Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Living Legends [Clean]

 
Album Review: Living Legends [Clean]
 

  • Artist: 8Ball and MJG
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: May 11, 2004
  • Genre: Rap

Review

P. Diddy claims that his Bad Boy record label and 8ball & MJG are a perfect match. It's really just strange, but kudos to Diddy for having the smarts to sign the duo. These "Legends of the South" still have their skills, but can they blend their sparse and hard Southern sound with the N.Y.C. glitz of Bad Boy? For the most part, the album works extremely well, except when Diddy interrupts the slow flow with a trite voice-over or any of his numerous reminders that this is a Bad Boy record. Hit the skip button early to avoid his corny toughness at the end of the otherwise excellent "When It's On" and you're better off. On the other hand, sticking Bad Boy's resident crooners 112 on "Trying to Get at You" is a smooth move that enlivens the track, and almost all the other bits of showiness work. It makes Living Legends one of the duo's more well-rounded albums, and there's no evidence the rappers themselves have gone soft. "Don't Make" is a thug creeper that Lil Jon would call "nasty," and both "You Don't Want Drama" and "Straight Cadillac Pimpin'" were already street-level mixtape endorsed before Living Legends' release. Diddy has gone home by the album's great, down-low fourth quarter and replaced with more complimentary guests like Lloyd and an extravicious Twista. The slow jam "Confessions" ends the album on high note, and even the interludes and skits are worth hearing more than once. Despite having nearly as many producers as songs, it all hangs together and the duo gets an album that's up to the level they deserve. Executive producing 8ball & MJG's strongest full-length in quite a while is something Diddy should crow about, but maybe not so much on the actual album. [Living Legends was also released in a clean version with all vulgarities removed.] ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Album Intro MJG, 8 Ball (1:14)
You Don't Want Drama P. Smith MJG, 8 Ball (4:33)
Straight Cadillac Pimpin' P. Smith Shannon Jones, MJG, 8 Ball (4:59)
We Do It MJG, 8 Ball (5:09)
The Streets S. Williams, P. Smith MJG, Bun B, 8 Ball (4:15)
Mad Rapper (Interlude) P. Smith, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie MJG, 8 Ball (1:16)
Shot Off MJG, Ludacris, 8 Ball (5:20)
When It's On P. Smith, J. Graham MJG, Puff Daddy, 8 Ball (5:06)
Trying to Get at You P. Smith 112, MJG, 8 Ball (4:18)
Baby Girl P. Smith, J. Graham MJG, Puff Daddy, 8 Ball (4:17)
Get a Kit (Interlude) J. Dean MJG, 8 Ball (1:47)
Forever P. Smith MJG, 8 Ball, Lloyd (5:00)
Look at the Grillz P. Smith, C.C. Mitchell, C. Harris Twista, MJG, T.I., 8 Ball (5:20)
Living Legends (Interlude) MJG, 8 Ball (1:10)
Don't Make P. Smith MJG, 8 Ball (5:22)
Memphis City Blues P. Smith MJG, 8 Ball (4:48)
Gangsta P. Smith, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie MJG, 8 Ball (3:41)
Confessions P. Smith MJG, 8 Ball (4:33)

Credits

John Dean (Vocals), 8Ball & MJG (Main Performer), Karen Anderson (Vocals), John Frye (Mixing), LaMarquis Mark Jefferson (Bass), Rich Keller (Mixing), Tony Love (Guitar), Dale Ramsey (Engineer), Ed Raso (Mixing), Ray Seay (Mixing), Nasheim Myrick (Producer), Mike B. (Stylist), Dré (Producer), Diddy (Executive Producer), Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie (Producer), Stevie J. (Producer), Craig Love (Guitar), Chris Athens (Mastering), Christopher Stern (Creative Director), Jonathon "Lil' Jon" Smith (Keyboards), Jonathon "Lil' Jon" Smith (Producer), Jonathan Mannion (Photography), Stephen Dent (Engineer), Shannon "Slam" Lawrence (Engineer), Harve Pierre (Associate Executive Producer), J-Dub (Producer), L-Roc (Keyboards), Ariel Borujow (Engineer), Shondrae (Producer), Shondrae (Engineer), Shondrae (Mixing), Cool (Producer), Niko Marzouca (Engineer), Red Spyda (Producer), Mark Vinten (Engineer), Alexis Seton (Engineer), Conrad Dimanche (Associate Executive Producer), Conrad Dimanche (A&R), Conrad Dimanche (Vocal Producer), Steve Pageot (Engineer), Ashunta Sheriff (Grooming), Gwendolyn Niles (Project Manager), Elizabeth Collins (Vocals), Elizabeth Collins (Engineer), Elizabeth Collins (Assistant Engineer), Elizabeth Collins (Assistant), Rodrigo Lage (Digital Editing), Scott Sandler (Logo Design), Davour (Producer)
Search unanswered questions...
Enter a word or phrase...
All Community Q&A Reference topics
 
 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more