8Ball & MJG

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8Ball & MJG is an American rap duo from Memphis, Tennessee. The two rappers Premro "8Ball" Smith (born 1972) and Marlon James "MJG" Goodman (born 1971) met at Ridgeway Middle School in 1980.

Career

8Ball & MJG first appeared on the rap scene with their 1992 underground album Listen To The Lyrics. In 1993, they released Comin' Out Hard on Suave House Records, the album was successful commercially as well as critically and established the group as a prominent act in the then emerging Southern Rap scene. Their subsequent albums in the 1990s including 1994's On the Outside Looking In and 1995's On Top of the World further established their status among the South's rappers. On Top of the World was particularly successful, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 200 and being certified Gold. It includes the song "Space Age Pimpin'", 8Ball & MJG's first single to chart, reaching #58 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart and #22 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.

Subsequently, 8Ball & MJG released solo albums: MJG's No More Glory in 1997 and 8Ball's Lost in 1998. They reunited in 1999 to release their fourth album as a group, In Our Lifetime, Vol. 1. One year later they released their fifth group album, Space Age 4 Eva.

In 1996, they appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD America is Dying Slowly alongside Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan, and Fat Joe, among many other prominent hip hop artists. The CD, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men, was heralded as "a masterpiece" by The Source magazine.

In the early 2000s, the duo signed with Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records. They already had some experience with the label, being featured on the song "The Player Way" from Bad Boy rapper Mase's 1997 album Harlem World. Their first album for Bad Boy, Living Legends, was released in 2004 and certified Gold. Their second Bad Boy album Ridin High was released in March 2007.

Commercially one of the high points of 8Ball & MJG's career was their being featured on Three 6 Mafia's hit song "Stay Fly" in 2005 which peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is Three 6 Mafia's biggest hit. The song was a collaboration between two of Tennessee's most successful rap groups.

8Ball and MJG also head their own record labels. 8Ball heads 8 Ways Entertainment (distributed by Koch Entertainment). MJG heads MJG Muzik which features another Memphis duo, Da Volunteers, known for their 2006 single, "What's Yo Favorite Color?", which glorifies their neighborhood of Orange Mound.

In September 2007, 8Ball & MJG signed deals in Sacramento, California with Real Talk Entertainment. On April 1, 2008, 8Ball released Doin' It Big with E.D.I. of the Outlawz. MJG released a solo album, Pimp Tight, on April 29, 2008.

In June 2008, the duo announced that they officially signed onto T.I.'s record label Grand Hustle. Their eighth album as a group and their first on Grand Hustle, Ten Toes Down, was released in May 2010.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

8Ball albums

• Lost
  • Released: May 19, 1998
  • Chart positions: 5 U.S.
  • RIAA Certification: 2x Platinum^[3]
  • Singles: "Pure Uncut"

• Almost Famous
  • Released: November 20, 2001
  • Chart positions: 47 U.S.
  • Singles: "Stop Playin' Games"

• Lay It Down
  • Released: August 13, 2002

• Light Up The Bomb
  • Released: October 10, 2006
  • Chart positions: –
  • U.S. sales: 164,000^[4]
  • RIAA certification: –
  • Singles: "Time2hitdaclub"

• The Vet & The Rookie (with Devius)
  • Released: October 9, 2007
  • Chart positions: –
  • U.S. sales: 144,200
  • RIAA certification: –
  • Singles: "Ery' Body Kno Me"

• Doin' It Big (with E.D.I. Of The Outlawz)
  • Released:April 1, 2008
  • Chart Position: -
  • U.S. Sales: 130,700^{[citation needed]}
  • RIAA certification

• 8Ball & Memphis All-Stars: Cars, Clubs & Strip Clubs^[5]
  • Release Date: February 24, 2009
  • Chart positions: N/A
  • U.S. sales: –
  • RIAA certification: –
  • Singles: "Gettin' It In", "Gangsta Luv"

MJG albums

• No More Glory
  • Released: November 18, 1997
  • Chart positions: 20 U.S.
  • U.S. sales: 490,000
  • RIAA certification: Gold^{[citation needed]}
  • Singles: "That Girl"

• Pimp Tight
  • Release Date: April 29, 2008
  • Chart positions: N/A
  • U.S. sales: 25,000
  • RIAA certification: –
  • Singles: "Small Town Girl"

