The pitbull in a skirt is headed to college!
Eve Jihan Cooper, professionally known as Eve, is a Grammy Award-winning artist with a celebrated rap career spanning more than two decades. A pioneer for women in hip-hop, Eve released her debut studio album, Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady, in 1999. The album debuted at the top of Billboard 200, making Eve one of just three women in hip-hop to accomplish such a feat, NYU reports.
The Philadelphia native earned a Grammy Award for her 2002 album Scorpion and went on to make waves in movies and television. Eve executive produced her own self-titled sitcom, which aired for three seasons and earned two Daytime Emmy nominations for her role as co-host of the CBS talk show The Talk. Now, the beloved artist is venturing into academia, named the new 2024-25 Scholar-in-Residence at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
“Y’all, I can’t believe I am saying this but I am thrilled…I am looking forward to getting to know the NYU community,” she wrote on social media.
Eve’s residency begins September 21st with a kickoff welcoming event. For an entire year, she will participate in a “series of meetings, classroom visits and intimate conversations with students and faculty,” deep-diving into her illustrious career and sharing insights about her take on the ever-evolving industry of music.
“We are thrilled to be hosting Eve as our 2024-25 Scholar in Residence. She will share the expertise she’s gained as an award-winning artist in music, film, and television, as well as a philanthropist working with young people in the arts. I know our students and faculty will learn from her engagement and support of our efforts to advance equity, belonging, and innovation,” said Jack H. Knott, the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of NYU Steinhardt.
The residency is an extension of NYU Steinhardt’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which kicked off last year. In addition to her work with the university, Eve is also set to release her memoir, Who’s that Girl?, this month, written in partnership with veteran journalist and NYU adjunct professor Kathy Iandoli.
“I want people to get an understanding of who I am as a person outside of music. I am looking forward to getting to know the community, and meeting in intimate settings to give students a chance to ask me anything they want to ask,” said Eve.
Cover photo: Rapper Eve Named New 2024-25 Scholar in Residence at NYU Steinhardt/Photo credit: Flix by Rich/NYU.edu