Ja Rule Married His High School Sweetheart — Are They Still Together?
Updated June 14 2022, 7:54 p.m. ET
Everyone out there loves a good "high school sweetheart" love story. Two teens fall madly in love, they date through college, and maybe break up for a while. But they soon realize they're meant to be together, and eventually, they end up getting married. Too presh. And apparently rapper and entrepreneur Ja Rule has lived out this idyllic fantasy after he married his high school girlfriend back in 2001.
However, considering everything the "Ain't It Funny" rapper has been through, fans can't help but wonder if Ja Rule is still married.
Ja Rule has been through a lot in the past few years. He co-founded the notoriously fraudulent Fyre Festival alongside infamous scammer Billy McFarland. He was also engaged in a pretty intense feud with 50 Cent, although it's now more light-hearted, per Hip Hop Hero. Needless to say, Ja Rule's life definitely warranted its own episode of Origins of Hip-Hop, which airs on June 14, 2022, at 10 p.m. ET on A&E.
Is Ja Rule still married to his high school sweetheart?
One constant presence in Ja Rule's life has been his wife, Aisha. The couple are still married, having recently celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary in April 2022. It's definitely an "awww"-worthy achievement!
Ja Rule (born Jeffrey Atkins) met Aisha all the way back in high school, when Aisha (née Murray) was only 14 years old, according to Live Ramp Up. She married Ja Rule only a few years after graduating, throwing a fabulous 1940s gangster-themed wedding. Complete with champagne, cigars, and assumably fantastic music, the wedding was bound to be a good time.
Who is Ja Rule's wife, Aisha Atkins?
Now at 44 years old, Aisha is a seasoned socialite and reality TV star, according to The Famous People. She has appeared as herself on several major talk shows such as The Wendy Williams Show, Access Hollywood Live, and — of course — The Real.
You may have also caught a glimpse of Aisha on MTV's Follow the Rules, which aired for several months back in 2015. Needless to say, she's had her fair share of time in the spotlight.
Ja Rule, Aisha Atkins, and their oldest daughter, Brittney
Together, Aisha and Ja Rule have three children.
Their eldest daughter, Brittney, was born in 1995. The couple welcomes Jeffrey Jr. in 2000, and finally gave birth to baby of the family, Jordan, in 2005. They reportedly follow a "new parenting" style in their New Jersey home, meaning they don't have many rules and just stay honest with each other. Bottom line: Ja isn't like other dads. He's a cool dad.
In 2013, there were rumors that Ja Rule had met a new partner in prison.
In 2011, Ja Rule was sent to prison for two years after being convicted of gun possession and tax evasion. According to Metro, Aisha later appeared on the MTV show Married Life After Prison, on which she inferred that Ja had been sexually involved with his prison cellmate. Of course, it didn't take long for the internet to start swirling rumors that Ja was gay.
But the musician promptly denied the gossip, saying that while he hadn't always been the greatest husband, he and his wife's bond was "stronger than any rumors of infidelity."
Aisha stood by her man and still does to this day, keeping her Instagram handle to the adorable @mizzrule. (Seriously, aww.) In one of her recent posts, Aisha shared a series of photos of the couple and gushed about their 21-year marriage.
"Happy 21st anniversary to my love @jarule," she wrote. "You and our family mean everything to me and I would not change one thing! I still get butterflies when we look at each other as if we are still teenagers."
Despite everything Ja Rule has gone through over the last few years, it seems like his bond with Aisha is tighter than ever. Here's to another 21 years for these two — they definitely deserve to be "Livin' It Up" with a lifetime of happiness.
You can catch the Ja Rule's episode of Origins of Hip-Hop on June 14 at 10 p.m. ET on A&E.