Ja Rule facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ja Rule
Atkins in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Jeffrey Bruce Atkins
Also known as	Jah
Born	(1976-02-29) February 29, 1976 (age 49) Queens, New York City, U.S.
Genres	East Coast hip hop pop rap gangsta rap hardcore hip hop political hip hop
Occupations	Rapper singer songwriter record producer actor
Years active	1994–present
Labels	M-PIRE Fontana Universal Motown Island Def Jam Def Jam Murder Inc.

Jeffrey Bruce Atkins Sr. (born February 29, 1976), known as Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He grew up in New York City. Ja Rule became famous for mixing different styles of rap music. These included gangsta rap with pop and R&B sounds.

He signed with Irv Gotti's Murder Inc Records. This record label was part of Def Jam Recordings. His first album, Venni Vetti Vecci (1999), had his first big hit song, "Holla Holla". In 2001, he had three songs reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These were "Always on Time" (with Ashanti) and his guest spots on Jennifer Lopez's songs "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" and "Ain't It Funny".

His albums Rule 3:36 (2000) and Pain Is Love (2001) both reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. These albums sold over 15 million copies together. They also had hit songs like "Put It on Me" and "Livin' It Up". His later albums, The Last Temptation (2002) and R.U.L.E. (2004), also had popular songs. By 2018, Ja Rule had sold 30 million records around the world.

Besides music, Ja Rule has also acted in several movies. These include The Fast and the Furious (2001) and Scary Movie 3 (2003).

Early Life and Family Background

Jeffrey Bruce Atkins was born on February 29, 1976. His parents were Debra and Will. He grew up in Hollis, a part of Queens, New York City. Jeffrey's father left when he was very young. He was raised as an only child. His younger sister, Kristen, passed away before she was born when Jeffrey was five.

His mother, Debra, worked in healthcare. Because she worked a lot, Jeffrey was mostly raised by his grandparents. They raised him as a Jehovah's Witness. His mother left the Jehovah's Witness religion when he was 12.

Music Career Journey

Starting with Cash Money Click (1994–1995)

Atkins began his rap career in 1994. He was part of a hip hop group called Cash Money Click. Other members were Chris Black and O-1. He chose the stage name "Ja Rule." He told MTV News that a friend gave him this name. Other friends just called him "Ja."

The group worked with producer DJ Irv. They made several songs. Their first song, "Get Tha Fortune", came out in 1994. It was released by themselves. Later that year, the group signed with TVT Records. The song was re-released as the B-side to their second song, "4 My Click". "4 My Click" featured Mic Geronimo. It became popular on pirate radio and was played on Yo! MTV Raps.

Plans for their first album stopped in 1995. Chris Black was sent to prison for five years. The group was dropped by TVT. Their third song, "She Swallowed It", was never officially released. The group broke up soon after losing their record deal.

Beginning a Solo Career (1995–1999)

After leaving TVT, Ja Rule stayed close with DJ Irv. Irv Gotti was working as an executive producer for Def Jam. Irv Gotti became an A&R for the label. He helped Ja Rule get a contract with Def Jam.

In 1995, Ja Rule made his first solo appearance. He was on Mic Geronimo's "Time to Build." Jay-Z and DMX were also on this song. They were also just starting their careers. He later appeared on "Usual Suspects" in 1997. This song was from Mic Geronimo's second album, Vendetta. The Lox, DMX, and Tragedy Khadafi were also on it. He also had a small appearance in a music video for the group Onyx.

Later in 1997, Irv Gotti started his own record label. It was called Murder Inc. Records. Ja Rule was the main artist for this new label. He continued to appear on songs by other artists. These included Method Man, Redman, Nas, DMX, LL Cool J, and Dru Hill. He also helped write the hook for Jay-Z's 1998 hit song "Can I Get A...". This song was originally planned to be Ja Rule's first single. During this time, he sometimes used the name Jah.

