Earlier today (November 3), Queens, New York rapper Ja Rule appeared on The Breakfast Club to speak on a variety of topics. Among the topics discussed was his decision not to sign with Roc-A-Fella Records.
According to Ja, he didn’t want to be signed to a label where Jay Z, one of the top artists in Hip Hop would be the priority. After speaking on his decision not to join Roc-A-Fella, he went on to explain that there are situations in music today where an artist tends to overshadow the artists they’re trying to put on.
He used Drake as an example of an established artist overshadowing a lesser known artist when paired with one another.
“That was my thing with Jay,” Ja Rule said. “I’m like ‘Jay, you on top of the game right now. I’m ready to come for that spot. You not gon’ let me get that spot.’ You know what I’m saying? So, I can’t be under you if I’m trying to be above you. So, that was the only kind—And Dame looked at me. He said ‘You think you can sell more records than Jay?’…Cause that was his answer to me. He said ‘You think you can be as big or as hot as Jay?’ I’m like ‘Of course.’ I’m like ‘Of course, Dame.’
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“You gotta understand it happens a lot,” he added. “It happened kinda with my situation too. And I see it happen with other artists. Drake. It’s like when you are such a big artist and you have other artists that you trying to put on, sometimes you overshadow them. Even when you get on a record with them to try to help them, it hurts them. And I don’t think they see it like that sometimes…It’s nothing personal. I just wanna be the best…But I think it happens with Drake when he does records with his guys. He kinda overshadows them. And then people just wanna hear Drake.”
Later in the interview, Ja Rule detailed the exact reason why he chose not to join the Fast & Furious franchise, which has gone on to release seven films. He explained that at the time he received an offer from John Singleton to star in 2 Fast 2 Furious, “it looked like a sinking ship.”
“I didn’t even know John felt this way,” Ja said. “That’s why it’s crazy to me. At the time, I guess John felt like I was blowing him off. And I really wasn’t. I was about to go on tour. And it was a decision to be made. ‘Okay, I’mma go.’ Cause I really love acting. I really wanted to do films. But it’s a decision now. I go do Fast & Furious for $500,000 or I go on tour and make 12, 14 million. Simple math to me. You can look at it now and Monday morning quarterback the situation and be like ‘Fast & Furious, seven joints later.’ But at the time, it wasn’t that. Vin Diesel wasn’t coming back for the second one. The director, Rob Cohen wasn’t coming back for the second one. So, it looked like a sinking ship. And Vin Diesel—Vin, we gonna have a conversation too. You need to get me back in it. Cause you the one that told me not to do it.”
For additional Ja Rule coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
