Jeffrey Bruce Atkins, better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Ja Rule became known for blending gangsta rap with pop and R&B sensibilities. He signed with Irv Gotti's Murder Inc Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings to release his debut studio album Venni Vetti Vecci (1999), which spawned his first hit single, "Holla Holla". In 2001, he peaked the Billboard Hot 100 on several occasions with his singles "Put It on Me" (featuring Lil' Mo and Vita), "Always on Time" (featuring Ashanti), and his guest appearances on Jennifer Lopez's songs "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" and "Ain't It Funny".
Commercially successful, Venni Vetti Vecci received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and was followed by his second and third albums, Rule 3:36 (2000) and Pain Is Love (2001), both of which peaked atop the US Billboard 200. With over 15 million combined sales, both also received triple platinum certifications by the RIAA and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top ten singles "Put It on Me" (featuring Lil' Mo and Vita) and "Livin' It Up" (featuring Case).