Ruff Ryders’ First Lady has at last given word of when her next LP will drop.

During an interview with Time.com, Eve revealed that Lip Lock should have a fall release date. She also gave some details on the album’s style and material, saying that it would harken back to an original Ruff Ryders sound.

“Not an exact date, but we’re wanting it to come out in the fall,” she explained. “I wanted to really take what people loved of me and fell in love with in the beginning, with the Ruff Ryders and all of them, and combine it with where I am now. As far as my ear with music now, because I travelled so much, I think musically my ear has grown. And then lyrically obviously I think I’ve grown. Hopefully people will feel that. Hopefully my core audience won’t feel like I’ve left them behind. That was a big deal for me, to make them feel like they’re involved in my growth.”

Eve explained that legal and label complications had delayed the album release. Despite her evident frustration at not being able to get the album out sooner, she explained that it meant she had had the chance to work for a long time on the project.

Eve also gave her thoughts on current up-n-coming femcees, praising both Diamond and Azealia Banks.

“I actually really like Azealia Banks. I like her style, I think she’s really cute, I think lyrically she’s really good and she’s really different. She’s probably at the top of my list. But then there’s a girl named Diamond who is from Atlanta who I really like, just as a person and an artist, I think she’s really cool.”

- By Fiona Guest