Rapsody is back with her follow-up to the 2017 Grammy Award-nominated album Laila’s Wisdom.
Titled EVE, the 16-track project highlights 15 strong black women who have somehow played a role in the North Carolina MC’s life.
In a recent interview with HipHopDX, the 36-year-old admitted it wasn’t a simple process.
AD LOADING...
“It was hard to narrow it [list of women] down for the album,” she said. “I recorded probably about 40 songs about 40 different women. I knew I wanted to start off with ‘NINA.’ That was the perfect intro. I knew I wanted to keep ‘AFENI,’ and then it was just plug and play.
“What are the best songs that we had? I know I’m in love with the concepts and the names of these songs, but what are the best songs that we have that compliment the sound that we’re going with?”
She added, “I have songs in the can — like I have a “SPINDERELLA” song. I have “PHYLICIA,” which is out. I have one for Eartha Kitt, I have a Maxine Waters and I have Keisha from Belly. But we decided just to do this one.”
EVE boasts a laundry list of notable artists, including Queen Latifah, J. Cole, GZA, D’angelo, J.I.D and SiR.
AD LOADING...
Check out the album stream, cover art and tracklist below.
- NINA
- CLEO
- AAYLIAH
- OPRAH f. Leikeli47
- WHOOPI
- SERENA
- TYRA
- MAYA f. K Roosevelt
- IBTIHAJ f. D’angelo & GZA
- MYRLIE f. Mereba
- Reyna’s Interlude
- MICHELLE f. Elle Varner I
- MAN f. SiR & J.I.D
- HATSHEPSUT f. Queen Latifah
- SOJOURNER f. J. Cole
- AFENI f. PJ Morton
AD LOADING...
[This article has been updated. The following was published on August 10, 2019.]
Rapsody has unveiled the tracklist and cover art for her forthcoming album EVE.Rather than simply listing the song titles, the North Carolina-bred MC has given each track its own Instagram post as well as singular post for all the features.
“EVE Album cover,” she wrote in the caption. ” AUG 23rd. Pre-order available now. LINK IN BIO. | powered by @jamlarecords @rocnation @defjam and the people! designed by @brickshaus | photography by @_swankshotit | hair by @braid_artistry.”
Queen Latifah, J.I.D, Leikeli47, GZA, D’Angelo and J. Cole are among the special guests who help pay tribute to some of Rapsody’s heroes.
AD LOADING...
Powerful women such as Oprah, Nina Simone and Afeni Shakur are a few of those honored on the project. In a recent interview with Beats 1, the Grammy Award-winning artist explained the concept behind the 16-track effort.
“I’m influenced by so many black women,” she said. A lot of people already know I’m heavily influenced by Lauryn Hill, MC Lyte, and Queen Latifah,” she said. “It’s just not all or nothing for me. I’m an extension of them, so every song is going to be a different woman and different energy of what makes Rapsody who she is.”
EVE is expected to arrive on August 23.
Check out the tracklist below.
AD LOADING...
- NINA
- CLEO
- AAYLIAH
- OPRAH f. Leikeli47
- WHOOPI
- SERENA
- TYRA
- MAYA f. K Roosevelt
- IBTIHAJ f. D’angelo & GZA
- MYRLIE f. Mereba
- Reyna’s Interlude
- MICHELLE f. Elle Varner I
- MAN f. Sir & JID
- HATSHEPSUT f. Queen Latifah
- SOJOURNER f. J. Cole
- AFENI f. PJ Morton
