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]
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.[2]AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier noted thath Rule 3:36 "includes a few radio-friendly rap-R&B hybrids, which are then filled out with the same style of Ruff Ryder-style hardcore rap that characterized his debut album, Venni Vetti Vecci (1999) [...] The result is an uneven album comprised of crossover-R&B singles and hardcore rap filler; even though the commercial prospects are improved, Rule 3:36 isn't any more satisfying than Venni Vetti Vecci had been."[1] Derek A. Bardowell from NME found that "there's not an outstanding tune on the album to the degree of "Holla Holla," but Rule 3:36 has already proven to be successful, having topped the Billboard chart on the week of its release. And if you like Ja Rule, you’ll unquestionably love the album. Unfortunately, there's just no range and way too much negativity."[3]
Wall of Sound editor Bob Gulla wrote that "there are some quasi-credible moments across the record — some aggressive, highly orchestrated, East Coast-style gangsta vignettes like "6 Feet Underground" and "One of Us" — but they don't resonate with the kind of urban drama necessary to put this one over the top."[7]Rolling Stone's Kathryn Farr felt that "Ja Rule plays it painfully safe on his second album, doling out pop hooks over gimmicky production. His gruff voice hasn't changed, but aside from the nimble singsong flow he flexes on the fluffy radio hit "Between Me and You," Rule doesn't push himself much; he simply musters the requisite rawness ("Die") or throaty sentimentality ("I Cry"), and moves on [...] "Do you love me/ Do you hate me," Rule says on one song, but, too often, Rule 3:36 falls somewhere in between."[5]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
