Background and career
Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Ja Rule became known for blending gangsta rap with pop and R&B sensibilities. He signed with Irv Gotti's Murder Inc Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings to release his debut studio album Venni Vetti Vecci (1999), which spawned his first hit single, "Holla Holla". In 2001, he peaked the Billboard Hot 100 on several occasions with his singles "Put It on Me" (featuring Lil' Mo and Vita), "Always on Time" (featuring Ashanti), and his guest appearances on Jennifer Lopez's songs "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" and "Ain't It Funny". Commercially successful, Venni Vetti Vecci received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and was followed by his second and third albums, Rule 3:36 (2000) and Pain Is Love (2001), both of which peaked atop the US Billboard 200.
With over 15 million combined sales, both also received triple platinum certifications by the RIAA and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top ten singles "Put It on Me" (featuring Lil' Mo and Vita) and "Livin' It Up" (featuring Case). He followed up with his fourth, fifth and sixth albums The Last Temptation (2002), Blood in My Eye (2003), and R.U.L.E. (2004); The Last Temptation received platinum certification and spawned the top-two single "Mesmerize" (featuring Ashanti), while R.U.L.E. received gold certification and spawned the top-five single "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti). Ja Rule has been nominated for two American Music Awards and four Grammy Awards with respective collaborators Lil' Mo, Vita, Ashanti and Case. From 1999 to 2005 Ja Rule had seventeen Hot 100 hits, chiefly produced by Irv Gotti, and as of 2018, Ja Rule has sold 30 million records worldwide. Outside of music, Ja Rule was met with scrutiny for his involvement in the fraudulent Fyre Festival, which he co-founded with con artist Billy McFarland.
In November 2019, he was cleared of any legal wrongdoing from his role in the festival. Earlier that year, he joined the main cast of WeTV's Growing Up Hip Hop: New York. As an actor, he has also starred in films such as Turn It Up (2000), The Fast and the Furious (2001), Half Past Dead (2002), Scary Movie 3 (2003), The Cookout (2004), Assault on Precinct 13, Back in the Day (both in 2005), Furnace (2007), and Wrong Side of Town (2010).
Jeffrey Bruce Atkins was born on February 29, 1976, in Hollis, a section of the Queens borough of New York City. Atkins' father left the family when he was very young. Atkins was raised as an only child, as his younger sister, Kristen, died in the womb when Atkins was 5. His mother, Debra, was a healthcare worker, and due to the amount of time she spent working, Atkins was largely raised by his grandparents as a Jehovah's Witness. Atkins' mother left the Jehovah's Witness religion when he was twelve and was therefore shunned by her former congregation including her parents, meaning she was no longer allowed to see her son. Atkins and his mother decided they would rather live together even if it meant struggling to pay bills. Not long after moving in with his mother, Atkins began selling drugs in Hollis.
How Ja Rule makes money
He signed with Irv Gotti's Murder Inc Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings to release his debut studio album Venni Vetti Vecci (1999), which spawned his first hit single, "Holla Holla". Outside of music, Ja Rule was met with scrutiny for his involvement in the fraudulent Fyre Festival, which he co-founded with con artist Billy McFarland.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth, in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
