Eve on Dr Dre, Battle Rapping and Living In The UK

19:33Romesh Ranganathan:I didn't mind his root off the red-nosed reindeer. I know, I know, because it was nice. But, yeah, come on. But your voice is like that. Is that something you had to work out, or do you think that just comes to you? I think, no, that's something that it's grown over the years. So, like, when I listen to myself, when I'm younger, of course, I'm like, oh, wow. I don't think it was something that was designed in a way. I think it was just something that started growing because like when I got with Rough Riders, like I said, I was kind of this battle rapper. I had to learn how to write records. I had to learn how to write songs.

20:09I didn't know how to do that. I knew how to write 16 to 24 bars and go hard, you know, but I didn't know how to write songs. So that changed a bit. Then working with people like Dr. Dre, that changed a bit. You know, people telling me you need to slow down a little bit, just bring it back a little bit. So it kind of just happened. And it's funny, the voice thing, I had to go in and redo satisfaction for a dance track like a few years ago. And the guy who recorded me actually before I even went in the studio, he was just like, hey, so listen, you know, because you're older, your voice probably is not it's not the same.

20:43So we'll just have to go in and out and, you know, I'll punch you in and out, meaning, you know, he'll record me a bit and he'll bring me back. I was like, OK, but. And when I went in and I did the whole verse, he was like, oh, wow, you sound exactly like you used to. And I'm like, well, it's so important for me when I'm on stage that people have that same experience. I don't know why, but for me, I'm like, I want to take you back to what you love about me, what you remember about me. So it's really important that my voice stays a certain way.

21:14Romesh Ranganathan:Well, you're, I mean, you talked about, you know, performing live. Obviously, we share a DJ. Mind too smooth. Mind too smooth. Now, Martin, obviously he's a deeply enthusiastic guy, full stop. He's great. But he talks about how amazing your live shows are. Oh, he's so nice. I mean, it's sort of arrogant. He's part of them. But I mean, he's great. He helps the show. The funniest thing about Martin is, you know, when he did the verses. Oh, yes. And then everybody, I don't know. Do you know about the memes that went around about him? No. So when he, because obviously Martin is a London guy, right?

21:49Romesh Ranganathan:So everybody sees Eve doing the verses. and they're expecting an American guy. And there's this, around the time of your verses, there's loads of photos of Martin and it's just like, let's bloody bounce.

22:05Romesh Ranganathan:People were not expecting your DJ to have an English accent. No, I know. That was a, I do, a few people said to me like, oh, I was not expecting that. Like, I do live here, guys. This is my home. That's so funny. The thing is, I think, you know, As a hip hop fan who, when I go to live shows, obviously when you're into that group, you're already converted, right? But sometimes you take other people with you. And I think sometimes hip hop live, it does not represent what you do on the record enough, right? A hundred percent. And obviously you're friends with The Roots. Yes. The Roots are incredible live.

22:40Romesh Ranganathan:They're insane. They're one of the best live bands. I agree. But so many times I've taken friends to a hip hop show. and it's just been, it doesn't sound like they sound checked or anything like that. I know. Your attitude to that is completely different. Hell yeah. I hate when there's muffled sound. I hate when it's like, guys, where are the, and I'm going to tell you, I'm going to, I fought it for years. I used to hold the mic like this. You know, I used to scream into the mic because I'm like, I have to, you know, I used to have only monitors on the stage which also you're competing with yourself because the monitors are on stage.

23:22No, that's why I'm screaming. So it took for some role managers to be like, hey, why don't we try some in-ears? You're a bit screechy. And I fought it for years. It was the best thing I ever did. I started doing my sound checks. Best thing I ever did. It doesn't hurt to get some cardio in, guys. You got a show. You know what I mean? If the show is longer than 30 minutes, you might need to work out a little bit.

23:46Romesh Ranganathan:You get to prepare for your shows? Absolutely. Really? Yes. I eat different and everything. Really? Oh, my God. Well, this is because, you know, I'm 40 plus now. Yeah, sure, sure, sure. You know what I mean? Allegedly. Allegedly. So, for me, a show is so important. I don't want to feel winded because I know if I feel winded, then my energy goes down, which then affects the energy of the crowd. Like, I think about this so hard. it's like but I also I want all of us to have a good time not just you out there and you know I want to have a good time too I've been singing these songs for 25 years like it needs to be fun for me so yeah I I'm I'm really really particular do you think that's a long that's why the longevity has happened because I think it helps you know you talk to anybody that's been around for the amount of time that you have yeah and they see it as like a you know they take it seriously right You have to, though.

24:43Like, you know, we we had those times when we were young and just coming out of somebody's basement and doing a talent show or your first few shows when you're in your young 20s. You don't know about that. But, you know, I've been able to perform some really incredible places. And, you know, we talked about the corporates. They don't want me screaming at corporates, Annie. You know, and also I I like for my shows to go bigger and bigger. And I like to think outside the box. And I don't know. And festival life. Like I love festival life. You know, I just started kind of getting into festivals and you kind of have to be good.

25:16You know, you kind of like, come on, you're part of somebody's good time.

