RapGenius & VIBE Present: 10 Dopest Lines From Eve's 'Lip Lock' LP
Back after a long hiatus, Eve returns to the game with a fresh take on her classic image. Wiser and more hard-hitting than ever, her newest release, Lip Lock, blends soul-raising, inspirational songs with Eve’s legendary skull-bashing bangers. Just like her golden Ruff Ryders era, she can still keep you on the edge of your seat. Here are Rap Genius.com’s Top 10 baddest lyrics from Lip Lock, a return to form for rap’s self-proclaimed pitbull in a skirt. —Gavin Matthews
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10. “Zero Below”
"These hoes crippled, not even in the runnin'"
Your competition is nothing when they can't even run with you. Trailed only by the "crippled" acts, Eve is the star, running miles ahead of anyone else. Disabled by their weak rhymes, lack of style, or public failures, any other rapper trying to be like Eve just trips and falls before they even see her on the horizon. It may be a harsh jab, but Eve does not play around. Messing with her is messing with a well-tuned powerhouse.
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9. “All Night”
"Put some precision in your swing, Excalibur/I done gone pro, you still an amateur"
Even among direct threats, Eve manages to drop some witty wordplay. Excalibur, the most common brand of quality golf clubs, is synonymous with success and power. Like the precise clubs, anything Eve does is a perfect hit, while you just slice. Her performance is like a professional’s, always on-target and quality, while you just spend time missing shots and messing up your opportunities.
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8. “She Bad Bad”
"Ever lucky enough to grab it/Guaranteed you're becomin' an addict"
Nothing says more than having a style that is visual heroin. So addictive that even onlookers get hooked, Eve is a walking drug, capable of turning even enemies into followers. From her body to her words, ever part of Eve attracts, leaving everyone else subpar. After noting the physical "line" of men waiting for a chance to "grab it," she already knows the outcome: another die-hard fan with a dream of one day scoring with Eve. With odds like that, Eve's rapid success and staying power are not at all surprising.
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7. “All Night”
"Told him to hold up and take his time/There's a lot of dudes waitin', so get in line"
Nothing visually says more about demand than a line of people anticipating something. For Eve, that’s a line of suitors who have to take a number before even getting a chance. Rather than cave to the first guy to hit her up, Eve keeps herself single and independent, controlling her destiny the entire way. Call her intimidating, but the reality is self-sufficiency: Eve does not need a man, nor anybody, to rush her anywhere.
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6. “She Bad Bad”
"Me, I’m the chick that keep ‘em under pressure/And every n**** smell her wanna sex her"
The token "bad girl" in rap is completely in control of her sexuality, able to use it to manipulate, have fun, or gain power in a traditionally sexist, male-dominated world. Eve is the queen of this world, simultaneously staying out of the limelight and still dominating the world. She moves from show to show, leaving a "scent" that makes everyone swoon. Even with a legion of admirers, she stays solo, leaving a lifelong sexual tension that wraps the entire world around her finger.
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5. “Zero Below”
“Snatchin' the plate back, it’s my turn to eat/And I’m a greedy bitch, man I don’t like to share"
The metaphorical plate—a buffet of success, cash, and fame that the fortunate get to enjoy at some point—has changed hands many times among female artists. Like the end of the Imperial power struggle in Rome, Eve has returned to reestablish control and end the debate of who is the number one lady lyricist.
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4. “She Bad Bad”
"Blow 'em out the fucking water/Kill ‘em dead, called a slaughter"
Anyone can drop a line about "killing" their opponents. Part of the game is showing no mercy, noting that at any time you are willing to go crazy and beat all others. Eve takes it a step further: She will not only "slaughter" her opponents, but leave them torn to pieces in the metaphorical water. Playing on the phrase, Eve is capable of disrupting an opponent's entire career.
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3. “Zero Below”
"Isabel Marant, bottles blood stained/From all these wannabes that thought they was better than me"
Rocking the freshest new Isabel Marant, Eve stays a step ahead of anyone else. In the nightclub, the bottles of expensive champagne surrounding her are coated in the blood of up-and-coming rappers, a literal take on her continued dominance. Try your luck with her if you want, but prepare for a beat down.
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2. “She Bad Bad”
"You know my style already scorpion, she stings, she lethal"
Most, Eve included, compare themselves to violent beasts: lions, tigers, bears. But the most dangerous things are those too quiet to be seen before they strike, too fast and potent to avoid. Eve is in this group. Carrying wordplay and style with the potency of venom, Eve lashes out at her competition, poisoning their entire world. Every track she drops is a lethal blow to all watching, a silent attack that can fell any would-be challenge.
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1. “Eve”
"I’m the reason you wanna hide/Swallow your face, spit in your eyes"
To drive the message home, Eve does not play around. While others are content with just spitting a cool rhyme to try to take down their competition, Eve will devour and kill you. With a rapper ready to literally tear your face off and desecrate what is left of your body, career, and entire existence, you should probably just stay in hiding. If you ignore every other warning from Eve, do not pass this one up: she is ready to strike whenever you make the mistake of showing your face.
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