The career of Jeffrey Atkins began with his debut "Venni, Vetti, Vecci" more than promising. Unfortunately, one was subsequently to avaricious, which had an impact on the sophomore "Rule 3:36" that you still be described as good. 2001 then was album number. 3 of the series, "Pain Is Love". If so cover and booklet you look at where really only violence and poverty scenes are displayed, so you could have come almost tempted to hold a policy critical work in your hands, but with guests like J.Lo, Missy Elliott, Case or Ashanti fizzles this idea fairly quickly. Ja Rule's discoverer and mentor Irv Gotti-produced the entire disk, which indeed sounds monotonous, is nevertheless become surprisingly varied. "Pain Is Love" starts hard, namely with "Dial M For Murder". Dark beats and electric guitars accompany Rule who knows how to use his gravelly voice, but the song is overall pretty lame and unexciting, so he a quite soon goes on the laces. "Livin 'It Up" together with Case is because the absolute opposite and shows how this album is rather to assess, namely chart-oriented and commercially. Unfortunately, even the label anthem "The INC." no more than average, which lies at the very boring but instrumental and also the performances of Rule, Caddillac Tah, Black Child and Ashanti are now not necessarily exactly brilliant. Much better to me as like "Always On Time". While it is also rather trendy, but that does not bother me here. The melodies to which are partly created by guitars, are simply a dream, emotional and relaxed at the same time, this shows Rule times feelings and raps about his lady and Ashanti makes her chorus a good job. Even "Down Ass Bitch" revolves around the female sex has a damn chilling sound that is due to a guitar again, but also Ja Rule impresses with a mix of vocals and rap, which especially the sung Hook is to my liking. What's here sporadically well, is somehow at the same time the problem of the whole plate. After all, what has distinguished Yes earlier, the heavy songs, almost never works here. This can be seen well on the next track, of which the calm "Never Again" good, hard "Worldwide Gangsta" is rather bad and ridiculous. On the well-known "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" with J.Lo I go now not elaborate, because everyone should know yourself that this is just one: Chartpop, where you can find something good here as well, because Yes's scratchy vocals like it here. One of the by far the best pieces can be reached by "Smokin And Ridin '. Finally tight and fast beats, melodies and a fleet to Ja Rule, who shows something he can do. On the guest Jodie Mack and 0-1 one could indeed can do without, but they destroy the track in any way. The now slowly starting end is of a quality superior to the rest of the album but to worlds. The first makes "Lost Little Girl", a rather dramatic number, which gets its own touch by funky synth effects and Ja Rule shows again in top form. What's really like about him is that he always varies his rap style. Sometimes fast, sometimes relaxed, sometimes aggressive, sometimes singing - great. "So Much Pain" is a front immediately known. There is a cover of 2Pac's "Pain" from the "Above The Rim" soundtrack. The ingenious and emotional Instrumental was taken luckily, it replaces Ja Rule now Stretch, who was present on the original. The best is of course the verse from Pac, but also Yes makes a decent job. The Closer "Pain Is Love" it has unfortunately not so in itself, actually it is interesting in any way, but yes, however, can tear out the hook again sung again some. The complete album is a constant roller-coaster ride. Real Hits, there are a few, hardly total failures. Everything moves in rather unspectacular midfield. The fact that this record sold over 13 million units worldwide, is somewhat a mystery to me, but certainly due to the still very radio-friendly sound. If you like Ja Rule can securely access, otherwise you miss not too much if you do not this record gets home.
