Ja Rule: podcast appearances and interviews

Jeffrey Bruce Atkins, known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor born on February 29, 1976. Raised in Queens, New York City, he became recognized for blending gangsta rap with pop and R&B influences. Signing with Irv Gotti's Murder Inc Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings, he released his debut studio album Venni Vetti Vecci in 1999. The album produced his first hit single, Holla Holla, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. His subsequent albums, Rule 3:36 and Pain Is Love, released in 2000 and 2001 respectively, both peaked at the top of the US Billboard 200 chart and each gained triple platinum certification. These albums featured notable singles such as Put It on Me and Livin' It Up, as well as collaborations with artists including Lil' Mo, Vita, Ashanti, and Case. Ja Rule’s career included nominations for two American Music Awards and four Grammy Awards. Between 1999 and 2005, he charted seventeen Hot 100 hits, largely produced by Irv Gotti, and as of 2018, had sold approximately 30 million records worldwide. Beyond music, Ja Rule has acted in films like The Fast and the Furious, and starred in television series such as Growing Up Hip Hop: New York. His involvement in the Fyre Festival attracted scrutiny, although he was cleared of legal wrongdoing in 2019.