WHERE HE'S BEEN: "The last album, Venni Vetti Vecci, was kinda dark. I did the whole album in New York, and with all the buildings and the concrete, New York gives me a dark vibe," Ja Rule explains. "This album, Rule 3:36, was done in Los Angeles, and the sun and the palm trees gave me a sunny feel, so the album came out brighter. It reflects a happier Ja Rule."

THE DOPEST TRACK: "They're all hot," the modest rapper says, "but I especially like 'I Cry,' 'Extasy,' and the first single, 'Between Me and You.'

MAJOR RAP INFLUENCES: "As a kid, what motivated me was when I saw Run-D.M.C. and LL Cool J -- 'cause we all came from Queens. But as I grew older, I was a fan of a lot of people, but I had to influence myself to stay rollin'."

HIS BIG BREAK: "Producer Irv Gotti discovered me in the early '90s. I first came out with a group called the Cash Money Click [not to be confused with Juvenile's Cash Money Clique] on TVT Records, but we got dropped. There aren't too many artists who come out and don't make it, and then come back. I still work with members of the Click as a part of the Murderers. I never let go of my fam."

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: "I got a couple of vices [laughs]. I like gambling, and I smoke a lot of weed, as you can hear," he says coughing. "Also, I'm a big movie buff, and I have a huge DVD collection. The last DVD I bought was Any Given Sunday. I think LL is a good actor. People need to look at rappers as real talent."

ON HIP-HOP'S NEGATIVE RAP: "It's a horrible thing 'cause, as in the case of the Source Awards, the media just hones in on the negative," he says. "They never big-up the positive. I guess the rap game is kinda built on the negative, but to me, rap is the most positive thing that has happened for black youth in America." Tracy E. Hopkins

October 9, 2000