Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, record executive, and actor from Queens, New York.
It's always good to be working.
I would love to do something like 'Beverly Hills Cop'. I'd get to be funny and cool and heroic all in the same breath.
I went through a lot of phases and studied many religions. I am not into religion, I am spiritual.
Being incarcerated is truly very serious, and it has changed my life to such an extent that breaking the cycle has become my sole focus. Jail is definitely not cool. Education is.
The rules, religion to religion that man set forth, made me shy away from religion and have my own one on one with God and cut out the middleman.
I've always been a spiritual person who believed in a Higher Power. So, I've always had my 1-on-1 with God, even if I wasn't much of a religious person.
Who made these laws? That's what I want to know. So that's why I wear two crosses now. I call it double cross. I believe in God-not religion.
When you go to jail, there's so much simple stuff missing. You just want some good toilet paper or a real toothbrush, a real blanket and a real bed to lay in.
We, as artists, we have the right to express ourselves. That is our first amendment, freedom of speech. But I also believe that we have an obligation to the youth to be somewhat responsible in what we say on records. But I think that comes with age. I think that comes with artists growing up and becoming assured of who they are as people.
I came into the rap game in 1992; my life was changing, but my group wasn't successful; I also saw the biggest rappers in the world die all of a sudden in the ensuing years, so it was a matter of conquering yourself before you can conquer the world.
My family was Jehovah's Witnesses, which is a really tough religion. It kind of deterred me from religion for a long time. They still practice, but I don't. But I always remained spiritual, and had a belief that there is a God. I'm trying to find my way, you know?
Don't hang out in your old neighborhood with your new cars and flash it to guys who don't have that. The only thing you're doing is making 'em hate.
Whores, instead of claiming what's rightfully yours. Pierced a hole in my heart from all the pain you caused, with no direction you left your first born lost.
Word to God, we murderers.
And she's feeling like her worth is between her legs.
I think it's time that we all be there for the children, to learn from the ones who came before us, and to teach our sons and daughters to have respect for themselves. Break the cycle.
Cold hearts don't bleed. Still they pray for eternity, never seeing tomorrow.
I got started in 1995, working in a group called The Cash Money Click.
I've done a lot of films that all have been pretty edgy.
I just like music that I can relate to, something to listen to in my car.