Search - Eightball & Mjg :: Living Legends

I like it, but a bit too much Bad Boy influence

Philip Y. | Israel | 05/26/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"There isn't any doubt about Eightball and MJG's legendary status as pioneers from the south. They've been puttin' in down ever since "Comin' Out Hard" in 1993. All their albums are timeless classics - Ball and G always had their own style - both lyrically and musically. They never followed the mainstream - they set new standarts. Forget about all those clowns these days (Lil' Jon, Ludacris etc.) thinking they are ruling the south...

Anyway, after more than 3 years without an album, Eightball and MJG signed to Bad Boy South. Puff Daddy is a smart executive - he saw the way the South blew up, so he had to get someone for his own label - and who's better than those two guys?... Anyway, for the album itself - I've got mixed feelings about it. On some songs you get the same ol' Ball and G', spitting their wise lyrics about pimpin', hustlin' and just life... But on other songs, it was obvious Puffy wanted the album to follow the lead of mainstream rap these days. A few songs sound like Lil Jon made them, which isn't a good thing in this case - those kinds of beats don't suit Eightball and MJG's style. But it's also about the lyrics themselves - on the so-called mainstream influenced songs, the lyrics and songs topics don't fit the crew's style at all!! Some song suffer from way-too much hardcore and gangsta talk - something that doesn't fit Eightball and MJG's style anymore: they're some laidback pimps, not killers talking about shooting everyone! And when you sign with Bad Boy, you can't escape a stupid love song featuring 112... It's all Puffy's fault though - in order the album to sell platinum he felt it had to sound like the stuff that's selling these days. Anyway, more than half of the album is pretty amazing, both lyrically and musically. Eightball and MJG are still legends, when they were let to do their own thang! Best songs are "Memphis Blues", "We Do It", "Confessions". From the "mainstream songs" that are good, two stand up - the one featuring Lloyd (I can't believe it, but the boy drops a great hook) and "Look and my grill" (featuring T.I. who's verse you can barely hear, Twista who steals the show, and a typical yet very nice beat by Lil' Jon. He's not on the song so it's all good).

Overall, I like this album very much despite Bad Boy's influence on some songs. Eightball and MJG are still one of the best rap crews there's ever been and this album is one of the best to drop in 2004."

8Ball & MJG prove why they are "Living Legends" of the South

J. Highsmith | Mitchellville, Maryland United States | 05/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although I had known about their CDs like "On The Outside Looking In", "Coming Out Hard", and "On Top Of The World", I never had bought an 8Ball & MJG CD. In 1998, I was heavy into No Limit Records and I heard a track on the "I Got The Hook Up" soundtrack called "Let's Ride" that was pretty tight. Then once I heard "Pure Uncut" which was a track with 8Ball, Master P, Mystikal, Silkk The Shocker and Psycho Drama, I was sold on finally purchasing their CDs. I bought 8Ball's "Lost" CD which included my favorite song "Coffee Shoppe" with 8Ball & Redman, MJG's solo CD "No More Glory" and eventually once they were relased, "In My Lifetime Volume 1" and "Space Age 4 Eva". Two of my favorite 8Ball collaborations are "Where I'm From" w/Mobb Deep on their "Murda Muzik" CD and "Ride(Down South)" w/Foxy Brown, Juvenile and Too Short from her "Chyna Doll" CD. You also can't forget about the 8Ball & MJG collaboration from Mase's 1st CD, "The Player Way".When I first learned that 8Ball & MJG signed with Bad Boy I was a little skeptical at first. I know that Bad Boy does well as far as marketing their artists but I was worried that P Diddy might try to water them down a little bit. However, I was wrong. I happened to be watching Rap City one day and the video for "You Don't Want Drama" came on I was nearly speechless. I just remembered turning the volume on the TV real high and nodding to the beat of the track. When I heard the CD, "Living Legends" was coming out on May 11th, I knew I would buy this CD the day that it was released."Living Legends" definitely will reclaim 8Ball & MJG's spot in the Dirty South game, not that they ever lost their spot, but it had been a minute since they had the beats to back up their potent lyrics. The first single, "You Don't Want Drama" is clearly the best song on this CD. Shondrae definitely deserves props for this head nodding beat. Shondrae strikes twice on "Don't Make". In the video for "You Don't Want Drama", the video leaves from the club and then moves to the street, so I am thinking that they are still rapping the same song, come to find out that they had switched to "Don't Make". If you are a fan of any 8Ball & MJG singles, then you definitely need to get "Living Legends" for these two songs alone. However, they have more bangers for you as well. "We Do It" is produced by Nasheim Myrick, who has been making beats for Bad Boy artist for years. This song is as grimy as "Don't Make" as you are able to tell the chemistry that 8Ball & MJG have since they have been rapping together for so long. "The Streets" is another banger that features Bun B from UGK as he is tring to carry the UGK name on his shoulders while Pimp C is in jail. This is another song that can contend as best song on this CD. "Shot Off" features Ludacris as 8Ball & MJG join Luda for a lyrical free for all as all 3 rappers hold their lyrical weight throughout the song. "When It's On" features a nice beat by Yogi as you hear the beat and they have a nice piano drop throughout the song. "Look At The Grillz" features TI and Twista and is produced by Lil Jon. Lil Jon actually makes a beat where he's not screaming Yeah! and OK! throughout the whole track. This song should be the next single in my opinion, as TI and Twista are 2 of the folks that are holding the rap game down in their region right now. 8Ball & MJG are allowed to speak about their "Memphis City Blues" as well and to tell some personal "Confessions". The beat for "Memphis City Blues" has an old school feel to it as 8Ball & MJG speak a few lines about the town they represent.Overall, if you are a fan of 8Ball & MJG's earlier CDs, you can't afford to pass up on "Living Legends". Being with P Diddy and Bad Boy has not watered them down at all and as a matter of fact they might be better than ever before. If you are a fan of the New South which would include Ludacris, David Banner, Lil Flip, Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz, TI and others then their is nothing wrong with going back to your Down South roots by picking up "Living Legends". Believe me, it will be worth your time. James' Top 61) You Don't Want Drama
2) Don't Make
3) Shot Off w/Ludacris
4) The Streets w/Bun B of UGK
5) Look At The Grillz w/TI & Twista
6) Memphis City Blues"

They May be legends, but Ball and G's new cd isnt legendary

Rahmel Strawberry | New York City | 04/17/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Before Outkast, Before The Geto Boys, Before Arrested Development, there was 8 Ball & M.J.G...the souths premire rappers and some of the greatest southern Mc's to ever grace the world of Hip Hop music. And while Ball and G may be legends thier new cd is anything but legendary, and there is one reason for that...Bad Boy Records. Bad Boy and Ball and G are so different from each other that when combining MJG's southern drawl and 8 Ball's Graspy Hardcore rhyming with Crunk beats it fails miserabaly and leaves with dissapointment:

1.Album Intro-N/A

2.You Don't Want Drama-B+(2nd Best Song On CD)

3.Straight Cadillac Pimpin-B

4.We Do It-C

5.The Streets-C+

6.Mad Rapper-N/A

7.Shot Off-F

8.When It's On-C

9.Trying To Get At You-C+

10.Baby Girl-C+

11.Get A Kit-N/A

12.Forever-B+(3rd Best Song On CD)

13.Look At The Grillz-C+

14.Living Legends-N/A

15.Don't Make-B-

16.Memphis City Blues-B-

17.Gangsta-B+

18.Confessions-A-(Best Song On CD)"