Ja Rule

The Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo is proud to welcome multi-platinum artist Ja Rule as part of the Kendall Toyota of Bend Free Summer Concert Series. Taking the stage on Friday, July 31, 2026, Ja Rule will bring a high-energy night of iconic hits, summer vibes, and unforgettable entertainment to Central Oregon.

Known for dominating the early 2000s with chart-topping collaborations and crossover hits, Ja Rule helped define an era of hip-hop and R&B. Fans can expect a crowd-energizing performance featuring songs like “Always On Time,” “Mesmerize,” “Put It On Me,” and more, delivering a mix of nostalgia and party-ready energy to the fair stage.

Jeffrey Atkins, better known by his stage name Ja Rule, was born in Hollis, Queens, NY. He debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its lead single "Holla Holla". During the 2000s, Ja Rule was signed to Murder Inc., formerly known as The Inc., and led by Irv Gotti. From 1999 to 2005, Ja Rule had multiple hits that made the top 20 of the U.S. BillboardHot 100 chart, including "Between Me and You" (featuring Christina Milian), "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" and "Ain't It Funny" (both with Jennifer Lopez)—which both topped the Hot 100—the number 1 hit "Always on Time" (featuring Ashanti), "Mesmerize" (featuring Ashanti), and "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti).

Rule has been nominated for two American Music Awards and four Grammy Awards with respective collaborators Lil' Mo, Vita, Ashanti, and Case. Following the release of his platinum-selling debut Venni Vetti Vecci (1999), he released his second and third albums, Rule 3:36 (2000) and Pain Is Love (2001). Both albums topped the US Billboard 200 album chart, launching him into the mainstream, selling over a combined 15 million units to a wide audience, and attaining triple platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), becoming his best-selling albums to date. Rule followed up with his fourth, fifth, and sixth albums, The Last Temptation (2002), Blood in My Eye (2003), and R.U.L.E. (2004), with The Last Temptation attaining Platinum status and R.U.L.E. reaching Gold status. As of 2018, Rule has sold 14.4 million units in the USA and has sold over 30 million records worldwide.