In a this 7PM in Brooklyn episode, Ja Rule opens up about 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and hip-hop’s decline — mixing honesty, ache, and perspective from a New York legend.
In a newly launched episode of 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony, Ja Rule introduced New York power and uncooked honesty to one of many podcast’s most viral installments but. Titled “Ja Rule on Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and Kendrick vs Drake | The reality about hip hop beef,” the 105-minute episode dropped this afternoon (November 10), throughout YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio. Shot in a laid-back Brooklyn studio crammed with crimson lights, sneakers, and vinyl, the dialog unfolded like a reunion between previous associates who’ve seen the sport from each angle.
Hosted by Carmelo Anthony and co-host Kazeem Famuyide, the episode rapidly gained over 13,000 YouTube views and sparked trending clips on X and Instagram. The chemistry between the three males was simple — all sharing New York roots and many years of expertise navigating fame. However when Ja started unpacking his views on hip-hop, legacy, and life after fame, the tone shifted from nostalgic to deeply introspective.
“Beef Killed New York:” Ja Rule’s Tackle Hip-Hop Rivalries
Early within the episode, Ja Rule drew a pointy line between competitors and destruction in hip-hop, saying, “I don’t assume hip-hop beefs are good for the tradition… Huge and Pac each bought killed… me and 50 [expletive] that [expletive] up for New York.” The rapper in contrast his early-2000s feud with 50 Cent to Carmelo Anthony’s personal rivalries in basketball, framing each as byproducts of ego and atmosphere.
“While you see how divided issues bought, you understand we had been simply reflections of that very same power,” Ja admitted. He known as the Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake feud “entertaining however harmful,” warning, “Nothing good comes out of any of this stuff… It separated lots of [expletive] in New York.”
Ja went on to say his music had aged higher than 50’s, asserting, “I used to be the higher rapper. I felt like I made the higher data.” Nonetheless, he stated the feud price the town momentum, including, “You gotta like each, as a result of one is an imitation of the opposite.” The remarks immediately went viral, reigniting the controversy about certainly one of hip-hop’s most well-known rivalries.
Reflecting on Jay-Z, DMX, and Hip-Hop Legacy
Halfway by means of the dialog, Ja took a reflective flip, recounting his place because the “center floor” between Jay-Z’s slick fashion and DMX’s gritty aggression. “I used to be a dirty [expletive] however a fly [expletive]. I used to be in the midst of X and Jay,” he laughed, explaining how his sound helped form an period the place radio-ready rap might nonetheless carry avenue authenticity.
He additionally touched on the failed Homicide Inc. supergroup with Jay-Z and DMX that after had followers salivating: “What might which have been if two Queens juggernauts got here collectively and made some cash collectively?” That “what-if” tone threaded by means of a lot of the episode — a mixture of pleasure and what might have been.
Ja credited himself for pioneering the melodic rap-R&B duets that later grew to become mainstream. “Earlier than me, there was no artist doing what I did — rapping and singing with the identical depth,” he stated. Songs like “At all times on Time” and “Mesmerize” stay his proof that emotional vulnerability and toughness can coexist.
The Powers That Be Hate to See Us Win”
The podcast’s most talked-about second got here when Ja turned from music to bigger points throughout the business. “Hip-hop’s in a state the place it appears darkish,” he declared. “They stated there have been no hip-hop songs within the high 35 this 12 months… that’s not accidentally. The powers that be hate to see younger Black males making hundreds of thousands.”
His tone sharpened as he spoke about systemic obstacles, echoing frustrations many artists have voiced about how the style is handled commercially. “They orchestrated it,” Ja continued. “There’s no label cash going towards hip-hop anymore. We dwell in a microwave [expletive] society.”
From there, the Queens rapper shifted to unity, drawing classes from his time in jail: “While you in there, you see the distinction between the races. Black folks gotta come collectively as one. While you see a Black man, say what’s as much as him — that should change.” His message, although rooted in private expertise, resonated broadly — with clips circulating on-line as requires solidarity and self-determination.
From Fyre Competition to Freedom: Ja Rule’s Development
Because the episode pivoted towards lighter territory, Melo requested Ja about his post-prison reinvention and enterprise strikes. The rapper laughed about declining 2 Quick 2 Livid for a tour — “It wasn’t meant for me; I’m blissful for Luda and Tyrese” — and promoted his whiskey line, Iconn Media community, and “Ache Is Love” twenty fifth anniversary tour.
Ja’s candor about previous failures, together with the Fyre Competition catastrophe, earned laughs throughout the “Mess With It or Get Out of Right here” phase. When requested if he supported Fyre Competition 2, the desk erupted in unison: “Get out of right here!” Ja grinned, saying he discovered from each mistake. “You fall, you rise up. I’ve all the time been that dude.”
Regardless of controversy following him for years, Ja’s tone was that of a survivor. Somebody who embraced his scars relatively than hiding them. His message all through the episode was easy: redemption by means of resilience.
Music Meets Hoops: Melo, Kaz, and Ja Join the Dots
The synergy between hip-hop and basketball got here alive within the “Run the Ones” phase, the place Melo and Kaz tossed out one-on-one matchups between NBA greats — from Amar’e Stoudemire vs. Karl-Anthony Cities to Bernard King vs. Mikal Bridges. Ja picked Kobe Bryant as his final selection: “Kobe’s my favourite one-on-one participant, no query.”
Their back-and-forth mirrored barbershop debates, however Ja drew a deeper connection. “This desk, proper right here — that is the block,” he stated. “We would have a rapper, a hooper, a hustler, a killer… all of us got here from the identical soil.” Melo agreed, including that the drive to compete is common: “You consider it — anyone might begin a podcast too. It’s all hustle.”
It was a reminder that basketball and hip-hop share the identical DNA — grit, rhythm, and the starvation to be nice.
Followers Reward “Actual Speak” from a Reformed Legend
The episode’s reception was overwhelmingly optimistic. YouTube feedback known as it “the realest Ja interview in years” and “proof that point provides knowledge.” Clips of his “powers that be” monologue gained tons of of 1000’s of views throughout social media. In the meantime, the 50 Cent phase reignited previous debates with out reigniting hostility.
Carmelo Anthony and Kazeem Famuyide’s simple chemistry helped stability Ja’s depth. Due to this fact, creating an area that felt each nostalgic and forward-looking. The tone wasn’t bitter — it was reflective, a veteran speaking to friends who understood the journey.
Ja closed the episode on a be aware of gratitude, saying, “There’s no higher feeling than creating one thing and watching the world adore it. That’s God’s work.” His phrases carried the load of a person who’s seen all of it and are available again wiser. He’s nonetheless proud, nonetheless defiant, and nonetheless very a lot hip-hop.
