8Ball & MJG is an American
hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
duo from
Orange Mound,
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
. They met at
Ridgeway Middle School in 1984. In 1993, the duo released their debut album ''
Comin' Out Hard
''Comin' Out Hard'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Eightball & MJG, released in August 1993 by Suave House Records. It has sold more than 500,000 copies.
Critical reception
In 2006, ''Spin'' included ''Comin' Out Hard'' on it ...
''. They went on to release ''
On the Outside Looking In On the Outside Looking In may refer to:
* ''On the Outside Looking In'' (album), a 1994 album by Eightball & MJG
* "On the Outside Looking In" (''Friday Night Lights''), an episode of the TV series ''Friday Night Lights''
{{dab ...
'' (1994), ''
On Top of the World'' (1995), ''
In Our Lifetime'' (1999), ''
Space Age 4 Eva'' (2000), ''
Living Legends'' (2004), ''
Ridin High'' (2007) and ''
Ten Toes Down
''Ten Toes Down'' is the eighth studio album by the American Southern hip-hop duo 8Ball & MJG. It was released on May 4, 2010, via Grand Hustle Records and E1 Music.
Production was handled by Drumma Boy, Nard & B, 1500 or Nothin', B-Don, Be ...
'' (2010).
Career
8Ball & MJG first appeared on the
rap scene with their underground 1991 album ''Listen to the Lyrics''. In 1993, they released the more commercially-successful album ''
Comin' Out Hard
''Comin' Out Hard'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Eightball & MJG, released in August 1993 by Suave House Records. It has sold more than 500,000 copies.
Critical reception
In 2006, ''Spin'' included ''Comin' Out Hard'' on it ...
''. Their subsequent albums in the 1990s, including 1994's ''
On the Outside Looking In On the Outside Looking In may refer to:
* ''On the Outside Looking In'' (album), a 1994 album by Eightball & MJG
* "On the Outside Looking In" (''Friday Night Lights''), an episode of the TV series ''Friday Night Lights''
{{dab ...
'', and 1995's ''
On Top of the World'' helped cement their status as undisputed icons of the South's budding mainstream rap scene.
''On Top of the World'' was particularly successful, peaking at #8 on the
''Billboard'' 200 and being
certified gold
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
.
It contained the song "Space Age Pimpin'", which was 8Ball & MJG's first single to chart, reaching #58 on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart and #22 on the
Hot Rap Singles
Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio statio ...
chart. After those albums, both 8Ball & MJG each released solo attempts, the first of which was MJG's ''
No More Glory
''No More Glory'' is the debut solo studio album by American rapper MJG. The album was released on November 18, 1997, via Suave House/Universal Records. The recording sessions took place at Urban House Studios in Houston. The album was produced ...
'' in 1997, followed by 8Ball's ''
Lost'' in 1998. They reunited in 1999 to release their fourth album as a group, titled ''
In Our Lifetime''. One year later in 2000, they released their fifth group album entitled ''
Space Age 4 Eva''.
In 1996, they appeared on the
Red Hot Organization
''Red Hot Organization'' (RHO) is a non-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization with goals to promote diversity through equal access to healthcare through pop culture.
Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors ...
's compilation CD, ''
America Is Dying Slowly'', alongside
Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall (April 8, 1964 – July 16, 2021), known professionally as Biz Markie, was an American rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, and record producer who gained prominence during hip hop's golden age. He was particularly recognized for ...
,
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, O ...
, and
Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...
, among many other prominent hip hop artists.
The CD, meant to raise awareness of the
AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
epidemic among African American men, was heralded as "a masterpiece" by the magazine ''
The Source The Source may refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Source'' (1918 film), 1918 American drama directed by George Melford
* ''The Source'' (1999 film), a 1999 documentary film about the Beat generation
* ''The Source'' (2002 film), a 2002 scienc ...
''.
In the early 2000s, they would sign with
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...
'
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Entertainment, doing business as Bad Boy Records, is an American independent record label. The label was founded in 1993 by rapper and record producer Sean Combs. During the mid-1990s, the label signed hip-hop and contemporary R&B, R&B a ...
. They already had some experience with the label, being featured on the song "The Player Way" from Bad Boy rapper
Mase
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Mase (often stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean Combs, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 ...
's 1997 album ''
Harlem World
''Harlem World'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Mase. It was released on October 28, 1997, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. The album was nominated at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards for Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Best Ra ...
''. Their first album for Bad Boy Records, ''
Living Legends'', came out in 2004 and was certified
gold
Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
.
Their second album on
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Entertainment, doing business as Bad Boy Records, is an American independent record label. The label was founded in 1993 by rapper and record producer Sean Combs. During the mid-1990s, the label signed hip-hop and contemporary R&B, R&B a ...
was titled ''
Ridin High'' and was released in March 2007.
Commercially, one of the high points of 8Ball & MJG's career was their being featured on
Three 6 Mafia
Three 6 Mafia is an American hip-hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground hip-hop group, they went on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album ''Mystic Stylez'' became an influen ...
's hit song "
Stay Fly
"Stay Fly" is the first single from hip hop music, hip hop group Three 6 Mafia's 2005 album ''Most Known Unknown''. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 to become the group's biggest hit. The track, which sa ...
" in 2005.
That song peaked at #13 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, which is the biggest hit of Three 6 Mafia's career and the biggest hit for 8Ball & MJG.
The song was a collaboration between two of the most successful rap groups from the state of
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, whence Three 6 Mafia also hail.
