Rap queen Eve celebrates 25 years of Scorpion while breaking down her most‑requested samples, her upcoming tour, and the legacy of the Ruff Ryders era.
Rap icon EVE pulls up to Capital XTRA to mark the 25th anniversary of her seminal, culture‑shifting album Scorpion — and she’s in a reflective, funny, and fully unfiltered mood. Not only is she gearing up for her Scorpion 25 Tour, she’s also revealing which of her classics get sampled the most… and which ones she refuses to clear.
Eve turns sample clearance into hip-hop story time
From Ruff Ryders bite to Scorpion-era shine, Eve’s catalog still has artists reaching back for that sound, that attitude, and that unmistakable Philly edge.
Eve says the top two songs artists beg to sample are “Who’s That Girl?” and “Let Me Blow Your Mind”, noting she gets requests “once or twice a month” from artists all over the world. When Central Cee’s team reached out, she knew instantly: “This is a hit.” She loved how the sample energized her live shows and called the clearance a “no‑brainer.”
But she also admits not every request makes the cut. It’s not about the song being “bad,” she clarifies — it’s about protecting the legacy of those records. “How does this enhance it?” is the question she asks before saying yes.
Eve also reacts to samples from Wizkid and Cardi B, laughing about one unofficial flip she doesn’t remember approving: “We need to look into this — I don’t remember no messages about that one.”
The interview shifts into a rapid‑fire 60‑second game where Eve reveals her favorite Scorpio (SZA), her first big purchase (“a giant yellow fur”), and what she’s most grateful for right now (“everything”). She also opens up about the early Ruff Ryders era — writing rhymes in cars outside the Apollo, meetings on Harlem street corners, and the raw authenticity that defined the early 2000s.
Related: Eve finally garners a Grammy for “You Got Me” after 26 years
With Scorpion turning 25, Eve says the tour feels like closure, a celebration of who she was then and who she is now. “It was a special record for me,” she reflects, noting she even won a Grammy for one of its biggest hits.
It’s Eve at her most candid: legendary, grounded, hilarious, and still fiercely protective of the music that shaped a generation.
