Ja Rule at the North Shore Events Centre

By REBECCA BARRY

As the smoke from the pyrotechnics wafted over the raised arms of 3000-odd R&B and hip-hop fans, Ja Rule, true to his name, was clearly king of the North Shore Events Centre.

"Have you ever lost someone you love?" he roused, listing members of the hip-hop and R&B community who have died in recent years, including Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., and Aaliyah.

Then he called for his fans to flick their lighters in tribute, revealing an overwhelming number of smokers in the crowd.

Despite all the emotive rhetoric about "ma niggaz in this together" he forgot to mention we wouldn't be feeling the love for long.

After just 40 minutes on stage, the concert was over. With tickets sold for more than $90 that works out about $7 each song.

Worse, the platinum-selling New York rapper famous for the Top 40 hits Livin It Up and I'm Real didn't say "thank you", "goodbye" or even "I love Auckland". He just mumbled something into his mic and took off into the wings.

At first the crowd seemed a little bemused by their idol's swift departure and hung over the front barrier awaiting his return. But, in typical New Zealand style, once the lights had came on and security had come out, everyone simply sauntered away, no encore necessary.

Perhaps the muscled musician had exhausted himself by lifting too many weights that day. Or maybe he was suffering from a physical condition of another kind. During his hit'n'run gig, Ja Rule knocked back the Hennessy like he was drinking his way into the Wu Tang Clan.

Probably more likely, the artist who can both rattle off in MC-mode and belt out a lyric in tune, strained his naturally gravelly voice, trying to fill in for his missing cohorts.

Ashanti, the R&B chanteuse who features on the hit Always On Time, was supposed to have joined Ja Rule on his trip Downunder but pulled out because of television commitments.

Then upcoming American vocalist Charli Baltimore, also scheduled for the gig, did a no-show. That left the job open to the 70 per cent female audience, who, impressively, knew all the words.

Not so impressive was the DJ, whose tendency to stop and start the beat became irritating after the third song. He was probably scrimping on power.

Despite the blink-and-you-miss-it performance, when it came to seducing his audience, Ja Rule proved himself a true lothario. As he pelvic-thrusted his way around the stage, bras were hurled at his feet.

It's a pity he didn't take the support more seriously.