Ja was really bubbling, as X was beginning to show some chinks in his armor
(acting and commercialized music). Hov was still
STRONG. Ja was dominating, wit that sing-songy, rap/R&B shyt. Initially, Ja was struggling, cuz he was immediately viewed as a
"Lil X clone".
Early on, I had Bleek, Beans, and Ja, ALL neck, and neck, and ALL subordinates to the top dawgs (Jay - Rocafella, and X - RR). Ja Rule music, became undeniable at a certain point tho, and he had the hoes, wit those anthems. Murder Inc begins to pop (w/ him as their flagship artist). X begins to fall off, and something about Hov, began to fall off too. Moreso, the inconsistentency and wanting to play a boss role (pushing State Prop, and his ROC artists more).
50 begins to capture the streets wit those G-Unit mixtapes. His name begins to
RING BELLS on the east coast. He can do no wrong, during this time. I remember nggas were gassin the release of Tony Yayo up, before I
really knew who he was, as if Pac was coming home, and the unit would be solidified (50, Banks, Yayo).
Ja was also beginning to catch backlash for all that singin shyt, when nggas didn't want the megastar from NY, living off that sweet ass image. Once Fif had the streets, and kept comin wit that consistent ether, diss wise, Rules days were sealed. "I Smell p*ssy", mixtape disses (Stuart Little), and greazy sneak dissing shyt like "Window Shopper", was too much for that lil ngga to handle. Too much ether from Fif, Banks, etc. was coming out that camp. They had their foot on their NECKS, something serious.
GRDT drops and Ja was DOA. Everyone was on 50 top, back then. Then Banks album was fire. The G-Unit album was flames, The Game, Buck, etc.) It was too much, for 90% of artists to overcome.
Jay had retired, X was a shell of himself, Rocafella was in-fighting, falling off, and Murder Inc, was taking loss after loss, musically, and wit that trial. Fif in concert, wit that FBI trial, brought Ja and Murder Inc to it's knees. Dip Set wasn't big enough commercially, to dethrone G-Unit. Fif eventually copies, Ja Rule's
SAME EXACT formula, and has the game in a choke, til he falls off, and nggas turn on their oversaturated asses, also.
The irony of it all.
That's how I remember everything unfolding. @ me if I'm wrong.
