NEW YORK (Universal Motown Records) - It's not uncommon for a new album to offer a glimpse behind the artist but when that artist is an entrepreneur, film star, social activist, hip hop mogul, Grammy nominee and lightning rod – only one man can hold the glass up to himself and challenge both the game that brought him and the aftermath. That artist is
Ja Rule and his new album, The Mirror, his seventh, heralds a bold new introspective era in hip hop – the same way the Queens native crashed the gates of the rap game with his turn-of-the-decade masterpiece – Venni Vetti Vecci – and has been 'coming' and 'conquering' – 12 million albums strong - ever since.
Armed with a blistering new single, 'Uh Ohhh,' featuring none other than Lil Wayne - impacts today, and christening a new record company - Mpire (and a rejuvenated The Murder Inc Records - which he co-owns, and its new association with Universal Motown) – Ja Rule looks both back and forward on the new one, enlisting the Top Dawg production team and other select guest appearances, as he lays claim to hard-won personal turf and higher ground.
From the redemptive 'Abandoned' to the banging and to the downright righteous exchange he trades with Lil Wayne on the sizzling new single 'Uh Ohhh,' Ja Rule tips his hand more than ever about the hurdles he's successfully resolved and the new doors and challenges opening up ahead. A foreshadowing of a new 'player-coach mode' in his future can be gleamed in his latest multi-platform ventures: known for his savvy business acumen, his new company Rule Global Media includes an internet radio station, 187fm.com., a new film company – Tunnel Vision, and his latest, finger-on-the-pulse adventure - the launch of starsonpoker.com which brings fans, celebrities and gaming aficionados together on the internet for an opportunity to really see how Ja Rule lays it down.
Hailing from the fertile hip hop territory of Hollis, Queens, Ja Rule has been running the rap table since the late '90s, stepping up and seizing the moment on Jay-Z's scorcher 'Can I Get A…' in 1998, he has never looked back. Co-founder with hip hop mogul/producer Irving 'Gotti' Lorenzo of the revered hip hop Mpire/label Murder Inc Records, which has launched, Ashanti, Lloyd, Channel 7, and Ja Rule himself, among others. The prolific star has sandwiched 4 platinum/multi-platinum albums among his own six acclaimed releases, including his most recent near-platinum 2005 offering R.U.L.E. which was the first album to offer an Xbox Live subscription component.
Progenitor of countless superstar collaborations (including Jay-Z, DMX, Fat Joe, Ashanti, Snoop Dogg, Method Man and others) and winner of numerous awards, including, a MTV Award, a BET Award, and a World Music Award for Best Selling Rap Artist. Ja Rule was nominated for 4 Grammy Awards for his 2002 triple platinum opus Pain Is Love. The album is considered a classic among music industry chroniclers.
One of hip hop's most dedicated social activists, Ja Rule was honored with an NAACP Image Award in 2002. For nearly a decade his L.I.F.E. Foundation has created programs and life solutions for 'at-risk' inner city kids, providing invaluable skills to disenfranchised youth by supplying mentors and programs geared to preparing them for the difficult transition from childhood to adulthood. The L.I.F.E. Foundation provides workshops, guest speakers, counseling, and a myriad of charitable and community events throughout the year. The L.I.F.E. Foundation will host their first annual LIFE Weekend August 17th through August 19th in New York City. For More information, contact Erica Ford at 718-978-3942.