25:19Romesh Ranganathan:And also you're cutting through to people that might necessarily come into this being a fan. 100%. 100%. Or they might know one, maybe they know one record. And that's something I always have said. If you show up and you're not a fan of mine, you're going to leave a fan of mine. Yeah. That is big for me. Like you'll like me after, you'll look me up after this. 100%. Yeah. Whereas my thing is, even if you do know me, this could put you off. That's what my festival performances are like. Never. Now, congratulations, because Scorpion, your iconic second album, has just turned 25. How does that feel?

25:53It's nuts. It's actually very crazy to me. Yeah.

25:59Romesh Ranganathan:That album obviously has got an incredible legacy. Yeah. What sort of happened to you after that album came out? Because it's huge, right? Yeah, that was a big deal. So that was the album that, you know, it was the second album. So people were like, can she make it happen again? You know, will we still be interested? Like we were the first, like there was so much pressure. And then we got, you know, the big singles, like, who's that girl? Blow your mind. Helped a lot, of course. But then it also, that's the album that opened up fashion to me. You know, I was going to runway shows. Then I was doing, I was on top 40 radio stations.

26:35Then I'd never done that before. So it opened up a whole new lane, especially obviously doing the song with Gwen. But yeah, it was a whole new life after that.

26:44Romesh Ranganathan:That takes you to the mainstream outside of hip hop. So then you've got non-hip hop fans who are suddenly becoming EVE fans. Did that change your experience of PR and performances and stuff like that? What was the effect of that? It changed it in the sense of definitely performances, definitely also PR in the sense of late night started calling. You know, and late night big those TV show that's huge morning shows starting on that's like, oh, okay We're and this is before that was really happening for hip-hop, you know, so yeah life life was a bit different Yeah, and then were you then when you get put into You get put into an environment, you know, for example a late night show.

27:23Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah, that's not a hip-hop environment and so What's your attitude towards like conforming to that space? or do you make the space conform to you? Like what was kind of your attitude towards that? I think, I don't think I thought about it that much because I was so young. I think I had the right team around me at the time to be like, hey, these are the things we need to be doing to make this go right. I, you know, my manager at the time had come out of the Will Smith camp. Like he knew all the stuff you're supposed to do if we want longevity, you know? And my PR was amazing. So I think I had a great team at the time because if it was just on me, no, I would not have known how to do any of that stuff.

28:04Yeah. No.

28:05Romesh Ranganathan:I mean, you had a massive impact. Thank you. There's a lot more female rappers now than were when you were coming through. Yeah. What was the relationship with you and other female rappers around at the time like? Were you all kind of supportive? Pretty much. I really was lucky. I mean, there's only one person I can say that maybe, but didn't matter. Me and Kim had a moment of something. A moment of something. A moment of something. That was just an industry thing, though. It wasn't like us. It was more like there can only be one. You know, it was more that industry thing. And then we had a dinner.

28:44We sat at a dinner, at a MAC Cosmetics dinner across from each other and fell in love with each other. Like, it was like, oh, once we talked, it was fine. But Missy was amazing. You know, Trina was amazing. And even for me, like, I got to see, like, Queen Latifah. Like, those were my heroes. you know salt and pepper whenever I got to meet these women um and a lot of times we were at the same things or um I mean they were in different genre um I guess different era yeah but you know award shows things like that we would see each other and yeah I always I was fine I think too because I was a tomboy like I'm not I am obviously a girl but um I've never been like that jealous girl I've always been very like oh my god I love you like I was such a nerd when I got in the industry but but the thing is is like with hip-hop because hip-hop changes so quickly yeah

29:33Romesh Ranganathan:you know like you know i talk to rappers from from from i guess you started around the same time as you and before and their attitude towards people coming through is not that support you know they feel like it's changed in a way they don't like yeah but you didn't feel that from the those artists in the era before you some of them yes i felt it more if i really think about it i I felt it more from the exec side. I really did. I felt it more from these people who sat in these rooms who were supposed to be A &R and like all that kind of stuff. I used to feel it more from them than I did from the actual, once we hung out and once we could talk to each other, there was no issue, you know?

30:10It was them pitting us against each other more than anything.

30:14Romesh Ranganathan:Well, that still happens now, doesn't it? In terms of like whenever a female rapper kind of makes, you know, the whole Nicki and Cardi thing and all that sort of stuff. you said the exact words there can only be one that's still true now isn't it and it's so stupid it's so dumb there's too many men God bless all the men God bless them but there's too many of them and I don't ever see them being like there can only be one I'm sure some of them act like that but I wouldn't be surprised but with the women I don't know why there always has to be this one I mean there's so many different types of women and voices that need to be represented and I do think thank god we're at that space now where there are so many different types of female rappers out yeah I think you guys in the UK always had like lots of female rappers before we did yeah I think we did yeah but I mean it feels like one of the things that I think and we you know I don't want to talk about you being a female the whole time but like one of the things that I think is one is like the attitude that there can only be one and then also men or the press seem to have a real problem with how women represent themselves you know and so like as soon as the press or even male rappers think that somebody's being overly sexual then it's a problem which is insane because have you heard some of these lyrics coming from some of these dudes like are you crazy some of the stuff I hear like and I have not approved but yo Calm down.

