Eve raps on 'Barbershop,' 'Eve-Olution'

Crossing over

Eve on the future: "I definitely would love children, marriage and family but not right now. Maybe in the next two years or something, who knows."

(CNN) -- Eve may be best known for spittin' rhymes alongside Gwen Stefani, but she's determined to blow your mind all over again with her latest career moves -- which include the release of her new album, "Eve-Olution," and a starring role in the film comedy "Barbershop," opening September 13.

Following the template Jennifer Lopez set with her success in music and film, Eve joins a fresh crop of career-crossover hopefuls such as rapper Eminem (his film "8 Mile" is due out in November) and actress Jennifer Love Hewitt (her album "Barenaked" hits stores sometime in the fall).

"It's good for your longevity. I get bored really quickly. I'm glad so many doors are opening for me," Eve says. "In trying different things you may find a niche in something else."

Even before "Barbershop," the 23-year-old rapper had a chance to get her feet wet in the acting world. She had a cameo appearance in "XXX."

"It was a small part. I play Vin Diesel's best friend and partner in this underground Web site business," she says.

Shopping around

Eve plays the lone female among male barbers in "Barbershop."

However, that role doesn't compare to her performance in "Barbershop," in which she plays the female lead. The film stars Ice Cube as the owner of a South Side Chicago barbershop who considers giving up his inherited business to try something else.

Eve, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native born Eve Jihan Jeffers, plays Terri, the shop's lone female haircutter. She takes no guff from the other stylists, she says. "I have this hard-edged attitude until it comes to my boyfriend," she says of her role.

The set of "Barbershop" was relaxed and fun, according to the rookie actress. "Ice Cube was cool. He gave me some pointers with the camera and hitting my marks. Cedric the Entertainer [who plays the shop's oldest veteran] is hilarious. He kept us laughing ridiculously."

Eve says she hopes this role will be the start of a fruitful acting career. "I would love to do more movies. Hopefully I will be able to."

An evolving musician

RESOURCES EW.COM: All about Eve

She is also anxious to play up her latest album, "Eve-Olution," already in stores. "I think it's a well-rounded album. It has street songs and dance songs."

The album's first song release, "Gangsta Lovin' " featuring Alicia Keys, is performing well. "It's always nerve-racking coming back out with something, the first single. I'm just glad people are liking it," Eve says. The song has climbed as high as No. 4 on the Billboard charts.

"Eve-Olution" is Eve's third album.

Beside Keys, Snoop and Nate Dogg, Dr. Dre and urban vocalist Truth Hurts also make guest appearances. There are also a few tracks on which Eve sings.

That's not so unusual: She started out as a singer and switched to rapping only after her manager suggested it. After gaining a following warming up crowds in her native Philly, she attracted the attention of Dr. Dre, who brought her out to Los Angeles and helped establish her career, which was furthered by rapper DMX and the production team the Ruff Ryders.

Quite an evolution.

"Me picking 'Eve-Olution' wasn't just because of the music or me coming out with a new look. I grew as a person before I even entered the studio," she says. "Also, you can definitely hear my growth as an artist."

She's amused by the fact that the album shares a similar name to that of Usher's recent tour, which is dubbed "Evolution." "I actually forgot about that. It just felt like the right title. I think that's hilarious."

Rap heard around the world

Eve is just as pleased with her producers, who were the first in the U.S. to sign a rapper of Chinese descent. She acknowledges the U.S. is slow to accept rappers who do not fit the stereotype.

"I meet more other-race rappers when I'm overseas. Like when I'm in Germany, France, London. There's a lot of girl emcees in Germany. But here I haven't really met too many."

But will there ever be a female counterpart to Eminem? Eve says it is inevitable that a white female rapper will make her mark in the industry. "It has to happen. There's probably somebody right now. We'll probably see someone on MTV news sometime soon: 'Just signed.' "

Rap can express some brutal truths, and Eve is the first to admit "I'm not Suzy Sunshine -- I'm not the most positive rapper in the world or person in the world."

But, she adds, she cares about the image she portrays.

"I do feel like there is some type of responsibility for me to put a message out there," she says. "At least talk to the kids in some way."