It’s simple to neglect that in his early 2000s heyday, Ja Rule had a case to be thought-about the most important hip-hop artist on the earth.
Following back-to-back chart-topping albums with Rule 3:36 in 2000 and the huge Pain Is Love in 2001, Ja was on fixed rotation on the radio and on MTV and in fixed demand for featured visitor spots. The 46-year-old isn’t troubling the charts with as a lot frequency at this time, however the rapper and entrepreneur has maintained a stage of cultural relevance by means of latest tv initiatives, his sprawling enterprise empire and his rising presence within the music streaming area.
Nostalgia for the hip-hop of Ja’s golden period has stored him touring but in addition knowledgeable the rapper’s Vibes Concert Series, the place legendary MCs carry out their most traditional albums in an intimate setting. On Nov. 21, New York rapper Rakim would be the newest artist to carry out as a part of the Vibes sequence introduced by Ja’s ICONN Live, a music live-streaming and networking app. Performing at New York’s Sony Hall, Rakim will run by means of the traditional Eric B & Rakim 1987 album Paid In Full. “The God MC” joins the likes of Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Big Daddy Kane and Ja himself who’ve carried out their most extremely regarded album dwell.
As properly because the successes, there have been some setbacks, not least Ja’s affiliation with the Fyre Festival controversy that erupted in 2017 and has come again into the news resulting from convicted fraudster Billy McFarland’s latest strikes to make one more documentary associated to the ill-fated occasion.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter over Zoom forward of Rakim’s Vibes gig, Ja spoke in regards to the impetus behind the live performance sequence, the final time he noticed DMX and gave his thought-about response to the growing violence in hip-hop that has seen various younger rappers die lately. He additionally talked about why he by no means actually leaned into appearing regardless of some early success and revealed his ideas on the Fyre Festival documentaries and whether or not he’s been in contact with McFarland.
What pushed you to create ICONN?
I created ICONN in the course of the pandemic. I went on Instagram and every little thing was digital on the time. Seeing D-Nice DJing nearly, artists had been doing digital live shows and stuff. It simply felt like a time for a brand new platform that catered to all of those wants for a pandemic kind of state of affairs. And so I constructed that, what you get with ICONN, [unlike with] a number of these different apps, Instagram and Twitter, they didn’t have sure options. They didn’t have suggestions, you couldn’t tip in real-time. I put that on my platform as a result of I seen D-Nice djing, doing his Club Quarantine and all people was on there, I imply all the celebrities, all people. And they had been looking for methods to tip them, and so they couldn’t. He put his CashApp up there and I used to be like, man, if he may try this in actual time, man, that may be a very cool factor. So I form of put the recommendations on there. I created a approach for artists to do digital meet and greets, you recognize, can ebook an artist on ICONN to do digital meet and greet kind issues with them. Pay-per-view, digital performances, the entire thing, you recognize, can have six individuals at one time on the platform so you are able to do dwell chat.
And so I pivoted a bit bit into unique content material and I did that as a result of that’s the factor that I can create and construct the place no person can re-create and construct. If I create one thing actually dope, like Vibes live shows sequence, that’s my unique content material that lives on ICONN and other people can go see that there solely.
Could you clarify what Vibes is?
Vibes is dope, man. I take an iconic artist and so they carry out their traditional albums. Usually if you go to a live performance, artists carry out all of the hits, they go, you see them carry out the hit data. Well that is extra about that traditional physique of labor, these wonderful albums that we love from entrance to again and people album cuts, these deep album cuts which can be particular to lots of people that artists by no means get to carry out if any time. So this live performance is particular in that approach. And I do it a dwell band enjoying with the artists. They put on fits. So it’s an actual grown-up evening of hip-hop, a distinct vibe. It’s form of like my model of the Cotton Club. (Laughs.)
And they inform the tales behind the music. That’s one other key element to this. They inform the tales behind the album, what they had been going by means of after they made the album, some cool stuff that you simply need to learn about a few of your favourite data off that traditional album. So it’s an actual cool vibe.
