R.U.L.E. vacillates between the chest-thumping found throughout "Last of the Mohicans" and the sort of self-pity that reaches its apex on the concluding "Passion." (The latter tune begins with the puke-inducing line "Nobody loves me" and goes downhill from there.) "What's My Name," meanwhile, is a typical display of originality; it references Juvenile's "Back That Ass Up" and OutKast's "Hey Ya" in the first verse alone.
The Ruler would be better off sticking with his forte: setting his gruff vocalese against the sweeter tones of R&B chanteuses, as he does on "Wonderful," a current hit co-starring frequent partner Ashanti. Also on hand is R. Kelly, the only other performer on the current scene with a persecution complex as well-developed as Ja Rule's. Obviously, martyrs love company.