Follow The Rules

Ja Rule (centre) with his crazy reality TV family. Season 1 Vuzu AMP (*103) 18:30 Reality

Ever wondered what happened to rapper Ja Rule? He is after another 15 minutes of fame with his reality show Follow The Rules (2015-current). And like other musos with their own shows, like Run DMC’s Rev Run (Run’s House, 2005-2009), it’s all about family. “I used to love being famous,” says the 40-yearold who was born Jeffrey Atkins. “It was fun, but not anymore. Now family is the most important thing to me.”

So why the turnaround in attitude? In 2011, Ja Rule was handed a two-year prison sentence for gun possession and tax evasion but now with the help of his wife Aisha (40), his mom Debra and mom-in-law Jean, he’s trying to get his family under control. “I have a whole house of actors. I thought, ‘What better way to showcase my family and have fun with it?’” So what can fans expect? Rule’s 21-year-old daughter Brittney is starting her second year at college and she’s rebelling to prove that she isn’t a child anymore. Luckily, there are two siblings who’re still kids and they can’t stay out of trouble: Rule’s son Jeffrey Jr (16) and youngest son Jordan (12).

And while the show is therapeutic and has helped the family bond, using a couple of modern parenting techniques (including learning the value of money by installing an in-house ATM), the show almost didn’t happen. “My wife and daughter weren’t keen on the idea of cameras in the house,” explains Ja Rule. “But there’s enough space for MTV in this crib [referencing the channel’s celebrity home-visiting show Cribs, 2000-2011].” Although Follow The Rules is family centred, there is swearing and Rule explains that he and Aisha talk to their kids how they’d talk to friends. “I wanted it to be part of the show as it’s how we talk. There’s no sugar-coating it – we talk to our kids rough.”