The Evolution of Ja Rule

From Southside Queens to the charts to the big house.

The Evolution of Ja Rule - Today, Leap Day, Feb. 29, is Ja Rule's birthday. But it probably wasn't the happiest of b-days for the rapper, who's currently behind bars in upstate New York for weapons possession and tax evasion. Instead of birthday cake or ice cream or a nice meal at Mr. Chow's, Rule, along with the other inmates, is feasting on Corn Flakes, Jamaican patties and turkey stew today, according to TMZ. But things weren't always this grim for Ja, who dominated the airwaves in the late '90s and early 2000s. Read on to see Ja Rule's journey from the streets of Queens to the charts and to the big house.(Photo: Mychal Watts/WireImage)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Today, Leap Day, Feb. 29, is Ja Rule's birthday. But it probably wasn't the happiest of b-days for the rapper, who's currently behind bars in upstate New York for weapons possession and tax evasion. Instead of birthday cake or ice cream or a nice meal at Mr. Chow's, Rule, along with the other inmates, is feasting on Corn Flakes, Jamaican patties and turkey stew today, according to TMZ. But things weren't always this grim for Ja, who dominated the airwaves in the late '90s and early 2000s. Read on to see Ja Rule's journey from the streets of Queens to the charts and to the big house.(Photo: Mychal Watts/WireImage)

The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja Rule was born Jeffrey Atkins on February 29, 1976, in Queens, New York. He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by a single mom and his grandparents.(Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja Rule was born Jeffrey Atkins on February 29, 1976, in Queens, New York. He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by a single mom and his grandparents.(Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

The Evolution of Ja Rule - After a few years in NYC's underground rap scene as part of the group Cash Money Click, Ja's big break came in 1998, when he turned in a kinetic guest verse on Jay-Z's classic club favorite "Can I Get A..."(Photo: courtesy Def Jam, Murder inc.)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - After a few years in NYC's underground rap scene as part of the group Cash Money Click, Ja's big break came in 1998, when he turned in a kinetic guest verse on Jay-Z's classic club favorite "Can I Get A..."(Photo: courtesy Def Jam, Murder inc.)

The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja rode the success of "Can I Get A..." to his own solo debut, 1999's Venni Vetti Vecci, which hit platinum off the strength of roughneck classics like "Holla Holla" and "It's Murda," featuring Jay-Z and DMX.(Photo: courtesy Murder, inc./Def Jam)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja rode the success of "Can I Get A..." to his own solo debut, 1999's Venni Vetti Vecci, which hit platinum off the strength of roughneck classics like "Holla Holla" and "It's Murda," featuring Jay-Z and DMX.(Photo: courtesy Murder, inc./Def Jam)

The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja took his career to the stratosphere by refashioning himself as a sing-songy ladies' man on his 2000 sophomore release, Rule 3:36, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard and went triple-platinum with romantic coed collabos such as "Between Me and You" with Christina Milian and "Put It on Me" with Lil Mo and Vita. (photo: Murder inc./Def Jam)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja took his career to the stratosphere by refashioning himself as a sing-songy ladies' man on his 2000 sophomore release, Rule 3:36, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard and went triple-platinum with romantic coed collabos such as "Between Me and You" with Christina Milian and "Put It on Me" with Lil Mo and Vita. (photo: Murder inc./Def Jam)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja made it three for three in 2001, when "Always on Time," featuring Ashanti, gave him his first No. 1 song and once again led his third album, Pain Is Love, to a chart-topping debut and triple-platinum sales.

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja made it three for three in 2001, when "Always on Time," featuring Ashanti, gave him his first No. 1 song and once again led his third album, Pain Is Love, to a chart-topping debut and triple-platinum sales.

The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja stuck to his rom-com-rap formula in 2002 with the platinum-selling Last Temptation, which landed two top-10 singles, including "Mesmerize" with Ashanti.(Photo: Murder, inc./Def Jam)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Ja stuck to his rom-com-rap formula in 2002 with the platinum-selling Last Temptation, which landed two top-10 singles, including "Mesmerize" with Ashanti.(Photo: Murder, inc./Def Jam)

The Evolution of Ja Rule - The beef between Ja and Fif spilled over, and soon Ja found himself clashing on-wax with Eminem, 50's mentor, as well. In the wake of the G Unit/Shady onslaught on his credibility, Ja's next album, Blood in My Eye, flopped, failing to hit gold.(Photos from left to right: Scott Wintrow/Getty Images, Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - The beef between Ja and Fif spilled over, and soon Ja found himself clashing on-wax with Eminem, 50's mentor, as well. In the wake of the G Unit/Shady onslaught on his credibility, Ja's next album, Blood in My Eye, flopped, failing to hit gold.(Photos from left to right: Scott Wintrow/Getty Images, Scott Gries/Getty Images)

The Evolution of Ja Rule - In the wake of 50's constant attacks, Ja Rule returned to his hard-edged origins with 2004's anthemic "New York," featuring Fat Joe and Jadakiss, which helped him once again strike gold with his sixth album, R.U.L.E.(Photo: courtesy Murder inc./Def Jam)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - In the wake of 50's constant attacks, Ja Rule returned to his hard-edged origins with 2004's anthemic "New York," featuring Fat Joe and Jadakiss, which helped him once again strike gold with his sixth album, R.U.L.E.(Photo: courtesy Murder inc./Def Jam)

The Evolution of Ja Rule - Even through his ups and downs in the music industry, Ja managed to expand his talents to Hollywood by landing several movie roles, including a prominent supporting turn in 2005's Assault on Precinct 13, starring Laurence Fishburne and Ethan Hawke.(Photo: Rogue Pictures)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Even through his ups and downs in the music industry, Ja managed to expand his talents to Hollywood by landing several movie roles, including a prominent supporting turn in 2005's Assault on Precinct 13, starring Laurence Fishburne and Ethan Hawke.(Photo: Rogue Pictures)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - 50 may have hurt Ja's career, but the true knockout blow was his mounting legal troubles. He began serving a two-year sentence for gun possession last year, and then an additional 28 months were tacked on when he was convicted for tax evasion. Damn.(Photo: REUTERS/Marc A. Hermann/Pool)

The Evolution of Ja Rule - Despite his rough past few years, Ja isn't letting anything get between him and his music — not even a jail sentence. Ja released a new album, Pain Is Love 2, yesterday, Feb. 28. Holla at that.(Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of Ja Rule - Despite his rough past few years, Ja isn't letting anything get between him and his music — not even a jail sentence. Ja released a new album, Pain Is Love 2, yesterday, Feb. 28. Holla at that.(Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)