Lately, I've been enjoying Ja Rule's discography. There's something about his earnest elocution that charms me. The song most frequently appearing in rotation is Ja's Between Me And You, a duet with Christina Milian, breathily singing her little heart out.

I can remember the precise moment I fell in love with hip-hop. It was 2003, and I was 14. I was mesmerized when the first notes of Nas’ “Ether” rattled the radio’s speakers. His raspy voice and aggressive cadence captivated me as he hurled insults for more than four minutes at fellow rapper Jay-Z. By the time the last notes faded off the radio, I had been transformed into a hip-hop disciple. I saved my…