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Rap fans can celebrate with a visit by the classic rap duo of Ja Rule and Ashanti, who will perform at Aloha Tower Marketplace in October. Tickets for the concert go on sale Saturday.
Ja Rule, also known as Jeffrey Bruce Atkins, had several hits land on the Billboard Top 100 charts from 1999 to 2005, including “Between Me and You” (featuring Christina Milian), “I’m Real (Murder Remix)” and “Ain’t It Funny” (both with Jennifer Lopez, who now goes by the name of Jennifer Lynn Affleck after marrying actor Ben Affleck).
He received four Grammy nominations from 2002-2003. Ja Rule’s career has also been marked by controversy, as he feuded with fellow rapper 50 Cent and went to prison in 2011 for tax evasion and weapons violations. He spent his time in prison completing his high school degree, and last year, he completed an online certification program from Harvard Business School and said he wanted to get into the tech industry.
His collaborations with Ashanti were among his most successful achievements: “Always on Time” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Mesmerize” reached No. 2, and “Wonderful,” which also featured R. Kelly, reached No. 7.
For her part, Ashanti, also known as Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas, has had notable achievements on her own, including a Grammy for her eponymous debut album in 2003, which featured the No. 1 hit “Foolish.” Her early success also created controversy when it was announced that she would receive the Soul Train Aretha Franklin Award for “Entertainer of the Year” and an online petition against her drew 30,000 signatures from people who thought she was too new to receive an award named for an established star. She received the award to thunderous applause and has gone on to sell more than 15 million records.
Both performers have gone into acting, with Ja Rule co-starring in the film “Half Past Dead,” with Steven Seagal, and Ashanti appearing in several films and TV shows, including the update of the 1980s prime-time soap opera “Dynasty.”
While Ashanti suggested in 2018 that they would be collaborating again, the project has yet to come to fruition. The two have remained close and are touring together this summer.
Tickets to the Oct. 22 Aloha Tower Marketplace event costs between $55 and $125 and will go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday at tmrevents.net.
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