Sep 18, 2021 Fat Joe is giving Ja Rule his flowers. Following their Verzuz battle earlier in the week, the two went live on Instagram where Joe reflected on Rule’s reign in the late ’90s/early 2000s. Joe showered the Murder Inc. rapper with praise, even going so far as to call him the Drake of his era. “With no disrespect to your hip-hop roots, you’re a pop star,” Joe told him. “I always tell everybody, you was the Drake before the Drake. You had hit after hit after hit after hit.” Ja responded by giving props to the Certified Lover Boy. “Drizzy one of the GOATs,” he said as Joe wholeheartedly agreed. From 1999 to 2005, Ja dominated the charts with hit after hit including “I’m Real (Murder Remix)” and “Ain’t It Funny” with Jennifer Lopez, plus “Always on Time” and “Mesmerize” with Ashanti, which he performed during Tuesday’s Verzuz. “For the youth who’s tuned in, they don’t realize that this guy Ja Rule had a run like Drake for those years, like just hit, hit, hit, hit…” Joe recalled. “And we ain’t even play the R. Kelly record,” added Ja, referring to 2004’s “Wonderful” collaboration with the embattled singer. During their Verzuz matchup, Ja surprised viewers by bringing out Ashanti, Lil Mo, and Vita, while Joe was joined on stage by Remy Ma and Nelly. https://www.rap-up.com/2021/09/17/fat-joe-says-ja-rule-was-drake-before-drake/
Sep 18, 2021 Ja Rule. Max B. Drake. Like a Pokemon Evolution of Generationally-Popular Rap/Hip-Hop Crooners. "Pay Close A-f---ing-Ttention, Man." *Young Raspy Lil Wayne Voice*
Sep 18, 2021 He's right, he had the records for the girls on lock, and he was rapping and singing. Even 50 stole his style. Nelly was also good at making these records.
Sep 18, 2021 I'm well aware of his hits and am a huge fan of them but I've never seen him as some pioneer of what he was doing. He did it well but I wouldn't say he invented it or anything.
Sep 18, 2021 Others were also doing it including Fat Joe or Nelly for example. But I think Ja had the most hits back then when it came to this type of records.
Sep 18, 2021 Yeah whatever Ja rule was drake before drake cool But who is the new lloyd banks? These rappers are jokes now
Sep 18, 2021 f--- all the beef aside. Shady records ended Ja Rules career but don’t get it twisted. He had a great run, I’m a big Rule fan, Pain is Love is top 20 favorite rap albums for me maybe even in the 10. But Nelly was Drake of that era. Nelly sold more records in that era than drake has in his whole career.
Sep 18, 2021 I don't think Nelly had these many hits back then, he also fell off very quick. Look at all the Ja hits posted here, and that's just some of them.
Sep 18, 2021 I’m not sure your age, but during that era the hits Nelly had were 10x the size in popularity than Ja’s. Nelly is right behind Em in diamond albums. Nelly was making hits across multiple genres. Selling insane amounts of records. Like I said, I’m a huge Ja fan, he has a huge catalog of hits. But Nelly I think has him beat with the impact and numbers his hits did.
Sep 18, 2021 I remember Hot In Here, Dilemma, Ride With Me, Country Grammar. They were dope, but I don't remember him having much more hits back then. I loved My Place years later
Sep 18, 2021 Forgetting mad hits including Air Force Ones and Over and Over. Which that song alone was bigger than Ja’s whole catalog.