Today, 8Ball and MJG also head their own record labels. 8Ball heads 8 Ways Entertainment (distributed by
Koch Entertainment
Koch Entertainment was an American record label and a distributor of film, television, and music. It was purchased by Canadian entertainment company ROW Entertainment in 2005.
History First years
The company began in 1975 as part of Koch Inte ...
), while MJG heads MJG Muzik.
On their label are the young, up and coming Memphis duo, Da Volunteers, who are widely known throughout the
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...
for their 2006 single, "What's Yo Favorite Color?", which glorifies their neighborhood of
Orange Mound.
In September 2007, 8Ball and MJG signed deals in Sacramento, California with
Real Talk Entertainment
Real Talk Ent. is an American privately held record label that was started in 2003. It is led by CEO/President Derrick "Sac" Johnson and is focused primarily on recording and releasing new albums with Gold and Platinum selling Rap and R&B artists. ...
. 8Ball released a group album with
E.D.I. Mean of the
Outlawz
Outlawz was an American hip-hop group founded by Tupac Shakur and Yafeu Fula in 1995. Originally known as Thoro Headz and Young Thugs, the group attracted attention with their appearance on Tupac's song "Flex", which was the B-side of his singl ...
entitled ''
Doin' It Big'' on April 1, 2008, and MJG released a solo album entitled ''
Pimp Tight
Pimp Tight is the second solo studio album by American rapper 8Ball & MJG, MJG. The album was released on April 29, 2008, by Real Talk Entertainment.
Track listing
References
{{Authority control
8Ball & MJG albums
2008 albums
Albums pr ...
'' on April 29, 2008.
In June 2008 the group announced that they officially signed onto
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (born September 25, 1980), known professionally as T.I. or Tip, is an American rapper and singer raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Harris is credited as a pioneer of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Georgi ...
's record label
Grand Hustle
Grand Hustle Records (formerly Grand Hustle Entertainment), also known as Hustle Gang Music, is an American hip hop record label, founded in 2003, by American rapper and record executive T.I. and his manager Jason Geter. The label was distribut ...
.
Their eighth album as a group and their first on Grand Hustle, titled ''
Ten Toes Down
''Ten Toes Down'' is the eighth studio album by the American Southern hip-hop duo 8Ball & MJG. It was released on May 4, 2010, via Grand Hustle Records and E1 Music.
Production was handled by Drumma Boy, Nard & B, 1500 or Nothin', B-Don, Be ...
'', was released in May 2010.
It reached #36 on the
''Billboard'' 200 in its first week.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Comin' Out Hard
''Comin' Out Hard'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Eightball & MJG, released in August 1993 by Suave House Records. It has sold more than 500,000 copies.
Critical reception
In 2006, ''Spin'' included ''Comin' Out Hard'' on it ...
'' (1993)
* ''
On the Outside Looking In On the Outside Looking In may refer to:
* ''On the Outside Looking In'' (album), a 1994 album by Eightball & MJG
* "On the Outside Looking In" (''Friday Night Lights''), an episode of the TV series ''Friday Night Lights''
{{dab ...
'' (1994)
* ''
On Top of the World'' (1995)
* ''
Lyrics of a Pimp'' (1997)
* ''
In Our Lifetime'' (1999)
* ''
Space Age 4 Eva'' (2000)
* ''
Living Legends'' (2004)
* ''
Ridin High'' (2007)
* ''
Ten Toes Down
''Ten Toes Down'' is the eighth studio album by the American Southern hip-hop duo 8Ball & MJG. It was released on May 4, 2010, via Grand Hustle Records and E1 Music.
Production was handled by Drumma Boy, Nard & B, 1500 or Nothin', B-Don, Be ...
'' (2010)
8Ball albums
* ''
Lost'' (1998)
* ''
Almost Famous
''Almost Famous'' is a 2000 American comedy drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe, starring Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Patrick Fugit, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. It tells the story of a teenage journalist, played b ...
'' (2001)
* ''Lay It Down'' (2002)
* ''
Light Up the Bomb
''Light Up the Bomb'' the fourth studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cas ...
'' (2006)
* ''
The Vet & The Rookie
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
''
with Devius (2007)
* ''
Doin' It Big''
with E.D.I. (2008)
* ''8Ball & Memphis All-Stars: Cars, Clubs & Strip Clubs'' (2009)
* ''
Life's Quest'' (2012)
MJG albums
* ''
No More Glory
''No More Glory'' is the debut solo studio album by American rapper MJG. The album was released on November 18, 1997, via Suave House/Universal Records. The recording sessions took place at Urban House Studios in Houston. The album was produced ...
'' (1997)
* ''
Pimp Tight
Pimp Tight is the second solo studio album by American rapper 8Ball & MJG, MJG. The album was released on April 29, 2008, by Real Talk Entertainment.
Track listing
References
{{Authority control
8Ball & MJG albums
2008 albums
Albums pr ...
'' (2008)
* ''
This Might Be the Day
''This Might Be the Day'' is the third studio album by American rapper 8Ball & MJG, MJG. It was released on July 15, 2008, by 404 Music and MJG Muzik.
Track listing
Charts
References
2008 albums
8Ball & MJG albums
{{2008-hiphop-a ...
'' (2008)
* ''Too Pimpin (2013)
* ''Too Pimpin' 2.0'' (2014)
References
External links
*
*
Bad Boy Online
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:8Ball and MJG
1991 establishments in Tennessee
American hip-hop duos
Musical duos from Tennessee
Bad Boy Records artists
Gangsta rap groups
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical groups from Memphis, Tennessee
Rappers from Memphis, Tennessee
Southern hip-hop groups
Suave House Records artists
African-American musical duos