31:53Wow. Like, and I listen and some of the females are not for me. I'm not gonna lie. There's a few of them. But because I am a woman, I'm a I'm still gonna wave the flag for all my women. Like some of that stuff. I don't put it on to listen to it, but I'm gonna support it. Yeah, some of it's not for me. I have a kid. Some of that stuff. I'm never gonna play for my child. Yeah, but I'm just, you know, we do need representation. All girls, child, all the chicks. Are you looking for support in your weight management journey? ZepBound Terzepatide may be able to help. ZepBound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off.

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34:46Romesh Ranganathan:Now we've got a question from my mother for you. What? It's on voice note. I've not heard this. Stop it. I have to say this every time. I've not heard this question. Yes, yes, yes. So I just want to distance myself from it in advance. Oh my God. Hi. Hi. This is Shanti, Ramesh's mom. You are such a gorgeous, talented lady. Ramesh loves hip hop. and I know he will be nervous and starstruck because he's a big fan of yours. Do you think you are more confident on stage or in real life? Love to know. Have a wonderful day. Take care. Bye. Your mum sounds so sweet. That's a very good question. Yeah, she's great in a voice note.

35:30Rude. You know, that's a really good question. Well done, mum. I always say I am definitely probably more confident on stage. I'm awkward in real life situations, like doing stuff like this where there's banter, how you guys say banter, being able to kind of showcase, I guess, personality in a way. It's still kind of awkward when I'm on stage. I'm so sure of myself. right um also it's the only time in my life that i feel i'm in my body and in the moment i don't i live in my head and it's the only time where i'm just there and i call it my superhero suit like when i throw my superhero suit on the different wig color comes on like it's just the whole thing um it's the best thing in the world yeah yeah like you can't tell me anything like one thing people I know of myself is I'm a great performer.

36:30I know this. Don't care.

36:32Romesh Ranganathan:God, that's good. But you've done so many interviews now, right? Yeah, I mean... I know it's still... Even this chat is performative, right? No, it's not performative in that way. When I say, like, where I'm able to... I've learned how to be more of myself. In these kind of situations. Got you, got you, got you. I've learned how to be more of myself. I think before I was a little more polished because I was on a talk show and you answer a certain way and that, you know, and I used to, well, I have act, you know, I've done shows and I mean, done TV or movies. But I think as I get older, I do allow more of myself to come out.

37:12But it is still, it is awkward. It is awkward just being yourself. Yeah, I know.

37:17Romesh Ranganathan:It is awkward. And also on podcasts, you can say stuff you regret or whatever. It's just horrendous. I mean, the amount of stuff I've said that could be fucking career ending. oh no yeah genuinely I mean you got Will you've got enough to end me oh my god probably there's enough for it to be over if I pissed these guys off they could end me but the consequences they'd be ending themselves this is true because I'm all they've got oh god now you're now you're on you're going to go when are you going on tour you're going to go on tour again yes I'm going on tour I have some shows through the summer like festival stuff and then we're going to do a tour in October, I believe.

37:58But like 16 shows just to celebrate the 25th anniversary all over Europe. Yeah, I'm kind of, I'm looking forward to it. It kind of is, is a nice way to wrap it up.

38:08Romesh Ranganathan:Are you going to play the album through or what's the show going to be? No, I'm not going to play the album through because also some people ain't there for the album. You know what I mean? Again, I want to give people a good experience. And I can't stand when people do that. So yes, I'm going to probably play songs that I've never played. Maybe a few but that's it and the rest will just be for me because it's fun for me. It is as an audience member when you go and it's just the album. No, I wouldn't do that. You know when your friends are going, do you think they'll play this? You go, no, because it's not on the album.

38:43Do you reckon they'll do this one?

38:44Romesh Ranganathan:You go, no, it's not on the album. No, I'm not doing that. What is on the album, man? The one song. The one. You're doing a London date as well, 2nd of November. for Kentish Town. Yes, I'm glad you know that because I forgot. London audiences, how do they compare to European? European audiences are... Different. It's also different in different places. Like Germany loves hip hop. Yeah. Loves hip hop. France loves hip hop as well, but they're also a little more subdued. It's different. London shit. London's great. No. Sorry, great. It's great. No, it's great. It's great. I've never had a bad London show.

39:20So yeah, no, London's great. London's amazing. Yeah.

39:23Romesh Ranganathan:yeah it's gonna be good but some audience london audiences they're more reserved right or are they not maybe not hip-hop i feel like maybe not hip-hop maybe just comedy um how do you feel like performing today is it the same as performing back then or like when you're first coming out no it's different it's i feel more freedom performing now because i don't have i'm not trying to sell any i'm not trying to sell the current album i'm not i don't have to hit any quotas for a label. So there's a purity to it, right? There's a purity to it. Yeah. Yeah, that's true. That's a perfect way to say it. It's like how before I was signed, I would just write songs and be like, whatever.

40:01I can now just perform. And it's really, really nice. Yeah.

40:06Romesh Ranganathan:And are you doing festivals? Doing festivals through the summer. Not a ton because I went on tour all last summer with Nelly and Ja Rule. And so this summer, I want to hang out with my family a little more and do some vacations. So yeah, just every, a few weekends here and there. When you do festivals, you go and see other people. You can be honest. Yeah. It depends though. I will say this. Yeah. When I was, I had a show that my last few shows were in Australia last year. Yeah. And it was myself and like Mariah Carey and Pitbull and a few people. I did go because I wanted to see Mariah. I do love her.

