Ja Rule's trajectory to stardom is unparalleled in the hip-hop world. Following his appearance on Mic Geronimo's "Time To Build," alongside Jay-Z and DMX (who he nearly formed a group with named Murder Inc.), his iconic run began with the release of Venni Vetti Vecci. While his debut wasn't the storybook project to propel him amongst the biggest rappers on Earth. However, it certainly set the groundwork for his subsequent success. Ja Rule's sound arrived at the perfect time. At a time when hip-hop was beginning to merge with melodic pop, Ja Rule was in a unique position to take his sound to mainstream heights that wouldn't have been possible five years prior.
The trio of Ja Rule, Jay-Z, and DMX extensively toured throughout the late '90s. Still, there wasn't a sustainable relationship behind the curtain. DMX and Jay-Z viewed each other as natural competitive rivals. The tension between the two juggernauts rose as each was determined to come out on top in the New York rap scene. In the middle of all of that drama was a young Ja Rule. He wasn't impersonating the two, instead opting to inject his flows with R&B melodies intended to get the audience shaking. Collaborating with the likes of Mary J Blige, Ashanti, and Jennifer Lopez, he brought Queens to a new sonic space that laid the foundation for hip-hop's evolution in the next century.
Venni Vetti Vecci Impact On Hardcore Hip-Hop
By the early '2000s, Ja Rule was a kingpin in the hip-hop space. His mix of high energy, club anthems, and hardcore gangster lyricism delivered a blend that hadn't been paralleled. In addition, his music found a way to be genre-bending and marketable at the same time. Ja Rule was curating introspective bangers, one that deeply resonated with the streets. While Venni Vetti Vecci peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hip-Hop charts, his sophomore effort Rule 3:36 solidified his stardom. By 2001's Pain Is Love, he was at the top of the world. In a matter of years before going on hiatus, Ja Rule changed hip-hop indefinitely.
It all got started Venni Vetti Vecci. A focused dialogue into his chaotic life in Queens, his debut studio album throws the listener head-first into an environment of hustling and violence. But more importantly, it detailed Ja Rule's aspirations beyond the streets of Queens to cement his name among the greats. Take "Holla Holla," where Ja manifests his future MC success amidst grumbling trumpets and slightly off-beat verses. Even during his debut studio album, he made it clear that his daring approach was intended to push the boundaries. As a result, Ja Rule played a key role in boosting hardcore hip-hop's presence on mainstream airwaves in the 2000s.
Combatting DMX Comparisons
Venni Vetti Vecci, which contains a Latin root translating to "I came, I saw, I conquered," did exactly that. Astoundingly reaching #3 on the Billboard charts, it would be easy to call Ja Rule an overnight sensation. However, from his failed deal with TVT Records as a member of Cash Money Click to Irv Gotti bringing him onto Def Jam, the years of labor began to pay off. He already worked years under the tutelage of fellow Def Jam signees. Looking to the likes of Run D.M.C. and Jay-Z, Ja Rule spent years attempting to emulate the quality of their verses. Logically enough, he enlisted his Def Jam contemporaries to bolster the notoriety of his debut. The Jay-Z and DMX-assisted "It's Murda" would quickly garner massive commercial success.
The heavy gangster roots of Venni Vetti Vecci drew heavy comparisons to West Coast's 2Pac. Hip-hop heads were accusing Ja Rule of copying and pasting the West Coast icons' style. In addition, the 1999 record drew plenty of undeniable similarities to the growling raps of DMX. Even if the two had once been collaborators, DMX began to echo this frustration over time, accusing Ja of flat-out copying his style. Ja Rule certainly wasn't a fan, starkly retorting by accusing DMX of simply being angry at his success.
If anything, the beef between DMX and Ja Rule was hallmark evidence of how far Ja had come. Once marveling when Run D.M.C. would walk down the block, he had become a mainstay on radio hit playlists. Venni Vetti Vecci would arguably remain his darkest record to date, more-so focused on his haunting upbringing than creating chart-friendly hits. From menacing piano chords to booming drums, everything about Venni Vetti Vecci would influence the aggressive form of hip-hop coming out of New York for years to come. After Ja Rule's debut studio album, he was officially a force to be reckoned with.