Ja Rule’s Net Worth 2017: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know (2024)

Ja Rule’s Net Worth 2017: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know (1)

Ja Rule performs at the City Harvest’s 23rd Annual Evening Of Practical Magic on April 25, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty)

Ja Rule has seen more controversy than most during his two decade career. Whether through his infamous feud with rapper 50 Cent or his legal issues regarding gun possession, he always seems to be at the center of attention when it comes to unflattering situations. And nowhere has this been more apparent than with the ill-fated Fyre Festival.

What was initially pitched as a luxury getaway for thousands of lucky participants, soon turned disastrous, as reports of poor living conditions, little to no electricity, and perceived incompetence in planning flooded the internet. Fyre Festival was shut down almost immediately, and Ja Rule, along with co-mastermindBilly McFarland are now being slammed with a $100 million dollar lawsuit for negligence and fraud. But how much does Ja make? According to The Richest, Ja has an estimated net worth of $5 million.

Read on to find more about his finances and whether or not Fyre Festival is the first time its been in jeopardy.

1. He’s Sold Over 30 Million Albums Worldwide

The majority of Ja’s net worth comes from his successful music career, which started with the release ofhis debut album Venni Vetti Vecci in 1999. Supporting by the single “Holla Holla,” which peaked at #35 on the Billboard Hot 100, the album sold 184,000 unitsits first week, and was eventually certified platinum. This proved to be the tip of the iceberg for Ja, however, as albums like Rule 3:36 (2000) and Pain Is Love (2001) both debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and were certified triple platinum, selling a combined 10 million units.

In the early 2000s, Ja was one of the biggest acts in all of hip-hop, as singles like “Always On Time” and “Mesmerize,” peaked at number one and number two on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. Even in the midstof his uglyfeud with 50 Cent, he released successful projectslike R.U.L.E. (2004), which sold over 600,000 copies in the US. To date, Ja has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, and has sold an estimated total of 30 million albums worldwide.

2. He’s Acted In Several Films & TV Shows

While no one would accuse Ja of being the next Academy Award winner, he has starred in numerous films and television shows. He made his acting debutalongside Jason Statham inTurn It Up(2000),andparlayed the exposure into a supporting role in 2001’sThe Fast & The Furious. The film turned out to be a surprise hit, grossing $207 million worldwide, and Ja unwittingly sparked a series trend of castingfamous musicians (Ludacris, Iggy Azelea, Don Omar) in cameo roles.

Jacontinued to appear in successful films throughout the decade, like Scary Movie 3 (2003), Shall We Dance? (2004), and Assault on Precinct 13 (2005). More recently, he starred inthe MTV reality series Follow the Rules, which documented the daily life of him, his wife Aisha Murray, and his three children. The series ran for 12 episodes, and was subsequently canceled in December of 2015.

3. He Was Arrested for Tax Evasion In 2011

While Fyre Festival has certainly proven to be a disaster, Ja faced anequally dire situationin 2011, when he pleaded guilty to three separate counts of tax evasion. According to Billboard, the rapper failed to file paperwork from 2004-2006, despite the fact that he was making over $3 million a yearfrom royalties, acting, and live tours. “Each of us must pay our fair share to keep this country going,” U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said in a statement. Ja was slapped with a $500,000 bail and was eventually sentenced to 28 months in prison. The sentence was laterextended by 20 months due to an outstanding warrant regarding possession of an illegal weapon.

During this prison term, Ja put outthe album Pain Is Love 2(2012), which debuted at number 34 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and sold 3,200 copies in its first week. Presumably, this aided in the fact that he still owed the government $1.1 million in back taxes. Hepublished a memoir, Unruly: The Highs and Lows of Becoming A Man, shortly after his release in 2013.

4. HeBecame the Spokesperson ofMagnises In 2015

While Ja and Billy McFarland willforeverbe linked to the Fyre Festival, its not the first time the two have partnered ona business venture. In 2015, the rapper actually becamethe spokesman and Creative Head of Magnises, a credit card company founded byMcFarland. Billed as “an exclusive Black Card with special perks & VIP access for millennials,” it marked a transition for Ja into the world of venture capitalism. In an interview with Nylon magazine, he elaborated on the decision, saying “I believe in circles of success. I believe people have their own circles of success and they’re own little cliques. What Billy has with Magnises is a circle of success.”

Ja went on to say that “once you make some money, then you want to know how to make your money work for you, rather than you working for it. That’s when you start figuring out that you need to own things.” Nylon reported that Magnises was just the first in a series of future projects between Ja and McFarland, which we now know to be in reference to theFyre Festival.

5.Fyre Festival Could Cost Him Millions

While the lawsuit brought against Ja is technically towards Fyre Media, the company responsible for the festival, its important to note that he is a co-founder, and as such, is susceptible to paying up in a big way.