40:46And Pitbull. I did watch Pitbull. Yeah. But not often. Because sometimes I just want to get home. I'm done. and I did my job. You know what I mean? Like, a few drinks in the back. My team is great. I love hanging with my team. I must say, I actually do have such an amazing team that we just kind of hang out and then I'm like, you're hungry?

41:04Romesh Ranganathan:Should we go? I'm going to be honest with you. When I've done festivals doing stand-up, sometimes I'm in the car as the crowd are leaving the tent. Genuinely. You know? In and out. I mean, because sometimes you've done what you're contracted. Yeah. Like, what the hell? Yeah. I think sometimes it's funny. I do have some friends that will come and hang out and that's different. Like people like, oh, I'm coming to see you. And you're like, oh, and they're like, don't you want to stay? Don't you? And I'm like, no, this is my office, essentially. You know what I mean? I'm at the office right now. So it's funny.

41:37I don't know.

41:37Romesh Ranganathan:But also I don't want to bump into anybody that's seen my set. Why? Because I'm so, I'm such a narcissist that anything they say, I will take I will take in a negative way I guess I don't see I don't know is it I guess as a comedian people want they come up to you and talk about what you've said yes correct yeah see that doesn't happen on like in music like if people say oh that was I mean usually you don't get that was such a shit performance hopefully but usually it's just like oh hey can I get a picture and then keep it moving or whatever but they don't ever bring up what happened just then no so that would stress me out Jarl Rule and Nelly What was it like being on the road with them?

42:21Oh, my God. I have to say I did watch some of their show. Not always, but because there's so many hits. Yeah. There's so many hits. And I obviously it was the soundtrack to a lot of my life. Lots of jazz songs, lots of Nelly songs and really good shows. They actually I was really impressed, like really impressed. And it was nice to be on a show. And I think it was Nelly's 25th anniversary he was doing. Yeah. It was actually really good. we had a really good time and it was nice to see us all as adults because we have definitely all seen each other in debauchery and smoke you know what I mean like we've all been because we all basically came up at the same time so we were definitely in the clubs and hanging out so it was nice to see that people had their children on the road you know but that's

43:09Romesh Ranganathan:but I mean Ja Rule, Nelly and Eve that's a hell of a night oh it was a good show it was honestly it was such a great vibe and everywhere we went it was so good the New York show of course was insane yeah but yeah because they brought Ashanti out as well like come on it was good are you going to be doing any upcoming shows with other people any upcoming collaborations well I mean we're talking about possibly reimagining some stuff for the 25th anniversary but we don't want to push it because at the same time you know those songs are what they are and I don't I don't know only we are going to experiment and if it comes out right you'll hear it okay basically So there'll be some potential experiments, but we won't hear any of the failures.

43:51If it's shit, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, you won't hear it.

43:54Romesh Ranganathan:How across the UK music scene are you? Are you a fan of anybody? Yeah, I mean, I do listen to, I mean, I like, I go back and forth between like the R &B and, I mean, Joy Crooks is amazing. Of course, Ray is insane. Yeah. I mean, they're all insane, but you know, Ray, I love Ray's trajectory. I love her story and she just deserves where she is. Well, the story with her is that she was trying to be forced in a certain direction, right? And she was just like, fuck you, I'm going to do what I want to do. Thank God. And thank God she did it. I know. And thank God she did it. Because, yeah, they were trying to push her into that like R &B kind of thing.

44:29Romesh Ranganathan:Sort of their kind of pigeonholed version of what they wanted her to do. Yeah. You know, Central Sea is really dope and Stormzy. And like, I mean, there's a lot of really, really great music here. Dave, like there's so much good music. Yeah. As we said, as we keep saying, you're a hip hop legend. I appreciate that. We all think that except for Will. But you're also a polymath because you do acting as well. Yeah, true. How did the acting thing come about? That was also a strategic plan from my manager at the time. He was like longevity. And I kind of was like every rap, it was that time when every rapper was in a movie, like Ludacris was in a movie and Busta Rhymes was in a movie and everybody else.

45:09And I was like, bro, I don't want to just be the rapper in the movie. But then I started taking, I said, if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it right. And I started taking acting classes. That teacher said to me was, you know, every time you do a video, you're basically acting. And I was like, duh, got it. And then I was like, if I read a script, and this is when I did my TV show. And I was like, if I read a script that talks to me, I will do it. And then it just went off from there.

45:32Romesh Ranganathan:So what was your first kind of foray into it? My first actual role was triple X. It was not supposed to be my role. I was in the first triple X for like 2.5 seconds. and it was because another rapper was sick. So basically they called my manager and was like, I think it was supposed to be ludicrous in it or something. And they were like, yo, is Eve in town? I was like, he said, yeah, come do this movie with Vin Diesel. And I was like, okay, cool. So that was, I was not supposed to do that. Come do this movie with Vin Diesel. I was like, okay, cool. but I didn't know who he was at that time. Oh shit, really?

