Ja Rule, “Wonderful” | Rap BNGRZ 🔥

In the 1^st edition of Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (2023), we break down the banger status of “Wonderful” performed by Ja Rule featuring R. Kelly & Ashanti.

Bring on the braggadocio, drip, sex, and kickassery, WOO! You’ve entered Rap BNGRZ 🔥 territory! On Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (bangers being the proper spelling), the premise is simple. Rap BNGRZ provides background info and commentary on cocky, confident, ferocious hip-hop/rap songs. The bangers can be brand-spanking-new or certified classics. In the 1^st edition of Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (2023), we break down the banger status of 🎵 “Wonderful” performed by 🎙 Ja Rule featuring 🎙 R. Kelly and 🎙 Ashanti.

“If it wasn’t for the money, cars, and movie stars, and jewels / And all these things I’ve got / I wonder, hey / Would you still want me?” That is what disgraced, 🏆 Grammy-winning, R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 R. Kelly sings in the chorus of the 2004 hit, 🎵 “Wonderful”. “Wonderful” is not attributed to Kelly as the lead artist – that honor goes to gruff-voiced, gritty rapper 🎙 Ja Rule (💿 R.U.L.E.).  Also, appearing on this rap banger with Rule is 🏆 Grammy winner 🎙 Ashanti, who contributes to the chorus with Kells, providing the response to his questions:

“Would you still want me? (Want you)

Would you still be calling me? (Still calling you)

You be loving me? (I’ll be loving you).”

Even though “Wonderful” is a hip-hop song, with two R&B singers on the track, it is incredibly smooth.  Of course, Ja Rule is the farthest thing from a smooth rapper, so, he brings punch on verses one and three. Even though Rule is hardnosed, he admits, “The power of P-U-S-S-Y / Got a lotta niggas wonderin’, it ain’t just I,” later adding in the first verse, “If it wasn’t for the money and the things I got / Shit, she probably wouldn’t like me.” Woo! He does make a legitimate point in the third verse: “I wonder why love is about money.” Also, can’t fail to mention R. Kelly once again, who performs the second verse on this top-5 Billboard Hot 100 gem.  You can check out the filthiness for yourself.  Revisiting “Wonderful,” it remains a bop, though it can’t be denied that that it hits different listening to songs featuring or written by R. Kelly.

🎙 Ja Rule • 💿 R.U.L.E. • 🏷 The Island Def Jam Music Group • 📅 2004

Ja Rule, “Wonderful”: Rap BNGRZ 🔥 No. 1 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; The Island Def Jam Music Group; cottonbro studio via Pexels]