I don't remember any dudes liking Ja. That's partly what contributed to 50's success. Maybe women were rockin with Ja, but I don't recall them listening to him all like that. Ja to me back then was a more gruff version of Lil Zane.
Dude’s “tolerated” Ja because women loved him. It wasn’t that his music was wack it just wayyyyy too bubblegum. Jay-Z for example was always able to maintain that balance where he was good with Brehs and Chicks. Ja, and to a lessor extent Nelly, went too far into “R&B Thug Love” territory to the point where 90% of their fanbases were women