Rule 3:36

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|date=March 2020}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 56/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/rule-336/ja-rule|title=Rule 3:36 by Ja Rule|website=Metacritic|accessdate=February 14, 2025}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r502098}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2Score = B{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Tyrangiel|url=https://ew.com/article/2000/10/20/rule-336/|title=Rule 3:36 |website=Entertainment Weekly |date=October 20, 2000 |accessdate=February 17, 2025|url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614033714/https://ew.com/article/2000/10/20/rule-336/|archivedate=June 14, 2022}}

| rev3 = NME

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|last=Bardowell|first=Derek A.|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-nme-3360-336265|title=Rule 3:36|website=NME |date=12 September 2005 |access-date=December 27, 2022}}

| rev4 = Robert Christgau

| rev4Score = {{Rating-Christgau|hm1}}{{cite web|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=ja+rule |title=CG: ja rule |publisher=Robert Christgau |date= |accessdate=2013-06-29}}

| rev5 = Rolling Stone

| rev5Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine|first=Kathryn|last=Farr|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jarule/albums/album/281216/review/6210823/rule_336 |title=Ja Rule: Rule 3:36: Music Reviews: Rolling Stone |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=November 14, 2000 |accessdate=June 29, 2013|url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181650/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jarule/albums/album/281216/review/6210823/rule_336 |archivedate=September 30, 2007 }}

| rev6 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jarule/albums/album/281216/review/6210823/rule_336 |title=Ja Rule: Rule 3:36: Music Reviews: Rolling Stone |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=November 14, 2000 |accessdate=June 29, 2013 |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181650/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jarule/albums/album/281216/review/6210823/rule_336 |archivedate=September 30, 2007 }}

| rev7 = Vibe

| rev7Score = {{Rating|3|5}}

| rev8 = USA Today

| rev8Score = {{Rating|3|4}}

|}}

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 five reviews. 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 {{sic|comprised |hide=y|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." 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."

Entertainment Weekly{{'}}s Josh Tyrangiel called the album a "solid follow-up" as well as a "moderately ambitious, moderately successful sophomore album." He noted that Rule 3:36 was a "soft-focus close-up of Ja Rule’s sensitive side." 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."{{cite web|first=Bob |last=Gulla|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001109165900/http://wallofsound.go.com/reviews/stories/jarule_rule336Index.html |title=CD Reviews: Ja Rule: Rule 3:36|website=Wall of Sound|accessdate=February 14, 2025}} 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."

Rule 3:36 debuted at number one on both the US Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 276,000 during its first week.{{cite web|last=Wright |first=Anders |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=114304&page=1 |title=Chart Watch: Ja Rule Rules|website=ABCnews.com.co |date=October 21, 2000|accessdate=February 14, 2025}} By November 2009, the album had sold 3,965,000 copies domestically.{{cite journal|last=Erwin|first=Jack|title=XXL Presents Def Jam's Entire Rap Discography|journal=XXL|date=November 17, 2009|issue=119|pages=70–72|publisher=Harris Publications}} It was certified three-time platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album also reached Gold status in the United Kingdom and Platinum in Canada.

{{Track listing

| headline = Rule 3:36 track listing{{cite AV media notes|title= Rule 3:36 |year= 2000 |type= booklet |publisher= Murder Inc., Def Jam}}

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 57:48

| title1 = Intro

| note1 =

| writer1 =

| extra1 = {{hlist|Lil' Rob|Irv Gotti}}

| length1 = 1:14

| title2 = Watching Me

| note2 =

| writer2 = {{hlist|Jeffrey Atkins|Robert Mays|Irving Lorenzo}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Lil' Rob|Irv Gotti}}

| length2 = 1:55

| title3 = Between Me and You

| note3 = featuring Christina Milian

| writer3 = {{hlist|Atkins|Mays|Lorenzo}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Lil' Rob|Irv Gotti}}

| length3 = 4:10

| title4 = Put It on Me

| note4 = featuring Vita

| writer4 = {{hlist|Atkins|Paul Walcott|Lorenzo|Taheem Crocker}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Tru Stylze|Irv Gotti}}