Who has accomplished Vibes to date? You’ve accomplished one, clearly, with Pain Is Love…
I did the primary one Raekwon and Ghost. I did Pain Is Love, my album. Raekwon and Ghost did Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. Top fucking hip-hop albums of all time. Big Daddy Kane, he simply did Long Live The Kane and fucking destroyed it. Killed it. And then in one other two weeks I obtained Rakim, “The God MC,” he’s doing this traditional Paid In Full, one other hip-hop album that’s revered as among the best hip-hop albums ever. I’m so glad I obtained two of the most effective albums, form of early.
Who else have you ever lined as much as do one?
So many artists that I’ve reached out to and actually have been reaching out to me. I don’t wanna give away an excessive amount of of who’s gonna be coming down the pipe, however I’ll say this, we’re going to begin going with artists which can be more moderen and with a few of these traditional albums which can be extra my period and after. So we’re getting the entire gamut of hip-hop.
Courtesy of ICONN
Are you continue to recording?
I’m all the time recording, man. It’s humorous. Me and Ghostface, we simply began engaged on a joint album popping out actually, actually cool. So I’m all the time creating, that’s a part of me that’s all the time gonna be in my DNA. But having the ability to do these different enterprise ventures, it actually, it’s like for me the expansion, it’s the inevitable subsequent factor, the following step to Ja Rule and my creativity. I spotted by means of these years that what I’m actually, actually nice at is creating, whether or not it’s music or platforms like ICONN or unique content material like Vibes live performance sequence, my Laughing It Up comedy sequence, these, me being artistic is the place I’m at my greatest.
There’s been a number of, I assume, Ja Rule associated issues occurred just lately like The Murder Inc Story documentary on BET. How a lot involvement did you have got with that? Is that extra of an Irv Gotti factor or how concerned had been you with that manufacturing?
I had a EP credit score. (Laughs.) But no, the doc was wonderful. It was extra of Gotti’s manufacturing and Gotti put it collectively, so it got here out wonderful, I have to say, I believed it was accomplished very properly. Big shout to [Michael J. Payton] who additionally was a giant a part of that and helped Gotti put that collectively. Dope doc
Are you concerned within the proposed scripted TV sequence about Murder Inc? Is it positively taking place?
Oh, the Murder Inc. sequence. Yeah, that’s one other certainly one of Gotti’s productions. A [Visionary Ideas] manufacturing. We obtained two various things happening. He’s obtained Visionary the place he creates reveals like [BET series Tales] and clearly the doc. And we work collectively on a few of these issues. And then I’ve ICONN, which is my factor. And I’m additionally doing unique content material, however I’m extra of the community. I created a community that if I create the content material I’ve someplace I can put it and place it and other people can go and watch it solely on ICONN.
But do you wanna do scripted and unscripted stuff for ICONN?
Absolutely. You’ve scripted, unscripted, all that stuff is coming to ICONN, like 15 initiatives, reveals that I’m engaged on proper now. Original content material reveals that I’m engaged on. One of them occurs to be my daughter’s. She’s a screenwriter and an actress. She’s actually, actually gifted. So preserving it within the household too.
Is there something you possibly can discuss or is it nonetheless growth stuff?
I imply a few of it’s nonetheless in growth, however in fact we are able to begin speaking about a few of it. My subsequent unique content material providing can be a comedy sequence referred to as Laughing It Up and it’s gonna be actually, actually enjoyable, man, a vibe when you’ve ever seen one at a comedy present.
So is that stand-up?
Absolutely. New stand-up comedians. Up-and-coming guys and guys that been within the enterprise a very long time. Kind of like what Def Comedy Jam was, however a bit bit with my very own spin on it, a bit bit completely different. Instead of a set host and completely different comedians each week I’ll gonna have a distinct host and his set of comedians each week. So it’ll be its personal factor and a number of enjoyable for the comedians and all people concerned.
Nice. So can we discuss a bit bit about your profession? I’m a 12 months late because the 20 12 months anniversary of Pain Is Love was final 12 months and that document nonetheless holds up so properly.
I imply, it does, man. Yeah. I’m so grateful for that. I’m so grateful for that. For certain. For certain. Man. Geez.