46:07I didn't have a clue who Vin Diesel was. I was like, all right. I knew Samuel L. Jackson was in it and I was like, oh cool, Samuel L. Jackson. I didn't know who Vin Diesel was like I don't know and then Samuel L. Jackson actually I remember he got mad at me because I was so nervous I'd obviously never been on set I kept cursing and it was a PG-13 movie and he was like stop cursing and I was like from Samuel L. Jackson that's weird that's weird I remember him being like you can't curse and I'm like oh god he was like because I kept messing up but I was so stressed I was so stressed.

46:43Romesh Ranganathan:But if you've done no acting and then you're on a movie set. Come on. Thank you. It's a visceral overload, right? It's insane. Once I saw how big it was, obviously, I did not know who Vin was. But when I got on that set and saw how big the budget was, I was like, oh, this is, oh, you guys are professional. I was like, this is crazy. There's a lot of money on this. So, yeah, it stressed me out. I was stressed. But then after that, I needed that experience because my next role, movie role, was a barbershop. So and that was really fun. I still was stressed, but Ice Cube, Ice Cube was cool. He was very calm all the time.

47:23And I realized it was because he was smoking so much weed. OK. And he was chill. I thought he was mean, but he was like, this is the weed.

47:27Romesh Ranganathan:Would you say that's a good tip for actors coming through? I would say do what makes you feel good. No, I'm kidding. You know, well, you know what's also crazy and don't do this either. But I was so nervous to go into the audition for barbershop that my acting coach took me to get a glass of white wine. And that's how I nailed it, because they asked me to improv. And because I had that little bit of white wine, I was loose. If I hadn't had that, I totally would not. I probably would not have been able to improv. Do you know, like, the most annoying, like, one of the most annoying things about the way we are built is that as soon as you really want something to go well, your body produces a set of chemicals to stop that happening.

48:12Why is that?

48:13Romesh Ranganathan:It's so wild. It is so wild. So, like, if you go, so I sort of think about all of the opportunities, like, that I've had where I've sort of been, if I get this, great, but if I don't, it's fine. You get it. You're, like, you're so chill in the thing. Why is that? And then as soon as you go, oh, this would be really good if I get it, you become an absolute dick. I know. It's like you've never said words before. I know. It's so mad. Why do we do that? I don't know. It's the opposite of what you need. Well, you know what it is. If we talk, I guess, evolution, I guess it's the fear of running from the tiger.

48:45And we haven't gotten that far from it.

48:47Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah, I guess. And our brain's keeping us safe, which is bullshit in this time. I mean, it's not bullshit. Keep me safe. But you know what I mean. Yeah, but don't keep me safe from a film. I know, but fear is fear. I know, I know. But don't drink wine also before auditions. Yeah, sure. I guess. Sure. Or do. We were able to get comfortable when you were doing barbershop. I was. The first one, I had my coach with me, which also helped. And she was just great. And also Cube was amazing. Like Cube would just give us advice and that was nice. And so did Cedric. Cedric the Entertainer so people obviously who have been in it everybody was so welcoming that it helped a lot yeah and were you able to like because it's that thing isn't it of being able to perform in a way that you you cease to be aware of the cameras and everything and you're just doing your thing yes that takes a while that takes a while that does it takes a while um but I will say this being on sets now that is up to the environment that the director sets and the DP.

49:53Honestly, it's truly that. It's up to what that energy starts off as because if people are, and I've been even on video sets, I've been on sets with people who are a bit hectic anyway and then you can't relax at all. So it's up to that, what they set, that energy they set.

50:11Romesh Ranganathan:Do you want to do more acting? I am coming back to it. I said no for a minute because I was on a show called Queens for Disney, which is an amazing show. It is a great show, but I had such a bad experience that it actually turned me off from acting. Yeah, it was right after COVID. So already it was nuts. We were shooting in Atlanta and I was also pregnant. It was just so many things. The hours were insane. The show I'm proud of, I'm so happy to be a part of it, but it really turned me off. I was really miserable most of the time. And the girls, we started acting like we were actually in a group.

50:53I'm like, you know, we're acting. Like, we're not in a girls group. Like, why are we praying in the trailer before we shoot? Like, what the hell is happening here? Like, it just, it got too crazy. But I'm slowly coming back to it. I do, I would love to get, maybe create, maybe be, you know, exec producer on something that I do. But we'll see. We'll see.

51:17Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. and what about hosting? I do really like hosting I mean I did the Mobos so I watched some of the coverage from that it looked like it went well but that to me is a tough gig it was a lot going on it was a bit slightly hectic but I will say the Mobos team, the producers they were great and Eddie Caddy he's amazing, he actually helped me down he's so funny and he had done it two years prior so he kind of was like just do this just do this excuse me um but it was cool i mean i was nervous because i hadn't hosted i actually haven't hosted in years but i would do it again i would do it again yeah okay yeah um but so if that wasn't enough yeah you're now launching a new business i am yes so tell us all about that yeah so it's a business called well the business is called breathe and believe and it is a wellness business even though i hate that word it's more wholeness um so people who know me I all my life I use a lot of different modalities to chill myself out um Reiki or sound baths or meditation um and that's basically what we're doing we're curating spaces for people to come to to have a moment two hours two and a half hours of peace and quiet or chill um but you also come to learn something so we'll have some different specialists or um panels yeah it's um So is it like a gym where you come to regularly?

