Months after his release from prison, and Queens emcee Ja Rule has announced that he is now drug free. The Pain Is Love 2rapper made the announcement during this week’s appearance on “The Wendy Williams Show” as he stated, “I don’t do any drugs or anything of any nature anymore.”
Ja Rule has made numerous references to drug use on past records, among them the Jodie Mack-assisted “Smokin And Ridin.” Amidst a hook heavy with numerous “smoking and ridin” mentions, Ja Rule raps, “Yo, nobody leaves nobody breathes until I enter the party… Who’s ridin and smokin tonight with players.” Similar mentions from Ja Rule have been made on “So Much Pain” and “6 Feet Underground.”
The Inc. rapper also addressed the popularity of drug culture in music and stated that although artists are allowed to practice freedom of speech, they should keep in mind that they are in fact role models.
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“I mean, I think sometimes it’s taken out of context. We as artists we have the right to express ourselves,” said Ja Rule. “That is our first amendment, freedom of speech. But I also believe that we have an obligation to the youth to be somewhat responsible in what we say on records. But I think that comes with age. I think that comes with artists growing up and becoming assured of who they are as people. Then they start to realize that we are role models and they do have a responsibility.”
Ja Rule later touched on education as he revealed that he earned his GED (General Educational Development) while in prison and spoke on dropping his oldest daughter off at college this year.
“It’s funny because it’s kinda the same as being on the streets,” said the rapper. “I thought it was gonna be a lot different, but when I got there people actually had a lot of admiration for me, a lot of love for me. So, it was a really different experience…Yes, I just dropped my oldest daughter Brittney off to college…She’s at Hampton U.”
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Although it’s only been a matter of months since Ja Rule’s release from prison, the rapper is already set to appear in I’m In Love With A Church Girl, a film directed by Steve Race.
“A lot of similarities. A lot of parallels between me and Miles,” said Ja Rule when asked if there are any similarities between him and the character he portrays. “He went through a lot of things. It’s an actual true story about a good friend of mine, Galley Molina, who’s also producer of the film and everything. But it’s a true story and he goes through things. He’s trying to become a better man and live a better way. His past keeps bringing him back to a dark place.”
Ja Rule was released from New York’s Ray Brook Federal Prison in May of this year. His two-year prison sentence stemmed from a criminal weapons possession charge he received in 2007. The rapper was also sentenced to 28 months in prison for tax evasion.
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With his newfound release from prison, Ja Rule says he’s now more focused on acting than music. He revealed that particular news during a recent interview with USA Today.
“I love music. It’s my passion,” said Ja Rule. “This is my second wind right now and I’m happy to be home, but I think as I’m getting older, my passion is leaning toward doing more television and film. Music is my heart, but I see television and more movies in the next stage of my life.”
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