Ja Rule’s Comeback Single Is Called ‘Fyre’, And Yep, It’s An Absolute Disaster
If you find yourself scream-rapping, "false advertising isn't fraud", it might be time to give up the game.
“For your real entertainment, I’m about to tell you how that shit went down from the horses’ mouth.” And so begins Ja Rule’s post-Fyre Festival comeback single, ‘Fyre’, which, just like the festival, is doomed.
Ja Rule uploaded the track to IGTV today, with the album artwork being a crayon version of the festival’s infamous cheese sandwich meal. While the rapper claims the song’s title is an acronym (“For Your Real Entertainment”), ‘Fyre’ directly addresses the festival.
Fyre Festival, in case you need a refresher, was a 2017 event co-created by Ja Rule and entrepreneur Billy MacFarland. It was heavily promoted by Instagram influencers and models, advertised to look like a private island party where you could get up-and-close with the rich and famous. Or, as Ja Rule puts it in the song, “who up for sexin’ on the beach with the Kardashians, Jenners and Hadids“.
In reality, it was an utter disaster, with bands cancelling last-minute and a complete lack of proper food or water or amenities, as documented both live on social media and in two documentaries by Netflix and Hulu.
The scenes were akin to a frat boy remake of Lord Of The Flies, with the earliest attendees being fed alcohol for as long as possible to postpone the inevitable clusterfuck, which saw patrons scramble to find bed, shelter and food for the night.
Back to the song: there are almost too many stand-out lines in the track. As NME point out, it’s built around an instrumental of Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick’s ‘The Show’ — a classic ’80s track which in turn interpolates the Inspector Gadget theme.
Probably the most egregious is the chorus: “The fest, the festival is on fire/ We don’t need no water, make that motherfucker hotter“.
Then again, maybe the worst lines are when Ja Rule says he’s aware the listener “lacks empathy for the one that is me” for him, but stresses that he “too was hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood winked, lead astray!!!”. He’s quoting from his own tweet around the time of the dual Fyre Festival documentaries rekindled interest in the saga earlier this year.
Or, actually, is it the worst bit immediately after, where Ja Rule tries to paint himself as an innocent man just trying to create a “nest egg”, before yelling “false advertising isn’t fraud!”?
For the record, the rapper was cleared of any wrongdoing this July in the festival’s promotion, while Fyre Festival co-creator Billy MacFarland is currently serving a six-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud, and paid US $26 million.
Actually, no, the worst line is definitely where he talks about Andy King being addicted to sucking dick. Listen to the full thing below, and scream in horror at ‘Fyre”s final line: “The irony of it all is the next time I do it/it’s going to be iconic“.
He promises a full album out February 29, his birthday.