| length4 = 4:23

| title5 = 6 Feet Underground

| note5 =

| writer5 = {{hlist|Atkins|Edward Hinson|Lorenzo}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Self|Irv Gotti}}

| length5 = 5:05

| title6 = Love Me, Hate Me

| note6 =

| writer6 = {{hlist|Atkins|Mays|Lorenzo}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Lil' Rob|Irv Gotti|Ja Rule{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length6 = 4:44

| title7 = Die

| note7 = featuring Tah Murdah, Black Child and Dave Bing

| writer7 = {{hlist|Atkins|Tyrone Fyffe|Lorenzo|Ramel Gill|Crocker}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|Ty Fyffe|Irv Gotti}}

| length7 = 4:37

| title8 = Fuck You

| note8 = featuring 01 and Vita

| writer8 = {{hlist|Atkins|Lorenzo|Richard Wilson}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Dat Nigga Reb|Irv Gotti}}

| length8 = 4:13

| title9 = I'll Fuck U Girl

| note9 = Skit

| writer9 =

| extra9 = Irv Gotti

| length9 = 1:34

| title10 = Grey Box

| note10 = Skit

| writer10 =

| extra10 = Irv Gotti

| length10 = 0:16

| title11 = Extasy

| note11 = featuring Tah Murdah, Black Child and Jayo Felony

| writer11 = {{hlist|Atkins|Mays|Lorenzo|Crocker|Gill|James Savage}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Lil' Rob|Irv Gotti}}

| length11 = 5:06

| title12 = It's Your Life

| note12 = featuring Shade Sheist

| writer12 = {{hlist|Atkins|Lorenzo|Damion Young}}

| extra12 = Damizza

| length12 = 4:30

| title13 = I Cry

| note13 = featuring Lil' Mo

| writer13 = {{hlist|Atkins|Mays|Lorenzo|Cynthia Loving|Kenny Gamble|Leon Huff}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|Lil' Rob|Irv Gotti}}

| length13 = 5:18

| title14 = One of Us

| note14 =

| writer14 = {{hlist|Atkins|Fyffe|Gill|Crocker}}

| extra14 = {{hlist|Lil' Rob|Irv Gotti}}

| length14 = 6:00

| title15 = Chris Black

| note15 = Skit

| writer15 =

| extra15 = Irv Gotti

| length15 = 3:02

| title16 = The Rule Won't Die

| note16 =

| writer16 = {{hlist|Atkins|Mays|Lorenzo}}

| extra16 = {{hlist|Lil' Rob|Irv Gotti}}

| length16 = 2:17

}}

Notes

• {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies co-producer(s)

Sample credits

• "I Cry" contains a sample from "Cry Together", written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, and performed by The O'Jays.

• Milwaukee Buck – engineer (14)
• Tom Coyne – mastering
• Supa Engineer DURO – mixing (2-8, 11, 13, 14, 16)
• Jonas Garbonick – engineer (4, 7, 8, 11, 13, 16)
• Irv Gotti – executive producer, mixing (2-8, 11-14, 16)
• Mike Schlesinger – mixing (12)
• Vachik the Terrorist – engineer (12)
• Pat Viala – engineer (2, 3, 5, 6)

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Rule 3:36}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|award=Platinum|artist=Ja Rule|title=Rule 3:36|certyear=2001|relyear=2000|relmonth=10|certmonth=04|access-date=May 7, 2015|refname="BPI"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|award=Gold|artist=Ja Rule|title=Rule 3:36|certyear=2023|certmonth=12|relyear=2000|id=9038-777-2|access-date=December 8, 2023|refname="CRIA"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|award=Platinum|number=3|artist=Ja Rule|title=Rule 3:36|certyear=2001|relyear=2000|access-date=May 7, 2015|refname="RIAA"}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2000
• List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 2000

{{Reflist}}

{{Ja Rule}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2000 albums

Category:Ja Rule albums

Category:Def Jam Recordings albums

Category:Albums produced by Irv Gotti

Category:Albums produced by Scott Storch

Category:Albums produced by Ty Fyffe

Category:Albums produced by Damizza