JA RULE - JA RULE AGREES WITH SAM ABOUT MOVIE STAR RAPPERS

JA RULE has applauded SAMUEL L JACKSON for criticising rappers who try acting in movies as a second career - despite making the transition from hip-hop to films himself.

Ja Rule insists he's a rare exception because he has worked hard on every film, while many rappers refuse to put in the effort.

Rule - real name JEFFREY ATKINS - also thinks Jackson made the right decision not to work with 50 CENT on new JIM SHERIDAN film LOCKED + LOADED - because he doesn't think his rap rival has got what it takes to be a movie star.

Rule says, "He made the right choice. I call it the DMX effect. X was arguably one of hip-hop's biggest stars. I know X personally and his work ethic is crazy in the studio.

"X got into Hollywood and went on a rampage and so now every rapper that gets in after X maybe acts like DMX."

Rule insists he had a taste of exactly what it's like for stars to team up with rappers on movies when he landed a small part in THE FAST + THE FURIOUS.

He adds, "We are already stars. We already have money. I did Fast and Furious and nobody knew VIN DIESEL at the time. There'd be herds of kids on the set and they'd be mobbing me.

"I wasn't the star, so I could see how the tension could start to build."