52:49Romesh Ranganathan:No, it's not a gym. We're doing it in spaces that you normally really wouldn't think of doing it. We're not having people lay down because that's annoying unless you are at a gym. It's more kind of coming in just for some calm, just for a bit of calm and a little bit of community. And it's something that I do all the time that I got asked to do over the last few years where I was like, Like, why are people asking me to do this? How do you know that I'm into this? And then I was like, you know what? Why don't I just try it? So let's see what happens. Yeah. So I'm excited about it. I don't know if this is a word.

53:25Romesh Ranganathan:Are you a meditator? I do. I'm not great. I'm not great. I'm not a great journaler either. But this is what this space is about. It's not about being perfect. Sometimes I also feel like wellness can feel elitist. It can make you feel bad about yourself. and the thing is we're all trying to figure it the fuck out you know just come figure it out with other people who are trying to figure it out that's it yeah yeah it's meditating's tricky isn't it because you sort of like midway through I started getting really distracted yeah and then I come out of it and I think that was a bad meditation but you're not supposed to think like that it's not supposed to be a competition but I also think there are many ways to meditate and I think that sometimes people are like be still your mind not many people can make their minds be still you know There's walking meditations.

54:11There's movement meditations. There's staring meditations. There's so many different kinds. And also, I mean, I'm sure people will hate me for this. I am no expert in any way. If it stresses you out, don't do it.

54:25Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. Because wellness is not like, don't do it. And maybe you're not there yet. I don't know. But yeah, it shouldn't stress you out. No. I did it. I got one of my kids to do that. And how was that? For 10 minutes. Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah, he said it was dreadful. Oh, God. He was quiet for the time. But that's, I mean, that's good. He was, yeah, it was, but he said it was awful. Oh, no. Do you know what I thought, Eve, to be honest with you? I thought I'd had like a really amazing moment. And I thought this is going to be a story that I could tell people. So I said, I'm going to meditate. We're at Disney.

55:00Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. And I just said, I'm going out to the balcony. I just started getting into it. Yeah, yeah. And he goes, so what are you doing? And I said, I'll explain it to you. Come on. I said, we'll just do 10 minutes. Now I realise 10 minutes is too long. It could have been. For the first time, 11-year-old kids. Oh, yeah, no. At Disney? I know. At Disney? You chose to meditate at Disney? It was just while we were on the Slinky Dog ride. That's the most insane place to... I think that's cool, though. No, no, no, hold on. It's like you're there to have fun at a theme park. I know, but meditation is supposed to be a part of your life, the way you live your life.

55:32Romesh Ranganathan:Can I just defend myself? And this is the kind of thing that I've had to deal with, is haters. Not haters. Is he not to be curious? We call them medi-haters, right? But basically, no, we were staying at Disney. So this wasn't, I wasn't in a theme park. I was meditating every morning. And then one morning I was going out to the balcony and he said, what are you going to do? I didn't say, he didn't say to me, can we meditate? And I said, not until we get to Disney. That's not how it happened. He noticed I was doing this thing every day and he said, can I come and do it? And it turned out it was awful for him.

56:06Romesh Ranganathan:I mean, 10 minutes is a lot for it. I think I should have done three minutes or something like that. Three minutes. Yeah. Even I do three minutes sometimes. Yeah, same. I'm using meta haters now. Yeah, so he's good. I just literally coined it. Come on, mate. Sounds like a good sitcom. Yeah. Yeah. Now, you live over here now. I do. Yeah. I've been here almost 12 years. 12 years. Yeah. Do you love it? I love it. Actually, for real love it. Do you really? More than I thought I would. Yeah. I was like, when Max and I got married, I was kind of like three years tops, three, four years. And then what, you were going to get, you were going to basically, were you going to convince Max to move?

56:42Well, once the kids, because I have four bonus kids as well. And I was like, yeah, I got four bonus kids. So like once they got older too, I was like, oh, well, we could probably live somewhere else. But to be honest, I really love it here. I honestly, genuinely, it's crazy how much I feel at home here.

57:00Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. Yeah. Like in my soul, in my spirit, I feel home. Do you think culturally you're starting to feel more British now? No. No, I am so American still. I will say, though, it's funny, like on my socials now and stuff, when I do interviews and things, people are like, oh, I hear that British accent. Or like my friends will say to me, oh, did you hear what you just said? I've obviously taken on some things, but I am so loud and American still. So you think, but you can't see yourself moving away anytime soon. I mean, I'm definitely not moving to America now. Like now, let's give it a few years.

57:38Romesh Ranganathan:It feels like, I think, plans to move to America just put on pause for a little bit, right? Yeah. It's, you know, I will say my family and friends, thank God, are safe and have been safe and everything. But I, it's wild watching it from here. Yeah. It's wild. So, yeah. Yeah, and you're getting that slant on it, aren't you? Do your kids and bonus kids think that it's cool? Do you think you're cool? Because, you know, they've basically got a hip-hop legend in the family. Yeah, I think they do. I will say they're at that age where some of them send, like, drunk videos to me at night from the club when my song is on, and I really do feel cool.

