He is best-known for hits "Put It On Me", "Between Me And You", "Wonderful" and for being associated with Jay-Z as a part of The Murderers. Ja Rule has sold over 20 Million albums worldwide and has released six albums with one on the way. His best-selling albums are Pain Is Love and Rule 3:36. Ja Rule has beefed with rappers DMX, 50 Cent, The Game, Busta Rhymes, Dr. Dre, and Eminem.
Early life:
He attended Junior High School in Floral Park, New York, where he met his future wife Aisha Murray and they graduated in 1991. They attended Martin Van Buren High School together but he did not graduate. When Atkins was five years old, his sister died from respiratory problems. Growing up in a strict religious home, Atkin's family did not celebrate birthdays and Christmas, and as a child, was not allowed to listen to rap music. When he first heard it, he decided to be a rapper. He would sneak the music into his house and played it on his CD player when his mother wasn't around. Atkins is married to his high school sweetheart, Aisha Atkins née Murray.They have three children: Brittney (11), Jeffrey Junior (6) and Jordan (3).He and his family live in a mansion in New Jersey.
Rise to Fame:
At age 15, Atkins appeared with 0-1 and Chris Black as part of Cash Money Click. This would lead to him being signed by TVT Records in 1994. He would end up being heard by a young DJ who called himself DJ Irv, then later Irv Gotti. Gotti, was a friend of Jay-Z's and he was also a DJ for Def Jam Recordings. During the mid 90s his main priority was meeting Ja Rule. He wanted to sign Ja to his new label Murder Inc. Records. He wanted Ja because of his distinct deep voice. After Irv was able to sign Ja along with DMX and Jay-Z to Def Jam. He began to have an idea that they all work together. They formed a group named The Murderers. They recorded many songs together. Friction tore the group apart, DMX, a rapper that sounds very similar to Ja accused him of trying to steal his style with the deep voice, by saying that before the three were signed Ja tried to make his voice sound lighter but heard him embrace the deep voice and tried to imitate it. They had planned to release an album together, but this idea was scrapped and they all made appearances on their respective albums. Still, around this time, Ja Rule was still fairly unknown. Jay-Z, at the time a young star and new to Def Jam, was the most popular rapper in hip hop. Russell Simmons had the idea that in order to build hype around Ja Rule and capitalize on Jay's popularity that Ja Rule do a verse on Jay-Z's 1998 single Can I Get A..., which also featured Amil. Ja's performance of the verse made him a household name and he became an instant star and by the release of his album a year later he was one of Def Jam Recordings premier acts.
Never Again
Ja Rule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those same mistakes keep callin' us back, pullin' us in
What the fuck's wrong with niggas?
[Chorus]
Never again
Would I run down a road so dark, hoped to die, cross my heart
Never again
Never again
Would I run down a road so dark, hoped to die, cross my heart
Never again
But the streets keep callin', they keep callin', they keep callin'
Never again
Will I look a nigga dead in his eyes and know he's dead wrong
And don't leave him dead to realize, it's a fucked up world we live in
I'm tired of feelin' the pain but ain't fightin' the feelin'
Niggas can you feel me?
'Cause in this world I'm alone, and trapped inside this body that's out of control
I'm hittin' these streets daily
Know when I got babies to feed rarely seein 'em rarely
This game inhaled me, and like Christ on the slate, nailed me
God, please don't fail me
But it's crazy to ask upon the Lord for help
When I got guns to bust and drugs to sell
I see you in hell, motherfuckers, I ain't bitter
'Cause I know snakes and snitches get it where they slither
My niggas, doin' life in the pen
This gotta be what y'all thinkin', shit
'Cause these hoes keep callin', they keep callin', they keep callin'
Will I make you cry baby
You know I lie, you can see it in my eyes baby
But the truth is when a woman's fed up
There ain't a damn thing you can do about love
What about us?
Why must our lawyers discuss
Who gets the kids, who gets the cribs and how we should both live
When I love ya, when we apart all I do is think of ya
But you think I'm fuckin' everything that's walkin'
Either skirt or the thong
It don't matter, 'cause in your eyes I'm dog, fuckin' 'em all
I got a woman that's gone and a passion for bitches
If you lose one the other becomes your religious
So what am I to do but get the wind behind me
Ground beneath me, make it hard for hoes to reach me
'Cause the Rule ain't easy
Babe, unless you're freakin' please believe
But the game keeps callin', it keeps callin', it keeps callin'
Will I think these niggas friends and they foes
'Cause in this rap game, you never know, just let it go
If my pain is love, my brain's on drugs
And may all my hoes thug on
And keep these punk niggas paralyzed, from the waist down
I got 'em face down is the equivalent of where I'm at now
Over the top of y'all niggas
Just a little quicker and smarter
Enhancin' the game makin' it harder
For niggas that freeze again like Braxton
I be hittin' niggas with thrillers like Mike Jackson
I'm a problem
Number one with a bullet, I keep it up in my gun
It's hollow so when I pull it it numbs
Your whole body
Give it or take a few seconds
You'll probably, be the same nigga to dick ride me
Never again would I close my eyes
And walk through the dark backwards blind
It keeps callin', it keeps callin', it keeps callin'
Never again
[Chorus]
Ja Rule's Never Again touches on a range of issues related to a life of street crime and the difficulties that come alongside it. The song mainly emphasises the negative consequences of the criminal choices made by the singer in life. The song condemns the never-ending cycle that occurs after making grave mistakes, which can often drag people back into trouble. The hook 'Never again, would I run down a road so dark, hoped to die, cross my heart, never again, but the streets keep callin', they keep callin', they keep callin', never again,' strongly suggests a sense of relentlessness in the cycle of crime and punishment that prevails amongst society, and the want and desire to break this cycle of negativity.
