Ja Rule was recently asked about hip-hop veteran Melle Mel’s comments on the 2004 “New York” national anthem. His MC for “White Lines” compared the Jadakiss and Fat Joe-assisted track to the success of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind.”
The Furious Five rap legend claimed that Ja Rule’s New York song wasn’t very successful because it was trying to be a “hood” like 50 Cent.
More from VIBE.com
“Mel got the right to say what he wanted,” Ja said. TMZ Before adding, “But me copying 50 seems like the funniest shit ever because 50 copied me. I was his blueprint.”
Returning to his 2004 hit, he said: His one of today’s biggest New York records. Empire State of Mind is also a great record, but they are different. ”
The Queens rapper further analyzed that his songs are “street anthems” and “gutters” whereas “Empire State of Mind” is more “commercial”. Ja then yelled at hip-hop pioneer He KRS-One with the lyric “I got 100 guns, 100 clips,” derived from his 1990 rap “100 Guns.”
Related story
Ja Rule says he’s interested in a ‘Verzuz’ battle with 50 Cent
“New York” reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, #14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and #10 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. The Grammy Award-winning song “Empire State of Mind” was a huge success as well. The Al-Shux-produced track earned him his first week at number one on the Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts.
Revisit Ja Rule, Fat Joe and Jadakiss’ “New York” anthems below.
Click here to read the full article.