Cactus Creative Studio and SLX Productions Deliver Visual Impact with Elation for Ja Rule

	"If Ja Rule is on top of the deck, they shoot out under him and if he's downstage it shoots through and behind him," says Lowrey. Photo: @holla_dc

Hip-hop rapper Ja Rule is touring across North America with a visual show that uses Elation's PROTEUS RAYZOR BLADE as a multi-dimensional lighting effect. In the hands of Shepherd Lowrey of Cactus Creative Studio, the linear LED fixture supports an entertaining show that combines raw energy and futuristic flair.

SLX Productions provides lighting, scenic fabrication, and design engineering for the tour, with Lowrey serving as production designer, creative producer and lighting designer. Lowrey also created much of the show's content. He and SLX principal Ariel Afar have collaborated on past high-profile projects, including a Jon Batiste performance at Coachella 2024 in which Afar introduced Lowrey to the PROTEUS RAYZOR BLADE. Since then, the fixture has been a staple of his designs.

"The RAYZOR BLADE is a go-to light for me and is often an obvious choice for my designs," says Lowrey. "It's versatile, powerful, and I love the two lines of blazing light. Whether I need massive white stabs or delicate looks for a tribute moment, it delivers."

The tour marks Afar and Lowrey's first collaboration with Ja Rule -- and the experience has been extremely gratifying for both. "Ja has been incredible -- not just as an artist, but as a collaborator," Lowrey comments. "He is inspiring to be around, is very welcoming and caring and wanted to get to know us from day one." Afar adds, "We've always felt like we had him in our corner instead of some invisible, untouchable artist. He's really a fresh take on the industry."

They both say that Ja Rule has been hands-on throughout the process and he truly cares about the visual experience. "If he needed to be involved, he always stepped up," Lowrey shares. "He wants certain colors, certain emotions and energies, and is super constructive with the show flow. Alongside creative director Laurianne Gibson, they are across every single element of the show."

Ja Rule initially proposed a "spaceship" concept for the stage. Under the guidance of creative director Gibson, that vision evolved into a deconstructed, futuristic spacecraft featuring graded textures, immersive video content, and layered lighting, a look that had real wow factor.

Afar was quick to support the evolving design needs. "Ari is always ready to make it happen," Lowrey notes. "I'll throw something his way, and he'll figure out how to build it or make it lighter and smarter." A full-service production company and rental house with offices in Los Angeles, SLX combines state-of-the-art equipment with a knack for design to tailor unique staging solutions.

The PROTEUS RAYZOR BLADE S plays a key role in providing the futuristic look with lines of fixtures located under two rows of grated decks as a blow-through effect -- raw, tough intentions with lights underneath.

Lowrey explains, "If Ja Rule is on top of the deck, they shoot out under him and if he's downstage it shoots through and behind him. Sometimes we use them to shoot towards the audience while he's on the deck. It's such a versatile fixture because you can basically do three different things with them."

The RAYZOR BLADE's flexibility is on full display. Given the hard-hitting nature of much of Ja Rule's music, Lowrey often uses the fixtures as intense white light "face-melters." However, he also employs them for rich color washes that complement the overall palette and mid-air lighting. Dynamic pixel-mapped chases run across the fixtures, and they're also used for the peaks and dips of dimmer saw effects.

The fixtures also have Elation's proprietary background SparkLED twinkle effect, which adds a classy touch when the mood shifts into something more subdued. "It's a great effect to use when you need a little reprieve that feels elegant and elevated" Lowrey states. "The Blades really ground everything together. That's why we have them, because we can do so many things with one fixture."

Afar adds that since Q2 of 2024, the PROTEUS RAYZOR BLADE S has become a trusted staple in the SLX inventory. "Its robust IP rating allows it to perform flawlessly beneath the stage-right alongside special effects -- unfazed by heat, moisture, or the unpredictable nature of live production."

The Elation lighting package also includes full-color SOL I BLINDER effects that illuminate low-lying fog, and high-velocity JAVELIN CO2 simulation effects featuring built-in RGBA LEDs that erupt in vibrant "geysers" of color. CAPTURE previsualization software was used for the design process.

Ja Rule delivers a high-energy set packed with hits and striking visuals. Shepherd describes an impactful look in the song "F*** You," a red-saturated look except for white stabs of light from the RAYZOR BLADEs. "We use the fixture's dynamic tilt and run pixel chases through them. It's super high energy and the 'everything on' moment of the show."

Aggressive for the first eight or nine songs, the show gives way to a poignant section that pays tribute to hip-hop icons and others who have supported the artist, including Ja Rule's longtime producer, Irv Gotti, who passed away earlier this year. Lighting and content work together to amplify the emotional feel of the moment.

Ja Rule is playing select support dates on Nelly's Where The Party At Tour as well as independent dates through September. The tour launched on April 11 in Halifax, Canada.