[Review] Ja Rule - Pain Is Love 2
What a difference 10 years can make. In 2002 Ja Rule was arguably one of the most in demand rappers at the time. His signature brand of “thug lovin” raps dominated the airwaves, and kept the Murder Inc., flag waving high. Whether you loved him or hated him, you couldn’t help but pay attention to him at the time. Fast-forward a decade later and that whole period in time seems like a distant fantasy. Today the Queens rapper is looked at as more of a punch line than a Soundscan king. There were a lot of reasons why his fall from chart domination hit so hard. Between over saturation, lack of artistic growth, present day imprisonment, and a guy who goes by the name of 50 Cent, Ja’s career never stood a chance at longevity. Of course he hopes to change all that with his latest release, Pain Is Love 2, the sequel to his 2001 Pain Is Love album.
From the very beginning Ja comes with an intensity that takes you back to his glory years. In fact you could make a case that he’s never been as impressive as he is on “Real Life Fantasy” and “Parachute”. With introspective rhymes that bring you into his current day struggles, Ja instantly captures your attention. Both tracks are synth heavy with a strong rock influence that feels organic when mixed with his vocals and their respective choruses. Ja has always had a formula of making records heavy on tough talk, but still radio friendly enough to impact pop charts.
What should be noted is that Ja decides to go for dolo on this effort. While the album is filled with several newcomers such as Leah Siegal and Anita Louise supplying soulful choruses, Ja is the only rapper present. In an era where most artists are always looking to fill a track with a list of the hottest rappers in the game, Ja should be applauded for carrying this project based on his own merit.
Of course while PIL2 comes off as a consistent play production wise, it tends to remind you why Ja’s career took a hit so suddenly. Lyrically he falters on “To The Top”, and “Black Vodka” sounds like it should have been left in 2002. Then Ja really tests the listener’s patience by hopping on the auto tune wave 3 years too late to give us the travesty that is “Strange Days”. In fact “Superstar” sounds like any given Ja Rule song that we’ve heard before, only not as good. “Pray 4 The Day” and “Spun a Web” are ok tracks, but they’ll be forgotten about the moment the album ends.
Will PIL2 bring Ja Rule back to commercial prominence? No. Does it match up to its predecessor? Not at all. Is it worth checking out? Yes, but only if your looking for a reason to embrace nostalgia. PIL2 is a solid project sonically that leaves much to be desired lyrically. Redundancy and lack of growth keeps the album from truly taking off, despite the great production that’s provided on it. Certainly not the worst album ever made, but over time could easily be one of the more forgettable ones, at least in Ja Rules discography.
Rating: 3/5
jarule with a stalley cover hmmm
jarule with a stalley cover hmmm
jarule with a stalley cover hmmm
I berg to differ much PIL2 is a well put effort in every aspect in fact its a 10/10 the best album of 2012 so far, its success is only limited by lack of air play, publicity because of people’s incorrect perspective of Ja Rule.
great album! It’s just the media ignore Ja Rule; they don’t give him no air and they just don’t want Ja Rule progress
This is a hot album, realist shit i heard for a long time, no filler tracks for me, you can listen to the album all way through. Lyrics are great, actually mean something whcih is more than can say for current hiphop artists. This is a unique album as no other hiphop artists have been as big as ja was and fell off to then come back. This album tells the story of his downfall well and is well worth a listen. Defo best album i’ve heard in a while and i would say his best to date.
Standout tracks: RLF, parachute, superstar, strange days, black vodka, pray 4 day, spun a web
All i can say PIL2 is a good album not his best.You know I think the world doesn’t have a clue to what his going through. In the spotlight everybody is hating on him, scrutinizing him and they got their lil opinons and shit. Like he said “Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance. He is going thru though times. Sometimes greatness is not what you acheived but what you overcome.Do you think the world will hate him forever for beefing with that clown ass nigga? Is obvious that the media doesnt want him back base on some old beef. No radio play. I mean JA never did nothing wrong. JA came to the music business to make music for the people to enjoy, for the world to love, you know, and somehow he became the most hated rapper. They “spun a web” for him. And these mothafuckers wanna look at him down for what he do fot that. Well if they wanna call him wack, overdue or whatever the case might be cuz this is my nigga and if nobody gonna stand up and be real that JA made an history. I remember when it was back then everybody feeling that nigga 50. He aint that nigga but u kno he portrayed himself to be that nigga. Real talk 50 is not JA level. The difference is there. Parachute, black vodka, superstar, and spun a web. JA is genious. Lets support PIL2. Not dwelling being an ignorant. Fuck the media, Djs, and the haters. You cant take a real man down. Ja can never fall.Bring back JA. PIL2 IN STORES.
THE RULE WONT DIE ONLY THOSE BRAKING THE RULES FOR RULES ARE THERE FOR YOUR SAFETY. GIVE ME YOUR SHOULDER BUT I WONT CRY. (PL2) I LOVE JA NO MATTER WHAT
couldn’t agree more, people hate on ja when he just wants to make music for people to party to, 50 be the 1 making whack joints all for money and not the love of music, ja da man
JA AIN RULE BUT RULER. YOU ARE THE MAN. I LOVE PRAY 4 THE DAY IN THIS ALBUM N FOLLOWS BELIEVE, SPUN A WEB, SUPERSTAR, TO THE TOP REAL LIFE FANTASY, BLACK VODKA, NEVER HAD, DROWN etc. PEACE OUT. MUCH LOVE FROM SOUTH AFRICA *JOEDY D*
WHY WHY WHT AMERICANS HATE THIS DUDE, THEY DON’T WANT HIM TO BE A ROUGH RAP AT THE SAME TIME THEY DON” WANT HIM TO COLLABORATE WITH FEMALE ARTISTS,I MEAN WHAT THE FUCK U WANT FRM NY NIGGA.. OH NO IM NOT A NIGGRO ,FROM sOUTH aFRICA
FUUUUUUUUCK ALL HATERS MOST ESPECALLY NEW YORK, QUEENS BITCHES AND SCUMBAGZ, FROM SOUTH AFRICA,
I have been supportive of jarule career since the begining and i have never stuop buying his product. I never like 50 cent nor g-unit. i know that he can’t get back to the top again, not because of him as a person but the way this bullshit music is today but i will always buy his music. Hip hop is dead and everyone knows it. Ja is one of the greatest rappers of all time. I will always support you sir.