Ja Rule Returns To His Roots ..
Ja Rule is raising funds for New York's most troubled teens with personally signed limited-edition Yankees Jackets.
Distribution Source : PRWeb
Date : Friday, July 08, 2005
(PRWEB) July 8, 2005 -- Now touring with his hit single "New York," rap star Ja Rule is raising funds for the city"s most troubled teens with autographed Yankee jackets featured in his music video. The signed jackets, offered exclusively through Sports Gear, are being auctioned at
http://www.sportsgear-dugout.com/jarule through August with 10% of the profits benefiting Ja Rule"s L.I.F.E. Camp foundation.
"I am flattered," said W. Jon Huntley, President and CEO of Sports Gear, "It"s unusual to get to work with somebody who"s so passionate about what he"s doing and yet has had to work so hard to get there." With over 15 million albums sold worldwide and five top ten chart appearances, Ja Rule has found a way to keep a positive attitude despite a lukewarm reception to his last album and brutal criticism from rival rappers 50 cent and Eminem.
While shooting the video for "New York," Rule felt the love from fans that spilled into the streets of Queens, Harlem and the Bronx, swarming with renewed support. Rule, who grew up in Hollis in Southeast Queens, said he expects kids to get crazy when any artist visits their hood. But the outpouring of appreciation was so strong that Fat Joe, who collaborated with Rule and Jadakiss on the song, had to ask the crowds to calm down for the cops so they could finish the take.
While rap stars are often criticized for not returning to their community after they become successful, Rule is embracing his roots not only in lyrics but through his ongoing work with L.I.F.E. Camp, which benefits struggling teens that grew up on the same streets he did. L.I.F.E., which stands for "Love Ignites Freedom and Education," works with students with the poorest academic, attendance and behavior records to provide counseling, arts, literature, and extracurricular programs. Those who show the most improvement in school are rewarded with incentives like a chance to hang out with Rule, who has personally taken kids to basketball games and The Source Hip-Hop Awards in Miami.
According to Huntley, people admire those willing to risk it all to win — heroes who believe in themselves and are able to achieve greatness despite tremendous pressures.
"I guess that"s why people look at artists or professional athletes in that way. A lot of them struggled against odds and inner city issues whether it be from gangs to drugs to just being at the poverty level," Huntley said. "I think that"s what inspires people." When we wear a jacket, it"s more than something nice, more than something to keep warm or a fashion statement. People – the everyday unsung heroes – want to wear something that makes us feel our lives are greater than the individual parts.
"We look for stories, figures, athletes, stars and musicians that embody what"s going on," Huntley said.
The jacket worn by Ja Rule in the "New York" video was specially designed for the Yankees with pinstripe sleeves. Rule will personally sign and auction five of the Yankees pinstripe style along with five Yankees wool-leather collage jackets with chenille commemorative patches, which Rule and his crew loved so much they kept several for themselves. Even his bodyguard slid into a 6XL. The jackets" quality and consistent craftsmanship inspired Rule to create his own line of jackets, which Sports Gear is planning to design and launch nationwide in 2006.
Sports Gear specializes in the highest-quality, officially licensed limited-edition jackets and sportswear available at
http://www.sportsgear-racing.com for Nascar fans,
http://www.sportsgear-dugout.com for major league baseball apparel and
http://www.sportsgear-hockey.com for NHL merchandise. Yankees jackets signed by Ja Rule are being auctioned at
http://www.sportsgear-dugout.com/jarule.
