Ja Rule: Pain is Love 2

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J. Lo in terry cloth Juicy Couture reminding us, again, that she’s real. Ja Rule in a wife beater. Ashanti with red lips, hoops and a lace-up leather onesie? Ja Rule still in a wife beater. We have had some great times with Ja, tracks with wind instrumentals and women who are on time. But Pain is Love 2, Ja Rule’s new album, is no Pain is Love. There are no flutes, and there is no Ashanti.

Ja Rule was the guy who rapped like he had a mouth full of gravel and was unparalleled in rap duets with female hip-hop singers. Now, the back cover of the CD promises it is a “concept album” about taking a pill (Pain is Love = PIL), where Ja Rule “wakes up on the flip side of fame with no love and no adoring fans as if it all never happened.” That is basically, in a sentence, the last thing I want to hear from Ja Rule. Ja Rule with no love is like Joanna Newsom with no harp.

Unfortunately, it has become difficult to separate conceptual Ja Rule from actual Ja Rule, who is currently in prison. I would have guessed he’d own prison (think Lil Wayne, Lil’ Kim, Martha Stewart). Instead, he is being outshined in prison by fellow white-collar criminal Dennis Kozlowski, who allegedly used laundered money to pay for an ice sculpture of Michelangelo’s “David” that peed Stoli vodka. Ja Rule should be taking tips from that guy.

Oh yeah, Pain is Love 2. Ja Rule says it best on “Spun a Web:” “no bright lights, no bitches, no big stage.” The production is passable, the lyrics low-key. There are no verses from guest rappers you’ve heard of. Ja Rule says all the rappers he invited turned him down, as did Coldplay when he asked to sample a song. Worst of all, there is the glaring omission of wind instruments.

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Comments

comments

15

Archived Comments (15)

  1. anthony placide says:

    GREAT FRICKEN ALBUM!  I DON’T KNOW WHAT THIS FUCKER IS TALKING ABOUT!  

  2. Wonderboyy25 says:

    Happy Earth Strong Ja

  3. This is honestly one of the worst music reviews i have ever read. Did you even listen to the album? I mean ”J-Lo and Ashanti aren’t on it, therefore the album sucks” – are you serious? Do you even like Hip Hop? I genuinely mean that, because if you don’t, you have no right to be giving an “informed” opinion on it. Google the other album reviews and you will see a stark difference in opinon to your, majority of sites are averaging at 4/5 rating.

  4. FrankieLeeown says:

    Album = Classic… if your a collector of fine art, you’d add this to your collection mainly because of the artist and simply because it’s worth collecting. NO Gimmicks!

  5. ET says:

     Horrible review, wasted 2 minutes of my life.

  6. ThisGuy585 says:

    Wow… how about next time we decide to write a review we 1) go into it with an open mind, 2) get a professional writer to write it, and most importantly 3) SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LISTENED TO THE ALBUM!!!

  7. Neiko Thomas says:

    I listened to the entire album… and from the gate, this album is dope. It is reviews like this that keep artists from creating a new fan base. I had to remind myself that I actually listened to the album after reading this review because I’m guessing this guy must be writing about some other Ja Rule with another Pain is Love 2 album, because this review is not about Jeff Atkin’s album PIL2. Before you review an album… maybe you should listen to it.

  8. Adamantiumstar says:

    well well well, someone has obviously forgot to listen to the cd before putting his review on the net…….

    Way to go pal, professionalism at his highest lol……… You’re a Jerk “New boys voice”.

    Just playing but you obviously hate without any good argument whatsoever.

  9. Gmoney says:

    no ashanti no jlo = terrible album, c’mon son

    leah segal i dont know who she is so therefor ashanti’s better then here seriously how the f*ck are you a “journalist” ? 

  10. Ismialstaples says:

    U MUST BE 50 Cent’s SON (reviewer)

  11. Yarule says:

    this review is a steaming hot pile of shit. ja rule 4ever!!!!!

  12. Wtf kinda review is this … u so shitty lol

  13. Bobbredd says:

    Worse Review ever lol – I don’t even think you listened to the CD … You Suck man 

  14. dan says:

    Tiger blood has it 100% right..this review is trash…the review part is the smallest part of the article…and only references 1 song..cant be credible 

  15. Tiger Blood says:

    terrible review! This was the first review I read for Pain is love 2 and based of off Mr. Getman’s review you would think this album is trash. But then I decided to check out a couple other reviews, and realized Mr. Getman was the ONLY person to not give this album a negative review. Check out the positive reviews from Vibe, Rolling Stone, AllHipHop, RapRadar, and personal reviews from Amazon. This wouldn’t be that big of a deal but this is not the first time the Daily Cal has posted inaccurate reviews.

    I have yet to hear Pain is Love 2 but I look forward to buying this album. As many of the reviews mentioned “this is the BEST and MOST complete Ja Rule album” and has “Grammy Buzz”