Ja Rule

Fun Facts: Ja Rule met his wife, Aisha, in junior high school. They married in 2001.

Claim to Fame: Ja released his debut album, “Venni Vetti Vecci” in 1999. The album went platinum.

Jeffrey Atkins, and grandparents. At the age of five his sister died from breathing complications, leaving him as an only child. He attended PS 132, a mixed school, but was later transferred to MS 172, another mixed school, due to daily fights in which he would be involved.


Atkins began his rap career in 1994 with Cash Money Click. He told Curtis Waller of MTV News that his stage name "Ja Rule" came from a friend who addressed him by that name; other friends called him "Ja". In 1995, he made his first appearance on Mic Geronimo's "Time to Build" which featured Jay-Z and DMX, who were also in their early stages of their careers.

His debut album Venni Vetti Vecci was released in 1999. Singles included "Holla Holla" and "It's Murda" with Jay-Z and DMX. The final single was "Daddy's Little Baby", a duet with Ronald Isley. Venni Vetti Vecci was certified platinum by the RIAA on July 12, 1999.


Ja Rule returned quickly during the summer of 2000, with his new single "Between Me and You", which featured Def Soul act Christina Milian. The single was quickly followed by Ja's second but very successful effort, Rule 3:36, which was released on October 10, 2000. 3:36 also featured singles "Put It On Me", "I Cry" and, "Fuck You" from the Fast and the Furious Soundtrack. The album featured guest appearances from Lil Mo, Vita, Christina Milian, label mates Jayo Felony, and Black Child. Rule 3:36 debuted at #1 on the Billboard Charts and eventually went 3x Platinum.


Soon after the release of Rule 3:36, Irv Gotti signed R&B singer Ashanti to the label, which led to Lil Mo ending her collaborations with the label. During the late summer of 2001, Ja Rule released "Livin' It Up", the lead single from his third studio album, Pain Is Love, which proved to be a very successful album. The second single was the "I'm Real ", and the third was "Always On Time", and the last was "Down Ass Bitch". Pain Is Love featured guest appearances from Case, The Murder Inc. Family, Missy Elliott, Jodie Mack, Tweet, Jennifer Lopez and a recording from the late Tupac Shakur. Along with its critical success it was also a commercial success, reaching #1 on the Billboard 200. It has reached 3x Platinum certification in the U.S.

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