58:19Romesh Ranganathan:That is cool. And I'll be like, be safe. So that is cool. That is really cool. Yeah. Okay, Eve, we're going to play a little game that's called Misquoted. We play this every episode. Okay.

58:39Romesh Ranganathan:It's Misquoted. I'm going to give you five quotes that you may or may not have said. Oh, God. And you've just got to tell me whether you said this or not. Okay. Okay. And there's no stakes here. Okay. It's just fun. Mm-hmm. In theory. In theory. Yeah. Okay. Here's your first one. when we first got together he thought I was high maintenance because of how often I changed my hair I had to say no I'm a black woman this is not high maintenance this is part of the culture definitely said that to Max I mean he talked about my hair bonnet and my scrub gloves in his wedding speech I was like so yeah I definitely said that but he's he understands now now he gets it now he knows to ask how long is the hair going to take like it used to be like can we now he's like can we go to dinner or should I just wait till tomorrow?

59:30And I'm like, yeah. So, yeah.

59:32Romesh Ranganathan:You know, one of the things that, you know, when I first got together with my wife is her understanding that I have to put two coats of cocoa butter on before I can even leave my bedroom. Do you know what I mean? It's like the level of moisturizing. No, you need the moisture. And if you forget. No, it's not cute. I was in the car on the way here. Like, I can't look crusty dusty. I know. You look like you're covered in spider's webs. It's horrendous. Okay, well done. That was correct. Okay. Here's your next one. Marmite is the bomb. Definitely not me. For sure. I have tried with this Marmite, even with those weird sticks that people bring out during Christmas.

1:00:10What are they called? Twiglets. Twiglets. Yeah. I'm trying. If I'm drinking, maybe. You know what I mean? Like Christmas drink with a twiglet? I'm not mad.

1:00:18Romesh Ranganathan:You actually mentioned twiglets in an interview with The Times. I'll give you the exact quote. Okay. During Christmas, I will have four of those fucking Marmite Twiggy things. But that's it. Yep, that's how I feel. Is Max into Marmite? He loves it. Yeah, he loves it. Because it's amazing. Oh, my God. Toast. He'll do the toast thing at night with the Marmite. I'm like, oh, my God. It's so delicious. It's really not, though. It's actually not. It is. It's actually not. It actually is. And I like salty things. It's so umami. no it's not umami to me it's not it's like is there anything in America like that there's not really not like a marmite a vegemite that flavour just America would not have that shit oh hell no yeah okay have you got into other British food like roasts I love a roast of course love a roast love a sticky toffee pudding sticky toffee pudding I mean the classic I've even had when I first used to come here I don't see them as often I don't know if people have been like these suck or whatever but banoffee pie one of Max's friends used to buy them for me when I first started it's so bad so yeah you guys do really good like puddings when I was a kid they had this advert for like ready when ready meals first started becoming a thing and it was now I think about it and I think the advert was so racist but it was basically this South Asian family and they were like making the ready meals for each other so the husband would come in and he'd go, what's for dinner?

1:01:53Romesh Ranganathan:And then his wife would go, shepherd's pie. And then he'd go, shepherd's pie. And then it would cut to them. Oh, my gosh. He'd go, shepherd's pie. And at the end of it, he'd go, I'll never forget. He stayed with me from when I was a kid. Oh, my God. What are we having for pudding? And then she'd go, spotted dick. And then he'd look down the camera and go, spotted dick.

1:02:15I mean, it's not a great name for a person, is it? It's not.

1:02:19Romesh Ranganathan:Spotted Dick has sort of died a death, right? I think so. Is anybody in Spotted Dick now? I reckon you get it at some restaurants still, like posh ones. Okay, here's your next one. You're two for two, by the way. Congratulations. I'm a smother mother. Definitely me. I am a smother mother. What does that mean? I just am like, give me cuddles, give me squeezes. Give me like, and he's like, get off me. Yeah, I am a smother mother. And Max is like, because he's like, oh, when he plays rugby, I was like, never. He's like, he's got to play. And I'm like, no, I have to put him in bubble wrap and make sure he's okay.

1:02:55Yeah, I'm such a smothermother.

1:02:57Romesh Ranganathan:Okay, you're three for three. Okay. Here's your next one. My life's a sitcom, but sometimes you just have to laugh. You know, I've said that actually in private to people. I don't, have I ever said that out loud? To The Guardian in 2019. okay yeah okay i'll give you the context you're talking about something that happened during on a school run ah yes okay yes yes yes i was about to say have i said that out loud but yeah it because some days you do feel i do feel not as much now it was more it was more school run things with my bonus kids where i was like here is this rappers now coming to the school gates and they know the parents you know what I mean and like one time I had to go to a school dance and one of the parents and the kids went to posh schools and one of the parents came up to me and was like my husband loves Tupac come here honey come here honey don't you listen to Tupac and I was like what is actually what is happening like so yeah yeah I mean I would lose if you're on the school run and Eve turns up it's just fucking wild right school runs difficult school run is stressful it's really hard okay you are four for four here's your last one okay it took me years to speak to prince normally I'd say stuff like do you know who you are you're a genius oh yes that's me and I used to call him an alien as well that has to be me well actually we changed that so that is okay I was gonna say you've done really well here because we took most of the quote and changed the last word.