• This Might Be The Day
  • Release Date: July 15, 2008
  • Chart positions: N/A
  • U.S. sales: 16,000
  • RIAA certification: –
  • Singles: "Shades", "Big Time (feat. Slim)"

• All I DO EP
  • Release Date: 2009
  • Chart positions: N/A

Compilations

• Suave House: The Album of the Year
  • Released: 29 July 1997
  • Singles: "Just Like Candy"

• Off da Chain, Vol. 1
  • Released: June 20, 2000

Mixtapes

• The Legends Series, Vol. 2 (Hosted By DJ Drama)
  • Released: 2005
• "8ightball- Premro"(2012) (hosted by Drumma Boy)

Guest appearances

listed alphabetically
112

• "Watcha Gonna Do"

5th Ward Boyz

• "FUCK Strugglin"

A+

• "Whatcha Weigh Me

David Banner

• "Air Force Ones" (remix)
• "Gangster Walk"

Big Gipp

• "All Over Your Body"

Big K.R.I.T.

• "Money On the Floor"
• "We Buy Gold"

Big Scoob

• "Only Know Hard" (feat. Krizz Kaliko & 8Ball & MJG)

Foxy Brown

• "Ride (Down South)"

Bun B

• "You're Everything"
• "I Don't Give A Fuck"

Crime Boss

• "Chemical Imbalance"

Devin the Dude

• "Tha Funk"

Diddy

• "Roll With Me"

Rock Dillon

• "V-Squad"

Drumma Boy

• "Hustla" (featuring Eastside Jody & 8Ball) off The Birth Of D-Boy Fresh
• "Int’l Player" (featuring Bun B & MJG) off The Birth Of D-Boy Fresh

Jermaine Dupri

• "Jazzy Hoes"

E-40

• "Ya Blind"

Goodie Mob

• "Soul Food (Remix)"

Haystak

• "Can't Tell Me Nothin"

Heavy D

• "On Point"

Jayo Felony

• "How Angry"

J. Holiday

• "City Boy"

Jadakiss

• "What You Ride For?"

Killer Mike

• "Gorilla Pimpin'"
• "Super Clean, Super Hard"

Kingpin Skinny Pimp

• "TV's (24's & Wang)"

Krayzie Bone

• "Pimpz, Thugz, Hustlaz & Gangstaz"

Lil' Flip

• "Cant U Tell" Feat. Sqad Up & MJG

Lil Jon

• "Diamonds"
• "Rep Yo City"
• "White Meat"

Lil' Keke

• "Southside" (remix), Southside, Pt. 2
• "Bottom 2 Da Top"

Limp Bizkit

• "Take A Look Around" (remix)

Lloyd Banks

• "Iceman" (8Ball only, but both 8Ball and MJG appear on the remix)

Ludacris

• "Hard Times"

Luniz

• "In My Nature"

Mase

• "The Player Way"

Master P

• "Meal Ticket"

MC Ren

• "Who In The Fuck"

Mobb Deep

• "Where Ya From"

Mr. 3-2

• "Hit The Highway"

Mr. Mike

• "Stop Lying"

The Notorious B.I.G.

• "Spit your Game" (remix)

Pastor Troy

• "Boys to Men"
• "Don't Undastand"

Pimp C

• "Bobby & Whitney"

Project Playaz

• "Dirty Down South"

Rappin' 4-Tay

• "360 Degrees"

Rich Boy

• "D-Dude"

Rick Ross

• "9 Piece" (remix)

Kia Shine

• "Bluff City Classic"

Spice 1

• "Chocolate Philly"

T.I.

• "Bezzle"

Tela

• "Sho Nuff"

Three 6 Mafia

• "Stay Fly"
• "First 48"

Too Short

• "Don't Stop Rappin"

T-Pain

• "I'm In Love Wit A Stripper" (remix) (MJG only)

UGK

• "Gold Grill"

Yo Gotti

• "Gangsta Party"

Young Buck

• "Dope Deals (Robbery)"
• "Say It To My Face
• "Without Me" off Only God Can Judge Me
• "Betta Tell Em" (featuring 8Ball) off Back On My Buck Shit Vol. 2: Change Of Plans
• "U Know What It Is" (featuring MJG & Tity Boi) off Back On My Buck Shit Vol. 2: Change Of Plans

References

External links

• Official website
• 8Ball & MJG on Myspace
• 8 Ball on Myspace
• MJG on Myspace
• The DJ Booth: 8Ball & MJG Interview (Mar '07)
• Eightball & MJG at Allmusic