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R.U.L.E.

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R.U.L.E. is the sixth studio album by American rapper Ja Rule; it was released on November 9, 2004, by The Inc. and Def Jam.[1] The album debuted at number 7 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 165,000 units in its opening week.[2] The album has become a certified gold for selling more than 600,000 copies in the United States.[3] It marks as his successful return to the charts, after those feuds with other rappers. It supported the top 10 song "Wonderful" featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti; the top 20 song "New York" featuring Jadakiss and Fat Joe, and the song "Caught Up" featuring Lloyd. This is the last album to be released on Irv Gotti's label The Inc. Records.

The album was also made in a heavily edited version removing profanities, drugs and violent content: it removes the skits "Weed" and "Stripping Game". The skit track titled "True Story" was left on the album, based on the constant use of "fuck" was backmasked. This version of the album became the most edited album other than his previous album Blood in My Eye (2003).

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[5]
HipHopDX[6]
RapReviews7/10[7]
USA Today[8]

R.U.L.E. garnered mixed reviews from music critics who questioned if this was a return to form after the disappointing Blood in My Eye.

K.B. Tindal of HipHopDX called the album Ja's best since Rule 3:36 and Pain Is Love, giving high praise to the variety of sexual lyrics and street tracks that Ja is able to deliver again with grit and determination, concluding that, "The Inc. will always be Murder Inc. no matter what and Ja will always be at the head of the fam so get used to it, he's back."[6] Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews said that despite being overwhelmed with guest artists and needless skits, he praised the album for allowing Ja to deliver both pop-rap fluff and thug bravado tracks throughout the runtime, concluding that "This is not an overwhelming strong album lyrically, but it's a pleasant enough one to listen to musically - and from Ja Rule that's enough to get by."[7]

Timothy Gunatilaka of Entertainment Weekly found love ballads like "Passion" and "Wonderful" much better for Ja's career than his return to spitting thug tracks, concluding that they "suggest he might want to stick to raspy romanticism."[5] Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic said that the album continues the depletion of Ja's relevance in hip-hop set by Blood in My Eye, criticizing the filler material for being downbeat and Ja for gangsta posturing over pop-rap songs that feel cynical and deliberate, concluding with, "And so the downfall goes — tragic, indeed, or not, depending on how affecting you find the pathos at work."[4]

Track listing

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."The Inc. Intro" 2:20
2."Last of The Mohicans" (featuring Black Child)Chink Santana4:24
3."Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly & Ashanti)Jimi Kendrix, Irv Gotti4:31
4."What's My Name" (featuring Ashanti)Jimi Kendrix4:26
5."New York" (featuring Fat Joe & Jadakiss)Cool & Dre4:18
6."Stripping Game (skit)" 1:15
7."The Manual"Jimi Kendrix4:18
8."Get It Started" (featuring Claudette Ortiz)Jimi Kendrix4:00
9."R.U.L.E."Jimi Kendrix3:37
10."True Story (skit)" 0:30
11."Caught Up" (featuring Lloyd)Jimi Kendrix4:29
12."Gun Talk" (featuring Black Child)Chink Santana4:30
13."Never Thought"Jimi Kendrix4:42
14."Life Goes On" (featuring Trick Daddy & Chink Santana)Chink Santana4:52
15."Weed (skit)" 1:55
16."Where I'm From" (featuring Lloyd)Chink Santana5:11
17."Bout My Business" (featuring Black Child & Caddillac Tah)DJ Twinz3:39
18."Passion"Jimi Kendrix8:37
19."Better Days" (Japan bonus track)Jimi Kendrix4:37
Sample credits
  • "R.U.L.E" - Contains a sample of "They Ain't JE" performed by Jagged Edge.
  • "Bout My Business" - Contains a sample of "Hogan's Thing" performed by Simon Haseley.
  • "New York" - Contains a sample of "100 Guns" performed by Boogie Down Productions.
  • "Where I'm From" - Contains a sample of "The Boys of Summer" performed by Don Henley.

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[19] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "R.U.L.E.: Ja Rule: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  2. ^ ; Written by Joe D'Angelo (2004-11-17). "News : Eminem Shreds The Competition, Even With A Premature Encore". CMT. Retrieved 2012-03-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ RIAA database search result
  4. ^ a b Birchmeier, Jason. "R.U.L.E. - Ja Rule". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved August 8, 2011. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  5. ^ a b Gunatilaka, Timothy (November 26, 2004). "R.U.L.E." Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  6. ^ a b Tindal, K.B. (November 24, 2004). "Ja Rule - R.U.L.E." HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved August 8, 2011. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  7. ^ a b Juon, Steve 'Flash' (November 9, 2004). "Ja Rule :: R.U.L.E. :: Def Jam". RapReviews. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  8. ^ Jones, Steve (November 8, 2004). "Elton John's 'Peachtree Road': An unforgettable joy ride". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  9. ^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
  10. ^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 46, 2004". Chart-Track. IRMA.
  11. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Ja Rule – R.U.L.E.". Hung Medien.
  12. ^ "Ja Rule | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  13. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  14. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  15. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Top Rap Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  16. ^ "Year-End Charts: Billboard 200 Albums - 2005". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  17. ^ "Year-End Charts: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - 2005". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  18. ^ "British album certifications – Ja Rule – R.U.L.E." British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 7, 2015. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type R.U.L.E. in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  19. ^ "American album certifications – Ja Rule – R.U.L.E." Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
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