Unruly: The Highs and Lows of Becoming a Man

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Ja Rule, actor, singer, songwriter, and one of the most multi-dimensional rap artists of his time, tells his compelling storyfrom his youth to his rise to international fame to his transformative two years in Federal prisonand reveals the man beneath the legend.

Unruly is two stories that offer one complete picture of a man and his world: the angry, fatherless rapper, Ja Rule who was raised by the streets; and Jeffrey Atkins, the insightful, reflective father and loyal husband who learned the hard way how to be a good man.

Filled with never-before-revealed anecdotes and sixteen pages of black-and-white photos, Unruly shows the determination that it takes to become a man in todays society. Ja Rule considers the lack of role models for many young black men todaya void that leads to bad choices and the wrong paths. Recalling his youth, he illuminates the seductive pull of the streets and the drug dealers who were his earliest role models.

Jeffrey Atkins offers practical wisdomreflection, growth and hope learned first-hand as an inmate, father, husband, and community role model. He speaks fondly of men who inspired Unrulythe inmates he met in prison whose misguided ideas of masculinity landed them behind barsand Louis Farrakhan who mediated the televised encounter with Ja Rules adversary, 50 Cent.

Unruly is a compelling, personal look at the duality and conflicts that arise in the African-American male psyche from a man who has enjoyed breathtaking fame and suffered heartbreaking misfortune.

Reviews

"I've known Ja for years, and yet reading this book made me feel like I was meeting a new man. His struggles have been many, but he's come out stronger for them. Unruly is a remarkable look at someone I consider a dear friend." -- Queen Latifah "It takes a big man to share his entire life, inside and out, and especially the things he's not proud of. I've known Ja forever and I've always seen his greatness, but Unruly is truly special." -- Irv Gotti "I am so impressed that Ja is willing to share [his] pain with the world in the hope of preventing others from making the same mistakes. This is a book of raw wisdom and hope." -- Russell Simmons "Ja Rule's candid, unvarnished view of guns, drugs, depression, fame, lust, love, and family makes this a remarkable memoir and a worthy read." -- Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Ja Rule is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor from Queens. He has released seven albums and has sold more than 30 million records worldwide. He is a Grammy and American Music Award nominee, and has won several MTV Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and GQ's Man of the Year Award.