what industry you are in, if you have been in a place in your life or career where you may have been that one, that person, that thing, and someone comes in…We’re human, right? Of course, you feel insecure. Of course, you feel protective, Of course, you feel [like], ‘Wow, do I still belong here?” Eve explained. “It was all these things coming from the industry … being the one female [rapper]. I was holding on to that, thinking, ‘How can she be here and how can I be here?’ which is stupid, which is so dumb.”
