@therealeve @VH1 @TheRealMase
One of my favorite shows on television is VH1‘s “Behind The Music.”  I’m so glad they brought it back after a several year hiatus.  Up next for the music biographical series is Eve.  During her heyday, the first lady of the Ruff Ryder camp was one of the games most credible female emcees.  Much like her male counterparts her ascension in the game was characterized by life on the streets but it was her experiences in the strip club not the drug game that inspired her lyrics.

In her interview for VH1 the female emcee revealed that of all people it was Ma$e words of encouragement that fueled her to leave a career in adult entertainment in Philadelphia and instead to focus on her music.

“He came into the club and looked at me and literally was like, ‘What’s your name?’ And I gave him every stripper name under the sun! I was like, ‘I’m Ginger, I’m Sassy!’ He was like, ‘Why don’t you go get dressed, let’s go just talk,’ ” Eve said. “And we did, we talked throughout the night. He was like, ‘You’re really talented. What are you doing? You know you’re not supposed to be here. You know it.’

She tells VH1 that at that time Mase was hot on the airwaves and for him to see beyond her g-string and appreciate her lyrical talent gave her the confidence she needed and confirmed her belief in her skills.

“It was a confirmation for me that all these thoughts, all this sadness. All these times that I wake up in the morning, I’m like, ‘Why do I feel like this?’ And I know I’m not supposed to be there. It just woke me up,” the rapper explained.

At just 18 years old, Eve left the stripper boots behind forever and would soon audition for Aftermath.  Mike Lynn, A&R of Aftermath Records is formerly credited with discovering her has always said that he knew Eve was a star after she spit one verse and hook.  Although her deal with Dr. Dre didn’t work out it didn’t stop her as she would eventually hooked up with the Ruff Ryders.

In addition to her her departure from the strip scene eve talks openly about the people that tried to profit from those compromising photos of her from her strip days, her sex tape and her former boyfriend Stevie J.  Plus she discusses her struggle with depression and her attempts to re-connect with her father, who left when she was a child.  Eve’s “Behind the Music” began airing this week on VH1 but you can catch it on the countless replays.

And to think if it wasn’t for Ma$e we would have missed out on the refreshingly skillful sounds of Eve.  Although I have no idea what a pastor in the business of inspiring artists was doing in a strip club to begin with we’ll let that one slide.  Its good to see at least one of Ma$e’s reclamation projects was successful. He’s was the unofficial spiritual adviser that inspired DMX to give up drugs.  Apparently DMX wasn’t ready just yet.  I guess Ma$e has a thing for helping the Ruff Ryders.   What’s next?  Getting Jadakiss on diet?