Twenty-one years on, how do you see the document? Has it held you again or has it moved you ahead? How do you are feeling about it now?
I imply, it’s the reward that retains on giving man. That album might be certainly one of my greatest albums. I’ve my favorites, however…
What are your favorites?
I’d say [Venni Vetti Vecci] as a result of it’s my complete life story. My complete life up [to that point] was put into that album. It’s positively up there as certainly one of my high albums and 20 years later to nonetheless be out and promote offered out reveals. I’m nonetheless doing arenas. What I’m saying, we’re nonetheless promoting out arenas. You don’t get that in hip-hop, that was reserved for rock and roll. Classic artists and rock and roll legends, they’ll exit and tour. I feel that second is beginning to occur for hip-hop as a result of hip-hop is rising up quite a bit.
I grew up the identical period and I really feel like there have been albums earlier than the place you sat down and listened to the entire album. It gave you an thought of the place that artist was or what they’re making an attempt to get throughout an thought throughout various songs. Whereas now, for me, it’s all singles. I don’t learn about you, however I really feel prefer it’s all about singles. Do you assume there’s one thing misplaced in that or is it simply completely different?
It’s simply completely different. Everything has to evolve and I feel artists would like to convey again that feeling of placing collectively an entire album so you possibly can have these traditional album moments, you recognize what I imply? But the way in which individuals devour music may be very completely different now with all of the streaming platforms, I can go there and hearken to a thousand songs a day. That was nearly not possible. It was not possible again in our day, you recognize, you needed to have booklets with CDs in it! But it’s simply the way in which we devour music and tv and every little thing, it’s only a lot completely different and it calls for lots of much less consideration span from shoppers. And so the singles, it simply feeds them quite a bit quicker.
You turned a crossover star due to the singles…
But I didn’t, it’s so loopy as a result of I didn’t have that idea in my head on the time. I simply made music. We weren’t, in my period, so conscious of No. 1 data, No. 1 albums… I didn’t actually perceive the magnitude of getting a No. 1 album in the entire nation — over all of the albums within the nation. We weren’t that conscious or no less than wasn’t on the time.
I used to be actually simply, ignorance is bliss. A younger child from the hood simply making music and that melodic circulate and no types that got here from the music I used to be making. And the music, the beats that I used to be rapping over weren’t your typical hardcore hip-hop beats. They had been extra melodic. They had a R&B vibe and really feel to ’em. And in order that melodic circulate got here naturally. And then the aware effort of creating these data got here as a result of I used to be in between my brothers, which was two juggernauts. Jay-Z is the last word fly, flossy cash dude. He had that complete factor sewed up, after which DMX was the last word dirty road dude. And so he had that complete viewers sewed up. And so for me, I match someplace in the course of these guys and got here in my very own lane and [aimed] the ladies with my data and that was my factor. So it was like what began out to be simply one thing that felt good and likewise turned a consciousness effort to face out in the course of X and Jay.
What do you are feeling like your legacy is by way of the hip-hop world? You simply talked about DMX and Jay…
That’s the place we sit. What I’m saying, I’m a monster too. When individuals take a look at what I did on this trade, my influence remains to be felt to today and in music and what we’re doing and the melodic flows and singing and the rapping and all of that. So I had my time, I did what I did and I’m nonetheless right here. Being in a position to be part of the tradition, push the tradition ahead with platforms like ICONN and issues like that.
Actually on DMX, I’m sorry to your loss. How did his loss of life influence you? I imply, it impacted everybody, however particularly since you had been fairly shut.
It hit me actually arduous as a result of me, we had been shut. It’s all the time loopy when you have got a buddy after which y’all undergo issues that additionally reveals how robust a friendship is. We come again from these issues too and in a position to giggle about these moments too. Last time I seen X was in Miami, we did a present collectively throughout COVID and there was a bunch of these COVID events happening and we had been all there — me, X and a bunch of different artists like Tory Lanez and Busta Rhymes. It was a fantastic second, nice evening. And that was the final time I obtained to vibe with X and it hits dwelling as a result of it’s like that may very well be any certainly one of us, man. We’re all getting up in age.
