Ja Rule ger tillbaka till sitt hood

Ja Rule ger tillbaka till sitt hood

It was Christmas all over again for some elated kids in Jamaica, Queens, yesterday when superstar rapper Ja Rule came home to his old neighborhood and doled out armloads of toys and games.

"I'm trying to spread some holiday cheer, baby," said Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins. "I came to play Santa today. This is my 'hood. This is where I'm from."

The recipients of his largesse were students at the Amistad Early Childhood Education Center on 164th Place in Jamaica. Their eyes and smiles widened when the Grammy Award winner swept in laden with gifts.

"It was wonderful," said second-grader Clyde Quallis, 7, as he clutched a Hulk board game. "I'm so glad Ja Rule came to Amistad. I thank him very much for the present."

Famed for such rap hits as "Put It On Me" and "Livin' It Up," Ja Rule made the donation on behalf of LIFE Camp Inc., an organization he co-founded to improve the academic and social behavior of at-risk youth.

Wearing a pair of dark shades and a black knit hat tilted to one side of his head, the rapper made a seamless transition into the role of belated Santa Claus.

"Hey, kids, ho, ho, ho!" he said as he strode into the daycare center.

After the kids rummaged excitedly through the massive pile of toys on the floor of an activity room, grabbing what they wanted, Ja Rule posed for pictures with his newest fans and signed autographs on poems students had written in preparation for his visit.

Briana Ellis, 6, came away with a Little Mermaid purse and toy cell phone. Her mother, Paula Ellis, 34, was surprised and pleased by the rapper's visit and generosity.

"I think it's very nice that he came to the community and that he didn't forget where he came from. I like that," said Ellis, a city education worker.

"It's wonderful that he, a celebrity, can inspire them to do good work," said Janilee Yanny, program director for Amistad.

Ja Rule was joined by Queens native Cheryl (Salt) James of the female rap group Salt 'n Pepa. James said she attended to lend moral support to Ja Rule and is working with entertainers like him to showcase the positive side of rap and hip hop.

"He does a lot of positive things, and people don't know that," James said of Ja Rule.