Returning to the name Ja Rule, his first solo song "Holla Holla" came out in March 1999. It became a hit, reaching #35 on the Billboard Hot 100. Because "Holla Holla" was so popular, Ja Rule's first album, Venni Vetti Vecci, was released in 1999. It reached #3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It sold 184,000 copies in its first week. The album later sold enough copies to be certified platinum in the US. A remix of "Holla Holla" was also released. It featured Jay-Z, Vita, Cadillac Tah, Black Child, Memphis Bleek, and Busta Rhymes.

Hit Albums and Collaborations (2000–2002)

Ja Rule and Vita in 2001

Ja Rule's second song, "Between Me and You", came out in June 2000. It featured Christina Milian. This song became his first big hit that crossed over to pop radio. It reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The next song from his second album was "Put It on Me." It featured Vita and Lil' Mo. This song came out in December 2000. It became one of the biggest hits of 2001. It reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the first top 10 hit for both Ja Rule and Vita.

The music video for "Put It on Me" was very popular. It was number one on the MTV Video Countdown for a week. It was also the first music video to be "retired" on BET's 106 & Park. This happened after it stayed on the countdown for over 60 days. The video was also ranked #1 on BET's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2001.

Ja Rule's second album, Rule 3:36, was released on October 10, 2000. It had a different sound from his first album. He changed from hardcore hip-hop to more mainstream pop-rap. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. It sold 276,000 copies in its first week. This made it Ja Rule's first number one album. The album later sold enough copies to be certified triple platinum.

The success of Rule 3:36 made Ja Rule famous around the world. It also made Murder Inc. one of the biggest record labels in the United States. His third album also had great success. It had three songs that reached the top 10, with two of them hitting #1. The first, "Livin' It Up", featured Case. It came out in July 2001 and reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also popular in the United Kingdom.

The second song, "Always on Time", was released in October 2001. This song was the first big appearance for Murder Inc.'s new artist, Ashanti. It became the first song to top the Billboard Hot 100 for both Ja Rule and Ashanti. A remix of Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real" featuring Ja Rule was also on the album. This song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks in 2001. It was played a lot on R&B/hip hop and pop radio.

Ja Rule released his third album, Pain Is Love, on October 2, 2001. Like his previous album, Pain Is Love reached #1 on the Billboard 200. It sold 361,000 copies in its first week. It is certified triple platinum. The album was also nominated for a Grammy in 2002 for Best Rap Album. By 2007, 3.6 million copies of Pain Is Love had been sold.

The Last Temptation, Ja Rule's fourth album, came out on November 19, 2002. It had two hit songs. "Thug Lovin'", featuring Bobby Brown, reached #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Mesmerize", a duet with Ashanti, reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Last Temptation debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200. It sold 237,000 copies in its first week. It was certified platinum in December 2002.

Break from Music and Label Changes (2005–2009)

Ja Rule performing in Fort Hood, Texas, May 13, 2005

On December 6, 2005, The Inc. released Exodus. This was a greatest hits album. The only new songs were "Me" and an intro and outro track. Exodus was the last album on Ja Rule's contract with The Inc. After this, Ja Rule took a break from making music.

From 2005 to 2006, Gotti looked for other record labels. He made a deal with Universal Records. A few years later, The Inc. left Universal Records. This was due to business problems and not getting enough money for projects.

New Album and Return (2011–Present)

In February 2011, Ja Rule started working on a new album. It was called Pain Is Love 2. The same producers from the first Pain Is Love album worked on it. Ja Rule wanted to release it on June 7, 2011. But he decided to wait to make the songs even better. He also wanted to avoid disappointing his fans. The release date was moved to October 11, 2011, but was pushed back again.

During this time, Ja Rule released new songs. One was "Falling to Pieces," which used a sample from The Script's "Breakeven." Another song, "Spun a Web," came out on October 2, 2011. It sampled Coldplay's "Trouble." Pain Is Love 2 was finally released on February 28, 2012.

Ja Rule was released from prison on May 7, 2013. He appeared on a remix of the song "She Tried." On September 18, 2013, Ja Rule released a song called "Fresh Out Da Pen." A few days later, he released "Everything." Both songs were produced by Reefa and Myles William. In September 2013, it was confirmed that Ja Rule and Gotti had restarted Murder Inc Records.

