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Quick Facts
- NAME: Ja Rule
- OCCUPATION: Film Actor, Rapper
- BIRTH DATE: February 29, 1976 (Age: 37)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Queens, New York
- Full Name: Jeffrey Atkins
- AKA: Ja Rule
- ZODIAC SIGN: Pisces
Best Known For
Ja Rule is one of the biggest rappers from the early 2000s, known for hits like "Between Me and You," "Always on Time" and "Put It on Me."
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Play NowJa Rule. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 02:25, May 21, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/ja-rule-16717595.
Ja Rule. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/ja-rule-16717595 [Accessed 21 May 2013].
"Ja Rule." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 21 2013, 02:25 http://www.biography.com/people/ja-rule-16717595.
"Ja Rule," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/ja-rule-16717595 [accessed May 21, 2013].
"Ja Rule," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/ja-rule-16717595 (accessed May 21, 2013).
Ja Rule [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 21] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/ja-rule-16717595.
Ja Rule, http://www.biography.com/people/ja-rule-16717595 (last visited May 21, 2013).
Ja Rule. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/ja-rule-16717595. Accessed May 21, 2013.
Synopsis
Born in Queens, New York, in 1976, Ja Rule made his way onto the rap scene in 1999 with his debut album, Venni Vetti Vecci. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart and launched the career of the rugged rapper with a grizzly voice. Ja Rule followed that success with several hit singles, including "Always on Time" featuring Ashanti and "Put It On Me." He has also faced legal troubles throughout his career,
having received prison sentences for gun and tax-evasion charges.
Early Life
Musician and actor Ja Rule was born Jeffrey Atkins on February 26, 1976, in Queens, New York. Ja Rule was raised the only child of his mother, Debra Atkins, after his sister died from breathing complications when he was 5 years old. Because of the two jobs that Debra Atkins—a health-care worker—held, which occupied a large majority of her time, Ja Rule credits his upbringing to the streets of Hollis, Queens, and his grandparents.
Early Rap Career
Ja Rule began his journey as a rapper in 1993. He got his rap name by partially by using his initials—Jeffrey Atkins—and by taking on the name "Rule" that his friend gave him. Through joining the group Cash Money Click in 1994, an 18-year-old Ja Rule expected to make it as a star. Unfortunately, after signing his first contract as a rapper, he lost the publishing rights to his album, which was never released, and waited several years before striking a deal with another record company.
Career Highlights
After four years of waiting, Ja Rule was signed to Def Jam Records in 1998, and made his radio debut as a featured artist on Jay-Z's single "Can I Get A...," during the same year. The heavily promoted single started to gather a buzz around the raspy-voiced rapper. The following year, Ja Rule released his debut album, Venni Vetti Vecci, with Murder Inc. Records, a label started by Irv Gotti under Def Jam Records. Venni Vetti Vecci was also the first album released under the newly founded label.
The album, while not domiating the charts, still made an impressive showing for the debut artist. Ja Rule's album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 184,000 copies in its first week. His ranking proved even more impressive when compared to other popular artists that released their debut albums on the same day, including Jennifer Lopez and Blink-182, who debuted at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.
The success of his debut album was only the start of Ja Rule's ascension in the music industry. From his debut in 1999 to 2004, Ja Rule released a new album every year—Rule 3:36 (2000), Pain Is Love (2001), The Last Temptation (2002), Blood in My Eye (2003) and R.U.L.E. (2004). Each album found moderate success, and his singles featuring pop/R&B artists such as Ashanti and Jennifer Lopez were particularly popular. Ja Rule's second single from Pain is Love, "Always on Time," featured R&B singer Ashanti, and was the rapper's first No. 1 single on the Billboard Top 100.
Acting Career
After finding success as a rapper, Ja Rule tried his luck as an actor.
profile name: Ja Rule profile occupation:
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