The second verse highlights the dilemmas and dangerous predicaments that someone can fall into when finding themselves trapped in the game of life. Experiencing feelings of loneliness and despair, trapped within themselves, the only means of which to escape comes through sex and substances. It's a life full of violence, looming danger and no hope of escaping. The third verse delves into the complications and distress linked to one's love life, including deceit, infidelity and an inability to commit. The song ends asserting that Ja Rule will never close his eyes and repeat his past mistakes ever again.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, you make a lot of mistakes in life
Life is full of mistakes which are hard to avoid
Those same mistakes keep callin' us back, pullin' us in
Mistakes usually have a way of repeating themselves
What the fuck's wrong with niggas?
Ja Rule is frustrated with men and their actions
Never again
Would I run down a road so dark, hoped to die, cross my heart
Never again
It keeps callin', it keeps callin', it keeps callin'
Never again
Would I run down a road so dark, hoped to die, cross my heart
Never again
But the streets keep callin', they keep callin', they keep callin'
Ja Rule regrets running down a path with no end in sight, even though the streets keep pulling him in
Will I look a nigga dead in his eyes and know he's dead wrong
And don't leave him dead to realize, it's a fucked up world we live in
I'm tired of feelin' the pain but ain't fightin' the feelin'
Niggas can you feel me?
Ja Rule feels helpless in a world full of wrongs and wants others to empathize with him
'Cause in this world I'm alone, and trapped inside this body that's out of control
I'm hittin' these streets daily
Know when I got babies to feed rarely seein 'em rarely
This game inhaled me, and like Christ on the slate, nailed me
God, please don't fail me
But it's crazy to ask upon the Lord for help
When I got guns to bust and drugs to sell
I see you in hell, motherfuckers, I ain't bitter
'Cause I know snakes and snitches get it where they slither
My niggas, doin' life in the pen
This gotta be what y'all thinkin', shit
Ja Rule feels stuck in a life of crime and feels guilty for neglecting his family. He calls on God to help him even though he acknowledges his wrongdoing
'Cause these hoes keep callin', they keep callin', they keep callin'
Ja Rule is being constantly chased by women and their advances
Will I make you cry baby
You know I lie, you can see it in my eyes baby
But the truth is when a woman's fed up
There ain't a damn thing you can do about love
What about us?
Why must our lawyers discuss
Who gets the kids, who gets the cribs and how we should both live
When I love ya, when we apart all I do is think of ya
But you think I'm fuckin' everything that's walkin'
Either skirt or the thong
It don't matter, 'cause in your eyes I'm dog, fuckin' 'em all
I got a woman that's gone and a passion for bitches
If you lose one the other becomes your religious
So what am I to do but get the wind behind me
Ground beneath me, make it hard for hoes to reach me
'Cause the Rule ain't easy
Babe, unless you're freakin' please believe
Ja Rule laments about the difficulties of maintaining a relationship while being desired by countless women. He tries to keep a distance from them, as it's not an easy life
But the game keeps callin', it keeps callin', it keeps callin'
Despite Ja Rule's efforts to stay away from his criminal ways, their lure and attraction is always calling him back
Will I think these niggas friends and they foes
'Cause in this rap game, you never know, just let it go
If my pain is love, my brain's on drugs
And may all my hoes thug on
And keep these punk niggas paralyzed, from the waist down
I got 'em face down is the equivalent of where I'm at now
Over the top of y'all niggas
Just a little quicker and smarter
Enhancin' the game makin' it harder
For niggas that freeze again like Braxton
I be hittin' niggas with thrillers like Mike Jackson
I'm a problem
Number one with a bullet, I keep it up in my gun
It's hollow so when I pull it it numbs
Your whole body
Give it or take a few seconds
You'll probably, be the same nigga to dick ride me
Never again would I close my eyes
And walk through the dark backwards blind
Ja Rule feels like he's in competition with other rappers and wonders who he can trust. He uses his pain to create music, and it's his only way to rise above his life of crime
Never again
Ja Rule makes a vow that he won't return to his life of crime
[Chorus]
Repeats the hook of the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IRVING DOMINGO LORENZO, JEFFREY B. ATKINS, MARCUS VEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frank Caceres
I remember being 11-12 years feeling this song. Now I’m 31 years old telling myself never again will I ran in a road so dark because I’ve been through it many different times. I swear problems, pain, hurt, suffering, stress, death are inevitable but so is happiness, love, joy so just have to keep making progress no matter how many times u fail. Blessing to u the reader reading my comment.
ann davis
Ty very much. Quarantine put me out of work now so I appreciate the uplifting words 4-6-20
Lashae Chavers
Real talk 🙏🏽
D' VisionTv
Yes Sirr Thank you for this message 💯
Bianca J
Thanks for this message. I was the same age, i was 10
Paul Geary
#WE SHOUKDNT HAFTA 2 BEGIN WITH.
mslynnsincity
Hands down my favorita Ja Rule song of all time. Come back to it whenever im tryna get out of a bad place.
Terrell Hill
#REALTALK
Life of Twampson
No matter what ppl say, Ja had 99’ -05’ on 🔒. He is hip-hop.
Jpaul
Idk about 03 04 05 I only remember 1 hit after fifty killed him in 02 he had "I'm from new York" and fat Joe gave him that song