I preach to artists now, it’s about taking good care of your self now, get in that gymnasium, keep wholesome. We had our time to fuck round and have a number of enjoyable and be younger and you’ve got that point the place now it involves a time if you begin trying on the different facet of it and it’s like, I need to be right here to see my grandkids and play with my grandkids. So that hit me form of arduous and it simply made me take into consideration: What is my legacy? What can be my legacy? What am I leaving my youngsters? What am I abandoning? It makes you concentrate on all these issues. Yeah. It’s most likely why I’m going so arduous in my second run proper now.
When you and DMX got here up, there was violence and sadly some individuals died. But it looks like proper now it, it’s jumped up an actual notch and it appears to be far more random violence loss of life in hip-hop.
It feels prefer it’s getting away from us. It’s like hip-hop is getting a bit on the market. I don’t wanna blame it a lot on hip-hop. As a lot as I’d say, it’s our tradition, as dope as we’re as a individuals, as Black individuals [we are] enjoyable and exquisite and loving and all of these nice issues that we may be. This too is our tradition, this darkish black eye that we’re seeing proper now with artists being murdered and killed, that can also be our tradition too. And it’s unlucky however it’s. And that’s the reality. And we gotta actually begin to take accountability for these items… Look within the mirror and know that all of us have a component to play in what we’re seeing proper now.
I work for THR, so I’ve to ask you about your appearing profession a bit bit. I really feel such as you began off actually robust with the appearing, 2 Fast 2 Furious and some different issues. I really feel like you would have had a fantastic appearing profession.
I actually do love appearing. I really like appearing. I really like the artwork of theater. The drawback is there’s not a number of good materials for Black actors. It began to really feel like for me in Hollywood it was “fill in rapper here.” It didn’t matter who the rapper was, they weren’t actually who. It was similar to, we want certainly one of these guys to fill some seats. And I by no means need to be that in something that I do, I need to be good at it. I need to be nice at it. I need to take it critically and I need to be taken critically. And I simply didn’t really feel like that was the case for me in Hollywood. So yeah, I positively took a step again as a result of the presents and the fabric and issues I used to be doing, it simply didn’t fulfill me like that.
But I’ve been saying this for years, I’ve been saying this for years. I gotta Mark Wahlberg this factor. I’m gonna should create my very own autos and my very own movie initiatives and issues to be part of that match me. And I can even shine and present individuals that truly can act and do different issues and simply be this character, that character. I’d like to stretch myself and play different characters and do issues that individuals most likely didn’t assume Ja may do as an actor. I’d love to point out that facet, however I’ve to create these issues.
Okay, I’ve to ask about Fyre Festival. Have you spoken to Billy McFarland since he was launched?
That relationship didn’t finish on his greatest. I don’t have something in opposition to him. I want him all the most effective of luck. I don’t want jail on no person. It was unlucky that what we did, it didn’t end up the way in which I wished it to. Obviously there was a number of errors made in that state of affairs. But hear, man, we dwell and we be taught and we transfer on and I want him all of the luck on the earth along with his new ventures and no matter he’s doing. And I hope he’s obtained his factor collectively and he’s realized from his errors and he transfer on.
Do you are feeling like the 2 documentaries — Hulu’s Fyre Fraud and Netflix’s Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened — had been honest?
I’ve truly by no means seen them, purposely clearly. But I don’t assume I used to be portrayed honest. And in fact they used me trigger they wanted the celeb title on it as properly. But I too was a sufferer in that. Yeah, in fact. Nobody tells the story that approach. What I’m saying, they inform it like we had been in cahoots and shit and that’s so removed from the reality and Billy [would] sit down and say it himself: “Ja. He didn’t have anything to do with the things that I did, the criminal aspect and the things that I did.” And so it’s simply, it hurts if you see it. It be your individual individuals not standing up for you, providing you with the advantage of the doubt however fairly throwing stones and shit… It is what it’s. But I do say that when issues don’t go in response to plan if you “fail,” there’s a number of development that comes out of that. So I’ve grown quite a bit from it. I realized a lot from it. That lesson was very, very beneficial in a number of methods.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