1:04:41Okay.

1:04:41Romesh Ranganathan:The first part is true but you'd say do you know who you are? You're an alien. Yes. Which is like you know I mean I was still he was Prince. Come on. Like the fact that he even knew who I was and I think about this sometimes like I know he's I think there's a is it a 10 year anniversary of something with his right now I was looking at and I was just like this man knew who I was like and I got to hang out with him sometimes and perform with him is insane. And I just used to look at him like, you're so far beyond what we are. Yeah. Do you feel that? Because, you know, you obviously think about his musical genius.

1:05:18Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. But also he had, you know, his authenticity and his insistence on doing what he wanted to do. Yeah. Regardless of what anybody wanted from him. Yeah. How huge. It was pretty amazing. Back then. How huge. Yeah. How huge. Like, no, he was such an incredible, incredible, incredible artist in person and sad that he's not here. Would love to hear what he would do right now. Yeah. Oh, God. Yeah. Yeah. What was he like to hang out with? Oh, my God. He was so chill. Like, he was so cool. I mean, you know, you see how he adorned himself, but he would just talk about cool shit, like, and ask you about yourself.

1:06:01He was very attentive. Yeah, man. Very supportive. Praised you as an artist. You're doing so good. He was great. He was amazing.

1:06:12Romesh Ranganathan:There's an amazing video. Kevin Smith, the director, talking about he was supposed to be doing a documentary. Prince asked him to do this documentary. And then midway through the thing, he was just like, this isn't working out. We can't. Prince said this. No, Kevin Smith was like, I can't. like what he wants us to do is not going to work. Do you know what I mean? Because I think Prince wanted him to do a documentary but then made no concessions to it being a documentary. He was just doing whatever he was doing. So Kevin Smith was like, I love, obviously Prince is amazing. And so now I can't, I don't think I can make this film.

1:06:43Romesh Ranganathan:You know, you need to get somebody better at this sort of thing than me. So I think it was like he spoke to his, they went to leave and Prince was like somewhere and he said to Prince's assistant, can you let Prince know like, I'm really sorry, but I don't feel this is going to be the right thing. And, you know, it was an honour to be asked. And he said, you're going to have to tell Prince that. And he said, why is that? He goes, because we don't tell Prince no. I was like, yeah. I used to hear that. I never, it's funny, I'd never been around his people in that sense. Maybe because he brought me in.

1:07:21But I used to hear that a lot. And that also he was one of the people, which did happen to me, he would tell you like so i knew a month before or i was told a month before that prince wanted to do this song with me and it's when he calls you have to drop everything and go immediately and he did that to everyone basically but of course you did like you dropped i don't care what you were doing yeah um but yeah he was very much like that i mean that system only works if

1:07:48Romesh Ranganathan:nobody else does that do you know what i mean yeah like if you're waiting on six calls with that person from different people for whom you have to drop everything immediately that's tricky that becomes tricky to manage it will be um right eve you've been absolutely unbelievable thank you for having me we've got one final question the team the team love viral clips okay and so the way that we tackle this is by asking you to tell us something exclusive or something you've never said publicly before it can be as trivial as you like or as big as you like is there anything that springs to mind that I've never ever ever said before you can remember I mean that's what I'm trying to say I mean I don't really know like collaborations earlier and you're saying like you know you might get in there and see if it works and if it doesn't you've been it have you ever tried to collab with someone it hasn't worked yes I did I thought it was good I thought it was good I had a good time and I thought we should have released it but I mean, you know, I did a song with a singer.

1:08:52This was years and years and years ago. We were in the same studio. I did the remix. She has such a shitty attitude. I quoted so much for this verse that I knew she was going to say no. Yeah. And she did. And I was so happy. And I was like, this stank ass. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I don't know how to say that. But yeah. So one time. But since then, as we've matured, we've seen each other. And it was all good.

1:09:18Romesh Ranganathan:Oh, well, that's good. That's good. Yeah. Okay. Well, listen, Eve. Yes. As I said, you are a legend. Thank you. But you wear it so lightly. It's been such a pleasure to chat to you. Please. Thank you for having me. Give it up for Eve, everybody. Yo, thanks for watching and listening to the Romish Ranganathan Show. Sup, y 'all? It's genuinely lovely that so many of you keep coming back. But I'm hearing rumours, naive hearsay and conjecture that some of you haven't subscribed yet. If you haven't, now's the time. Follow the show wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss episodes. We've got new episodes every Monday and Thursday.

1:09:55Romesh Ranganathan:Monday's a big guest conversations where we talk about what they're up to and have a laugh. And Thursday's a me and my mum, Shanti, answering your questions and family dilemmas as well as burning off any self-esteem I've got knocking about. So I'll see you on Thursday when mum takes over. If you've got a problem, a story or a family dilemma, send it to podcast at rangaby.com, voice not or text us on 07731 623355. That's 07731 623355. We love getting you involved and you might hear yourself in a future episode. Plus, it means less content for us to generate. See you next time. Oh, shut up, Romesh.

1:10:35Turn it up. Storm has zero sugar and 200 milligrams of caffeine. So you can turn that workout up a notch. Good energy in, good energy out. Energy for life.

1:11:13you