How Ja Rule Blew His Chance to Star in the 'Fast and Furious' Franchise

The rapper appeared in the first film, but turned down the sequel – so, they called Ludacris

Published on April 3, 2015 05:00 PM

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Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Stephen Lovekin/Getty

Ja Rule could’ve had it all.

The rapper appeared in the first Fast and Furious film in a bit part that earned him a cool $15,000, 2 Fast 2 Furious director John Singleton told Grantland.

However, when approached to appear in a starring role in the sequel, Ja Rule turned it down.

“I just felt it wasn’t the best move for me as far as what I want to do in Hollywood right now,” he told MTV at the time, in September 2002. “I’m really trying to do this acting thing very seriously. And, you know, sometimes every move is not the right move.”

(It’s worth noting that the “Put It on Me” rapper starred in Scary Movie 3 in 2003.)

When Ja Rule turned down the $500,000 offer to star in 2 Fast, Singleton revealed to Grantland that they called up Ludacris instead.

Contrary to Ja, whom the Boyz n the Hood director said was “too big for himself,” Ludacris “was all humble, excited to meet me.”

Ludacris went on to star as Tej in 2 Fast as well as Fast & Furious, Fast & Furious 6 and Furious 7.

Furious 7 just hit theaters and was Universal Pictures International’s highest-grossing Thursday ever with a whopping $25.5 million earned at the box office, according to Deadline.

Ja Rule’s most recent studio album, Pain Is Love 2, was released in 2012 and peaked at 21 on the Billboard charts.