Pain Is Love: Timeless Singles, Commercial Filler, and Ja Rule’s First Step Down

Released October 2, 2001

Coming off the mega-success of 2000’s Rule 3:36 and the mega-success of its single “Put It On Me,” Ja Rule and Murder Inc. were at the top of the hip-hop scene. Following that rocket trajectory, Ja dropped Pain Is Love, a follow-up filled with radio-dominating singles like “Livin’ It Up” and “Always on Time.” While this album definitely has some timeless hits, revisiting it, I can definitely say that outside of the smash hits, the filler provides little substance. Out of all his albums, this one seems the most blatantly commercial, ultimately hurting its replay value. Long story short, this release is very top-heavy, resulting in an overall middling album.

One thing about going into these late-’90s/early-2000s albums: cats loved to start albums with skits, lol. However, I will say that most of the time it’s refreshing, as albums felt more like an experience rather than just several songs plastered together. In this case, though, this is one of the few times where the skit felt out of place, with Ja Rule crooning over what sounds like a first-responder dispatch and adding nothing of value to the album. It leads into “Dial M for Murder,” which is a throwback to that Venni Vetti Vecci Rule—decent enough track.

While we’re all familiar with the top tracks on this album—“Livin’ It Up,” “Always on Time,” “Down Ass B*tch,” etc.—the tracks that were not hits range from aight to downright skip-worthy. “The Inc.,” for instance, feels kind of pointless and out of place, with The Inc. collective—Cadillac Tah and Black Child—adding nothing of substance to the song or album. Same with “Worldwide Gangstas.” While I like Boo and Gotti overall and think they should’ve gotten more shine, those tracks just didn’t hit for me.

Also, cramming gangsta tracks around crooning fare like “Lost Little Girl” and “Pain Is Love” leaves the album a bit directionless. And while Ja usually shines on tracks featuring an R&B artist, “X,” featuring Tweet and Missy, feels a bit cookie-cutter. Not to mention, the party-drug “Ecstasy” innuendos feel a bit distasteful these days. Also, slapping “I’m Real” (feat. Jennifer Lopez)—a release that already appears on her album—onto this project? I’ll never be a fan of that tactic to seemingly boost sales.

Overall, in hindsight, Pain Is Love is a fitting precursor to the ultimate downfall of Ja Rule as part of the top echelon of the rap game, and of Murder Inc., as legal troubles and a detrimental beef with 50 Cent and Aftermath loomed. As a fan of the two releases before this album, this project just felt like an appeasement to the masses rather than an authentic musical experience. While the hits are timeless, the rest of this album leaves much to be desired.

Standout Tracks: Livin It Up, Always on Time, Down Ass B*tch

Album Rating 👑👑👑👑👑½ (5.5/10)