Ja Rule hopes the Third Time is a Charm

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Ten years ago, Ja Rule owned the rap game. At the time, it was not uncommon for him to have three hit singles out at the same time. He was putting the finishing touches on his third album, Pain is Love, and cruising while fans played his songs. His breakout hit, "Between Me and You" had just fizzled away and his next single, "Put it on Me," had just began to rise.

Ja Rule was seemingly invincible because the radio stations would play his music repeatedly. Not even major players like Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg received radio play like Ja Rule. For a short period of time, they were not selling like him either. Rule's second album sold three million copies and his third sold six million.

Before long, film companies were reaching out to Ja Rule hoping to cast him in movie roles. The rapper appeared in The Fast and the Furious, but turned down a role in the entire franchise. By 2002, Ja Rule was the biggest rapper in the game, having accomplished more than most rappers could in ten or fifteen years. Looking back on his success, Ja Rule said he dreamed of selling a gold album so he could afford to take care of his mother and his young daughter. But, he never expected to become the highest-selling artist on Def Jam.

Ja Rule has experienced major highs and he has experienced major lows. As fast as his career rose, it fell even faster. Ever since his fall from grace, it has been hard for him to remain relevant. He released a successful album in 2004, but Murder Inc. was dropped from Def Jam immediately after. The label suffered from possible ties to organized crime and Ja Rule's career hung in the balance. Despite all of this, Ja Rule still felt as if he could stage a comeback. In 2007, he had everyone convinced he could stage a comeback with a new deal with Universal Records.

However, Universal Records was uninterested in properly promoting Ja Rule and they eventually shelved his comeback album, The Mirror. In 2009, Ja Rule independently released the album and tried to land his comeback as an independent artist. Even with a slight change in his style, Ja Rule could not regain the fans that he once had. No matter how hard he tried, Ja Rule could not get one of his singles to stick. Two years later, he remains confident he will be able to make a comeback. If he does not receive credit for anything else, Ja Rule is the most persistent rapper in the game.

Things are not looking good for the rapper as he will soon be headed to prison for a two year stay. Before he heads to prison, Ja Rule plans to release his eighth album, The Renaissance Project and he also plans to return to the big screen. He understands he will not be exposed the way he was ten years ago, but Ja Rule does hope to become relevant in the game again. This will be his third time trying to stage a comeback and many fans have lost hope. Some of the fans may have lost hope, but Ja Rule remains highly confident in his chances with his back against the wall.