Jeffrey Atkins ( Ja Rule )and Marshall Mathers, a rivalry that surprisingly started off years before 50 Cent even joined Shady Records as you'll realize after reading this article, had little to do with Eminem at all. The beef was originally only ever between Curtis Jackson ( 50 Cent ) and Ja Rule. Back in Queens, New York, Ja Rule and his crew were gaining a reputation and became locally known. Ja recalls 'I think 50 didn't like the fact that I was getting so much love '. During a video shoot he was recording on Jamaica Avenue, 50 Cent approached him with a simple 'What's up?', to which Ja responded in the same simple manner.

Ja Rule believe that 50 Cent was perhaps expecting more ( to feature in the video perhaps? ) but it was soon after that things kicked off. The first verbal shot known was on a track titled 'Life's on the line' from Curtis in which he imitates Ja's yelling of 'Murda' and warningly states 'We ain't buddies, we ain't partners and we damn sure ain't friends'. One must wonder if the video shoot 'neglect' is the only incident that then has 50 coldly uttering 'The games you playin, you get killed like that / actin like you all hard, you ain't built like that'.

Around the same time in 2000 there were some important incidents which pretty much defined what was to occur later on. Ja Rule had his chain jewellery snatched by a 50 Cent associate, which apparently never made Ja hate 50, as in an interview he states why would he be mad at someone else? Also claiming the story was made up, but it was reported that Irv Gotti, the Murder Inc label owner was informed of the incident and used his reputation of violence to question the robber and have him return it.

Soon after, 50 Cent was in the Hit Factory, a recording studio in New York and Ja Rule was alerted about this by a mutual friend of both. He then head over to the studio, with the original intention of discussing the situation and calling an end. After 50 Cent punched Ja in the face, a fight broke out, the consequence being Curtis getting stabbed by the Inc crew and suffering a partially collapsed lung.

2 months later, as all know today, 50 Cent was shot 9 times outside his grandmas house. Upon hearing the news, Columbia who was his record label at the time, immediately dropped him, clearly not wanting to be associated with such drama. By this stage the former krack dealer had built a name for himself on the mixtapes and a certain blonde rapper was quick to snatch him up. Eminem and Dre signed 50 Cent on a 50/50 basis resulting in him being a joint project with Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment.

The tables had now turned, a situation where 50 Cent was in a better position had formed and with loyalty a high priority at the Shady camp it was only a matter of time before Eminem stepped in, leaving the door open for friends of the rapper: G-Unit, Busta Rhymes, Dr Dre, Obie Trice and others to enter. Eminem explains it best on the track 'Like Toy Soldiers' where he breaks it down: 'we just inherited 50's beef with Murder Inc / And he's inherited mine, which is fine, ain't like either of us mind'.

Theirs confusing over following events, as those who have read my Benzino and Eminem beef article will know that Ja Rule is a friend of Benzino so both beefs seem to blend with shots being fired in all directions and incidents relating to both. DJ Green Lantern, previously Eminem's DJ ( which coincidentally is no longer the case due to a beef related situation ) provided the platform for the Shady/Aftermath camp to launch their disses in the form of the Invasion mixtapes ( all of which are available in the downloads section ). One such track is 'Bump Heads' where Eminem recounts on his encounter with Ja Rule a while back where Jerrfery never spoke up of his dislike then and also makes him out to be a Pac-wannabe.

The majority of the tracks do not include Eminem, with only the occasional verse or chorus but a stand out track from the beef would be 'Hail Mary', using the Pac instrumental of the same title and following a similar rhyme pattern, Eminem and 50 Cent lay into Ja Rule with a surprise third verse from Busta Rhymes who speaks out after Ja Rule teased him on the freestyle track 'Loose change'.

It's the same freestyle from Rule which includes the now infamous offending line 'You claim your mothers a krack head, Kim's a known slut / So what's Hailie gonna be when she's grown up?'. A track Eminem obviously considered to be below the belt ( those who remember the Everlast beef know Marshall doesn't take kindly to having his daughter mentioned.

This resulted in numerous skits included within tracks such as Hailie asking her father 'Is Ja Rule taller then me?' only for Eminem to respond lovingly: 'No honey, you guys are the same size'. There were further altercations which took place throughout the beef but went relatively unheard such as the killings of group associates. With the tension raising to such a level, many feared the worst and it seemed for the short while at least .. those involved were ignoring what happened to the legends that are Pac and Biggie.

From meetings with hip hop leaders and the media beginning to show it's concern of what may occur in the near future .. we all began to realize that it had all got blown out of proportion. But the key factor here, separating it from most rap beefs, this began on the streets and was not simply a 'disagreement on wax'.

With the release of Encore and the smash hit 'Like Toy Soldiers, as well as interviews around the time with Eminem hanging up the beef, with his reasons being truthful enough .. he didn't want it to end with any of his people dying. He also used the metaphor of pawns in chess, showing how it's the rappers who worry and are put in danger as opposed to record label executives who sleep peacefully knowing the hype will lead to increased record sales and thus more money.

The outcome for Ja Rule hasn't been as beneficial, with his career close to ending for a while and a huge switch in popularity from the former chart topper Rule to the latest star 50 Cent who has gone straight on to battle with his next opponents. All in a days work for the crew then ...

The feud started at 2003 Grammy's, when Moby called Eminem ''a misogynist, a homophobe, a racist, and an anti-Semite.'' Eminem responded with a few lines in his recent hit ''Without Me,'' addressing him with the words ''you 36-year-old bald-headed fag, blow me.'' Moby says he didn't take that personally either, writing, ''I think that Eminem is talented and interesting, but I'm kind of stunned at the anger that he has for me seeing as I'd never met him up until [the VMAs].''

If Moby was worried for anyone's safety, it was that of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, who was talking to Moby just before Eminem went to the podium, brushing aside the hand puppet (and puppeteer Robert Smigel), who tried to address the rapper on his way to the stage. Writes Moby, ''I was more concerned for Triumph's well-being. If Eminem wants to pick on someone, fine, pick on me, but don't diss the dog-puppet. Triumph the dog-puppet is my hero. That's the sole reason that I went to the VMAs. 'Cos I love that little dog-puppet.''

Actually, Triumph was fine, too. In a statement on his website, the ''Late Night With Conan O'Brien'' regular says he was unharmed, and adds, ''I only wish Eminem could relax and enjoy all he has: his unique talent, and his smooth white hair, which brings to mind a beagle's nutsack. He should lighten up... I mean, my mom was a bitch too, but I don't go writing songs about it.''