Ja Rule may have already given New York one of its most iconic anthems, but he's back with another — although Knicks fans aren't convinced he needed to put out another one.
On Tuesday (June 16), the Queens rapper celebrated the New York Knicks' first NBA championship in 53 years by releasing a new song that pays tribute to the city and its historic title run.
Complete with his trademark gravelly tone, the song opens with Ja painting a picture of New York City: "34th Street, off the West Side, I see a big sign that says New Yorker / What New York got to offer? / Big cars, big money, I'm all for it / One big city boy, you know, they come short / Small states, tall order / Uptown will never be the same today as a Rich Porter."
But while Ja was clearly feeling the championship spirit, many fans online weren't exactly eager to add the track to their parade playlists. As it quickly spread across social media, reactions were mixed at best, with a lot of fans questioning why the Murder Inc. hitmaker felt the need to make a new New York anthem.
"Ja, New York is literally the best anthem in Ny history already you don't gotta do nothing else," one person shared on X, while another wrote: "This n*gga reaching now. Shit trash relax and enjoy the wave of I'm from New York."
A third person chimed in, writing: "Nah we just want the original. You should've just re released it with a few features."
Check out the responses below:
Released in 2004, "New York" featuring Fat Joe and Jadakiss remains one of NYC's defining rap records. The hard-hitting anthem has long been embraced by Knicks fans and is regularly blasted out the speakers at Madison Square Garden, especially during the playoffs.
Ja Rule has been a longtime Knicks supporter and has frequently shown love for the franchise. Like much of the city, he watched as New York stormed through the playoffs, posting a 16-3 record and capturing its first title since 1973.
The championship run instantly became one of the most memorable in franchise history. Jalen Brunson claimed Finals MVP honors after averaging dominant numbers throughout the post-season, while OG Anunoby's game-winning tip-in during a stunning 29-point comeback in Game 4 became an instant Knicks classic.
