Listen Live
WENZ Z1079 Mobile App 2020
Z 107.9 Featured Video
CLOSE

 

Rapper/actress Eve has been enjoying a life away from the glare of the limelight for a while now. She’s back and kicking things into high gear with a new album titled “Liplock” and a new action film, which is a first for her her, called “Bounty Killer.”

Set to hit theaters in select cities as well as Video On Demand on September 6th, “Bounty Killer” is a postapocalyptic action-comedy about what happens when corporate greed ruins the world and rebels make killing the heads of the corporations a contest for bragging rights and cash. Eve plays the badass Mocha Sujata who is a leader of her own crew and doesn’t take any mess from anyone.

The Urban Daily got a chance to speak to Eve about her role in the film. What was supposed to be a short interview about her new movie turned into a conversation about entertainment, love, race, and a little bit of politics.

TUD: Can you tell me a little about the film “Bounty Killer” and your role as Mocha Sujata?

EVE: So “Bounty Killer” is a crazy movie! It’s kinda in this fantasy world, but almost in the desert as well. There’s a lot of killing and action. I play this character called Mocha Sujata who is the Queen of the Gypsies. They’re just a bunch of rebels. It was a fun role to play. I took it because I’ve never done anything like that. I had fun doing it.

Did you do your own stunts in the film?

Yeah, I had to actually. [laughs] I did have a stunt woman because that’s just something you must have. But a lot of the stuff that’s close up I had to do on my own. So I had to learn how to fight with a stunt coordinator and a martial arts expert.

What did making this movie teach you about yourself?

It taught me to love fighting. It was a release. I always try to be as technical as I can, especially working with people who are experts at certain things. But at the same time, you can’t so everything. At one point we were using two different fake knives for a scene. One knife was harder than the other one and you have to know when to say when. At one point, I wasn’t comfortable, but that’s something you have to do because otherwise you can get hurt.

Out of all of the characters in the film, is Mocha Sujata the hardest one?

Definitely! [laughs] She definitely fights and goes hard, especially with the main character. We go at it so it’s a really good fight scene between me and the main character.

You always play strong female characters. Do you ever see yourself playing a character who isn’t as strong as your previous roles?

I would love to. I was talking about this to someone the other day. I would love to be in a movie that kinda strips me down. One where I must have a lot of emotion and crying and being sad. I would love to do that.

Are you trying to be in “Losing Isiah Part 2″? [laughs]

YAAAAAS! [laughs]

Do you think you would be good in a film like that?

You know what’s crazy? As much as I want to do a project like that, I wonder if I would be good because I’ve never done anything like that. I think people who can do that onscreen-cry and let go and be emotional-that’s a brave thing because I’m not really an emotional person. Like, just in life, so I don’t know if I can let go of my emotions. Hopefully, I will be able to let go.

But as a songwriter, isn’t tapping into your emotions what fuels your music?

It does, but I feel like-and this is gonna sound crazy-but it seems more personal finding those emotions on screen. When I’m writing in the studio, because it’s me doing it by myself using the words in my head. That’s different from being on screen because it’s so many people looking at you. So for me to get that emotion out, I’d have to do it in front of people. I have to get myself emotional in front of people and they see me do it. But if I’m writing it and I put it to a song, I’ve had time to live with it. Maybe it doesn’t sound right, but it’s different.

With you being a celebrity, people are always in your business. How do you balance being a private person with remaining open enough for your audience to feel you’re accessible?

I’m still trying to figure the bridge out. I think I’m doing okay, but I am still trying to figure it out. Especially with my relationship [with British fashion designer Maximillion Cooper] . That’s been the one thing I control the most. You know, I’ll talk about my man and we’ll tweet each other back and forth or whatever. But I don’t really send pictures out of us. That’s my control. I don’t mind other stuff, like if I’m running around a city, I don’t mind my picture being taken. But when it comes to me and my man or me, him, and his kids–I keep that private.

Speaking of your relationship, you recently had to check somebody for disrespecting you about you being in an interracial relationship. How often do you experience that?

Honestly, I was shocked. It was really crazy. That day was so crazy because most people don’t say anything. When Max and I first got together and people started seeing pictures, I got crazy tweets from people. But we’ve been together for three years so nobody really says anything. I never really hear anything. That day was the first time I’ve had a face to face with someone who had something bad to say about my relationship. The girl never even explained. She just said something about white and black and I knew what it was. I was like, “C’mon, chick. Stop it.”

Despite the fact we have a black president in his second term of office, we, as Black people, still have to deal with hard race issues. What do you think about our progression? Have we progressed enough?

We’ve moved forward a lot! Martin Luther King, Jr.  would be so proud to see Obama in his second term. I think that, as black people, we have come together more, but I still think we have a ways to go. I don’t think we’re quite there yet.

Unfortunately, we still deal with many ridiculous race situations. The Trayvon Martin case was another hot button issue and an unfortunate incident that happened to a young black boy. However, I think things like that have brought our black men together. We go up and down in that fight.

I’ve never been the type of person to really look at race. Yeah, I’m a black girl from Philly, but I just never said, “Yeah, I’m just gonna be with a black dude.” I never thought I’d be with a white dude, but it just happens. I think we need to start remembering people are people and as big as the world is getting, race shouldn’t be that big of a deal anymore.

“Bounty Killer” hits Video on demand and select cities on September 6th. Her album “Liplock” is in stores now.

READ MORE HOT EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS ON THEURBANDAILY.COM:

Sean Kingston Discusses New Album, Playboy Persona & Maliah’s Booty [EXCLUSIVE]

Kid Capri Discusses The State Of New York Hip-Hop [EXCLUSIVE]

Producer Jerry Wonda: ‘Maria, Maria’ Was The Toughest Record I Ever Worked On!

Eve Details Badass New Film & Beefing With A Fan [EXCLUSIVE]  was originally published on theurbandaily.com