Rule 3:36
Don't let the rough exterior and the propensity to rhyme about acts of violence and criminal activities fool ya. No sir, Ja Rule is a lover and girl he's gonna make you love him. Make you as in wear you down and render you defenseless against his almost nonstop and thereby "persuasive" presentations of the pros of loving a thug. He might be crude, he might be loud (hell is he loud) and his flow might makeDMX'scanine fixations seem like subtle artistry. But be he rapping or be he semi-sing-songy vocalizing, Ja Rule's brand of rough-and-tough love gets under your skin. OK, it also starts to get on your nerves, but what Mr. Rule lacks in finesse he makes up for in intensity. Musically, his sophomore CD, with its stutter-stop break-point beats and its rich, resonant sound is nothing to ignore. Which must be why the first single, the off-kilter "Between Me and You," is so successful. This isn't groundbreaking or even significant stuff, but Ja's raspy roar has a certain appeal. While said appeal is geared towards men in the joint and the women who stand by them, you can't hate on a guy for trying, in his own way, to show a little love in this cold, cold world.--Amy Linden