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Rule 3:36

Rule 3:36
Studio album by
Ja Rule
ReleasedOctober 3, 2000[1]
Studio
Genre
Length57:48
Label
Producer
Ja Rule chronology
Venni Vetti Vecci
(1999) 		Rule 3:36
(2000) 		Pain Is Love
(2001)
Singles from Rule 3:36
  1. "Between Me and You"
    Released: June 16, 2000
  2. "Put It On Me"
    Released: December 12, 2000
  3. "6 Feet Underground"
    Released: December 16, 2000
  4. "I Cry"
    Released: April 7, 2001
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic56/100
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB
NME[2]
Robert Christgau(1-star Honorable Mention)[3]
Rolling Stone[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]
Vibe
USA Today

Rule 3:36 is the second studio album by American rapper Ja Rule. It was released on October 3, 2000, by The Island Def Jam Music Group, Def Jam Recordings and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records. The album features guest appearances from Christina Milian, Lil' Mo, Shade Sheist and Jayo Felony, with producers Irv Gotti (who also executive produced the album), Ty Fyffe, Tru Stylze, Lil' Rob and Damizza contributing to the album. The album marked a significant change in Ja Rule's musical style, shifting from hardcore hip hop to a more radio-friendly pop rap oriented sound to greater success.

Rule 3:36 debuted atop of the US Billboard 200 with 276,000 copies sold in its first week and went on to be certified Triple Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on August 20, 2001, producing four singles; all of which had achieved varying degrees of chart success. The most successful single, "Put It On Me" featuring Vita, peaking at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming his first top-ten single on that chart as a lead artist, and scored his first nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 44th Grammy Awards.

Background

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Rule 3:36 contains the song titled "Fuck You", which is titled "Furious" as a clean version for radio play. The song received average airplay, and is also on the soundtrack to The Fast and the Furious (where it is titled "Furious"). The disc is still mostly radio-friendly pop-themed music unlike his later albums, which contain disses of a more dark tone. The album still contains explicit material, and was made in a clean version which only removes profanity and drug/violent lyrics are left in, although some profanity like the words "hoes" and "ass" are also left in.[citation needed]

Reception

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Rule 3:36 sold 276,000 during its first week.[6] Initial critical response to Rule 3:36 was average. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 56, based on 5 reviews.[7] The album became a three-time platinum certified album by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[8]

Track listing

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Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[9]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro" 
1:14
2."Watching Me"
  • Lil' Rob
  • Irv Gotti
1:55
3."Between Me and You" (featuring Christina Milian)
  • Atkins
  • Mays
  • Lorenzo
  • Lil' Rob
  • Irv Gotti
4:10
4."Put It on Me" (featuring Vita)
  • Tru Stylze
  • Irv Gotti
4:23
5."6 Feet Underground"
  • Atkins
  • Edward Hinson
  • Lorenzo
  • Self
  • Irv Gotti
5:05
6."Love Me, Hate Me"
  • Atkins
  • Mays
  • Lorenzo
4:44
7."Die" (featuring Tah Murdah, Black Child and Dave Bing)
4:37
8."Fuck You" (featuring 01 and Vita)
  • Atkins
  • Lorenzo
  • Richard Wilson
  • Dat Nigga Reb
  • Irv Gotti
4:13
9."I'll Fuck U Girl" (Skit) Irv Gotti1:34
10."Grey Box" (Skit) Irv Gotti0:16
11."Extasy" (featuring Tah Murdah, Black Child and Jayo Felony)
  • Lil' Rob
  • Irv Gotti
5:06
12."It's Your Life" (featuring Shade Sheist)
Damizza4:30
13."I Cry" (featuring Lil' Mo)
  • Lil' Rob
  • Irv Gotti
5:18
14."One of Us"
  • Atkins
  • Fyffe
  • Gill
  • Crocker
  • Lil' Rob
  • Irv Gotti
6:00
15."Chris Black" (Skit) Irv Gotti3:02
16."The Rule Won't Die"
  • Atkins
  • Mays
  • Lorenzo
  • Lil' Rob
  • Irv Gotti
2:17

Sample credits

Personnel

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[28] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[29] Gold 100,000‡
United States (RIAA)[30] 3× Platinum 3,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Rule 3:36 at AllMusic
  2. ^ Bardowell, Derek A (12 September 2005). "Rule 3:36". NME. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  3. ^ "CG: ja rule". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
  4. ^ Ja Rule (2000-11-14). "Ja Rule: Rule 3:36 : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
  5. ^ Ja Rule (2000-11-14). "Ja Rule: Rule 3:36 : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
  6. ^ Wright, Anders. "Chart Watch: Ja Rule Rules - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  7. ^ "Ja Rule:Rule 3:36 (2000): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
  8. ^ "Gold & Platinum - Ja Rule - search results". RIAA. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  9. ^ Rule 3:36 (booklet). Murder Inc., Def Jam. 2000.
  10. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  11. ^ "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. August 19, 2000. Archived from the original on November 19, 2000. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Ja Rule – Rule 3:36" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  13. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Ja Rule – Rule 3:36" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  14. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  15. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  16. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  17. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  18. ^ "Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2000". Jam!. Archived from the original on September 6, 2004. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  19. ^ "Year-End Charts: Billboard 200 Albums - 2000". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  20. ^ "Year-End Charts: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - 2000". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  21. ^ "Top 200 Albums of 2001 (based on sales)". Jam!. Archived from the original on November 6, 2003. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  22. ^ "Canada's Top 200 R&B; albums of 2001". Jam!. January 8, 2002. Archived from the original on November 22, 2002. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  23. ^ "Top 100 rap albums of 2001 in Canada". Jam!. January 8, 2002. Archived from the original on November 22, 2002. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  24. ^ "Year-End Charts: Billboard 200 Albums - 2001". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  25. ^ "Year-End Charts: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - 2001". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  26. ^ "Canada's Top 200 R&B; albums of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on September 6, 2004. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  27. ^ "Top 100 rap albums of 2002 in Canada". Jam!. Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  28. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Ja Rule – Rule 3:36". Music Canada. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  29. ^ "British album certifications – Ja Rule – Rule 3:36". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  30. ^ "American album certifications – Ja Rule – Rule 3:36". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 7, 2015.