Memoir, TV Show, and Future Plans (2014–Present)

In 2014, Ja Rule wrote a book called Unruly: The Highs and Lows of Becoming a Man. In the book, he talked about his life. He shared about growing up in New York City and his journey in music. He also wrote about being a father.

In July 2014, Ja Rule announced his eighth album. It was later planned for a 2016 release. Also in 2014, MTV announced that Ja Rule and his family would be on a reality show. It was called Follow the Rules. Queen Latifah helped produce it. The show started on October 26, 2015.

In October 2015, Ja Rule announced a TV drama series. He and Gotti partnered with Paramount Pictures. The show would be about the history of Murder Inc. In February 2016, Ja Rule said his next album would be called Coup De Grâce. He said it would be his last album. In December 2016, he was on The Hamilton Mixtape. He rapped a part in Ashanti's song "Helpless."

On June 26, 2018, Ashanti confirmed that she and Ja Rule were working on an album together. On October 15, 2021, Ja Rule released the song "Sincerely, Jeffrey." This was to celebrate 20 years since his album Pain is Love came out.

Ja Rule performs at halftime during the WNBA Playoffs at Barclays Center in 2024, pictured here with the NY Liberty's Ellie the Elephant

Acting Roles

Ja Rule's first movie was Turn It Up with Pras. He had a small role in The Fast and the Furious. He also appeared in movies like Back in the Day with Ving Rhames and Pam Grier. He co-starred with Steven Seagal in Half Past Dead. Other movies include The Cookout with Queen Latifah and Assault on Precinct 13. In 2013, he starred in I'm in Love with a Church Girl.

Other Business Ventures

In 2004, Ja Rule and Gotti started a clothing line called ErvinGeoffrey. In 2006, Ja Rule launched a liquor company called The Mojito.

In May 2015, Ja Rule partnered with Billy McFarland. McFarland was the CEO of a credit card service company called Magnises. Ja Rule became its creative head and spokesperson. In August 2015, Ja Rule worked with shoe designer Steve Madden. They created a new line of men's sneakers called Maven x Madden. These shoes were sold in the fall of 2015.

In 2016, Ja Rule co-founded Fyre Media, Inc. This was a company that booked talent. In April 2017, the company promoted the Fyre Festival in the Bahamas. It was advertised as a luxury event. However, it turned out to be a scam, disappointing many ticket buyers.

In 2020, Ja Rule created a live-streaming app called Iconn Live. The app became available on Apple TV in November 2022.

In 2021, Ja Rule worked with software engineers to launch Flipkick. This platform sells physical art as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Flipkick says it is the first company to offer digital proof of physical art linked to NFTs. To start the platform, Ja Rule put up a painting for auction. He had commissioned the painting in 2012. It showed the Fyre Media Inc logo. The painting was expected to sell for $600,000.

In June 2023, Ja Rule launched a special wine brand called Rose Vine Cellars.

Personal Life and Beliefs

Atkins earned his GED (General Educational Development) while in prison in February 2012. In February 2021, Atkins finished an online course at Harvard Business School. He shared a photo of his certificate on Twitter.

Family Life

In April 2001, Ja Rule married Aisha Murray. They have three children together.

Religious Beliefs

Ja Rule was raised as a Jehovah's Witness for most of his childhood. Now, he identifies as a Christian. He said he "reconnected with God" in 2013. This happened while he was promoting the movie I'm in Love with a Church Girl. He and his wife were baptized in 2013.

Music Albums

Studio albums

• Venni Vetti Vecci (1999)
• Rule 3:36 (2000)
• Pain Is Love (2001)
• The Last Temptation (2002)
• Blood in My Eye (2003)
• R.U.L.E. (2004)
• Pain Is Love 2 (2012)

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Documentaries

Awards and Nominations

American Music Awards

BET Awards

GQ Men of the Year Awards

Grammy Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

NAACP Image Awards

Soul Train Music Awards

Teen Choice Awards

See also

In Spanish: Ja Rule para niños