Ja Rule

 Ja Rule was the primary artist on producer Irv Gotti's Def Jam-affiliated Murder Inc. label, Ja Rule became one of the most commercially successful artists during the first decade of 2000, working closely with the producer who made a splash and his team of talents. Born Jeffrey Atkins on February 29 1976, in Queens, New York, Ja Rule came into the spotlight through Venni Vetti Vecci (1999) an album that was hardcore and like the rugged thug rap then popularized by DMX and the Ruff Ryder collective. Rule 3:36 (2000) was his follow-up album. Ja Rule began to work with female R&B singers and a series of songs that were radio-friendly resulted ("Between Me And You", "Put It on Me", "I Cry". Pain Is Love (2001) was a follow-up to the same formula, offering a few songs that were a mix of R&B and rap ("I'm Real," “Livin' It Up", "Always on Time," and "Down Ass Chick") as well as containing hardcore rap.