They first appeared on the rap scene with their 1993 album Comin' Out Hard. 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 cemented their status as some of the South's best rappers. On Top of the World was particularly succeessful, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 200 and being certified Gold. After those albums both 8Ball & MJG released solo albums, first MJG's No More Glory in 1997 and then 8Ball's Lost in 1998. They reunited in 1999 to release their fourth album as a group, titled In Our Lifetime, Vol. 1
For their later releases they signed with Bad Boy Records. Their first album for Bad Boy Records, Living Legends, was certified Gold by the RIAA. Their second album on Bad Boy Records 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's hit song "Stay Fly" 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, where Three 6 Mafia also hail from.
Today 8Ball and MJG also head their own record labels. 8Ball heads 8 Ways Entertainment (distributed by Koch Entertainment), 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 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, CA with Real Talk Entertainment 8Ball released a group album with E.D.I of the Outlawz entitled Doin' It Big on April 1, 2008 and MJG released a solo album entitled Pimp Tight on April 29, 2008.
In June 2008 the group announced that they have officially signed onto T.I.'s record label Grand Hustle.
Confessions
8Ball & MJG Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hard
Yea yea sittin' looking out my window the streets I see ain't pretty
Sometimes I wonder if I was born rich with plenty
Money, and everyday was sunny didn't no rain fall
Life was beautiful like the colors of a rainbow
Would I be the same prim row all my niggas know
What if I never witnessed killings with my own two eyes
Bussin' leave they own folks layin' in the street to die
Life without respective if every second I was shakin'
Cause I injected dope in my veins
Divide and strain could I describe pain could I
Describe livin' life without desire mayne
Could I survive if I couldn't rap or entertain alive
And free you can't beat it
Who can you blame my world is like a picture and the frame
The picture might change but the frame stays the same
Hustling waiting on tomorrow
Living life in the fast lane
Cause no one ever knows
No one ever knows
Sitting here waiting on tomorrow
Putting paper away
Cause no one ever knows
No one ever knows
What if you was on the other end of the bullet
When a killer wanna pull it would it seem like
The light flash in front of your face
Or would you run real slow like I ran in my dream like
Just the other day I tried to be a hero but it wasn't the side of me
Or maybe it just wasn't the time to be but if the shoe had to fit then I would be
Ahead of the game playin' the part I bring it all into the light from out of the dark
I hit the bat into the ball and out of the park
And live with the question alone that's meddlin' hard
What if you had to live under the bridge and do anything just to feed your kids
Think about that and the deed you did the first thing that impress me kid
Oh yes you did and I ain't even tryna choke your chain or pull your leg
And I ain't even tryna fuck with your head and I ain't even tryna sweat this shit
Just spit these messages cause I'm blessed with it
What if you had the chance to be able to switch hands with me or anyone you see
And if you really wanna take it deep this shit not quanum to me
For one and each and each and all for the sci-fi mat more religious superstitious
Politicious and all the listeners with us this shit be cold as Christmas
So put your head to the sky say a prayer for the sick and the old the young and the weak
For the bombs and the single moms with six kids askin' for something to eat
Hustling waiting on tomorrow
Living life in the fast lane
Cause no one ever knows
No one ever knows
Sitting here waiting on tomorrow
Putting paper away
Cause no one ever knows
No one ever knows
And when you get up they seem to hold you down
Down to the ground gotta stay focused with your eyes opened wide
See the sun rise I keep my hands on the steering wheel when I'm creepin' up 75
(woo woo woo) changing lanes on the regular talkin' on my cellular fast
Watching cause they wanna take me away
I'm just trying to feed my babies face
But I'm just hustling I'm waiting on tomorrow
Living life in the fast lane
Cause no one ever knows
No one ever knows
Sitting here waiting on tomorrow
Putting paper away
Cause no one ever knows
No one ever knows
And the only way is to keep your head on right
Oh yea
The song Confessions by 8Ball & MJG is a reflection upon the struggles and challenges of growing up in an urban environment. The opening lines of the song express the difficulty of living in a violent and unpredictable setting. The lyricist wonders if things would be different if they had grown up wealthy, without experiencing the trauma of witnessing acts of murder and drug abuse.
The chorus of the song describes the daily hustle and struggle for survival in a world where no one knows what to expect. The fear of danger and uncertainty loom over the emcees, as they try to navigate the treacherous paths of their environment.
The second verse of the song shifts focus to the choices we make in life and the impact they have on our destiny. The lyricist describes a moment of heroism and bravery, but wonders if it was the right move, given the danger of their lifestyle. The lyricist then reflects upon those less fortunate than themselves, who struggle to feed their families and maintain a roof over their heads. The song ends with a message of perseverance and hope, urging listeners to keep their heads up and keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
And it's hard
Life is tough
Yea yea sittin' looking out my window the streets I see ain't pretty
Looking out my window, the streets are not beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if I was born rich with plenty Money, and everyday was sunny didn't no rain fall Life was beautiful like the colors of a rainbow Would I be the same prim row all my niggas know
If I was born rich, privileged and without struggles, would I be the same person I am now?
If I didn't have to learn to beat them streets and get that dough What if I never witnessed killings with my own two eyes Bussin' leave they own folks layin' in the street to die Life without respective if every second I was shakin' Cause I injected dope in my veins Divide and strain could I describe pain could I Describe livin' life without desire mayne Could I survive if I couldn't rap or entertain alive
Without the lessons and experiences of the streets, would I be able to survive or describe real pain?
And free you can't beat it Who can you blame my world is like a picture and the frame The picture might change but the frame stays the same
Freedom is priceless, but even with it, the structure of the world remains the same
What if you was on the other end of the bullet When a killer wanna pull it would it seem like The light flash in front of your face Or would you run real slow like I ran in my dream like
If you were the victim of a shooter, would it be a quick end or a slow tormenting death?
Just the other day I tried to be a hero but it wasn't the side of me Or maybe it just wasn't the time to be but if the shoe had to fit then I would be Ahead of the game playin' the part I bring it all into the light from out of the dark
I tried to be a hero, but it wasn't in me, and I'm just working on being the best version of myself
What if you had to live under the bridge and do anything just to feed your kids Think about that and the deed you did the first thing that impress me kid Oh yes you did
Imagine being homeless and having to do whatever it takes to feed your children; respect and admire those who have been through it
What if you had the chance to be able to switch hands with me or anyone you see And if you really wanna take it deep this shit not quanum to me For one and each and each and all for the sci-fi mat more religious superstitious Politicious and all the listeners with us this shit be cold as Christmas So put your head to the sky say a prayer for the sick and the old the young and the weak For the bombs and the single moms with six kids askin' for something to eat
Consider the hypothetical ability to switch lives with anyone and recognize the struggles of all, regardless of their beliefs or background
And when you get up they seem to hold you down Down to the ground gotta stay focused with your eyes opened wide See the sun rise I keep my hands on the steering wheel when I'm creepin' up 75
When you try to improve, obstacles may arise, so you have to stay focused and alert
But I'm just hustling I'm waiting on tomorrow
I'm just trying to make it and waiting for a better day
And the only way is to keep your head on right
The way to keep going is to stay positive and focused
Hustling waiting on tomorrow Living life in the fast lane Cause no one ever knows No one ever knows Sitting here waiting on tomorrow Putting paper away Cause no one ever knows No one ever knows
Life is hectic, and we are all waiting for a better future, uncertain of what it may hold.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Royalty Network
Written by: MAURICE ERNEST GIBB, ROBIN HUGH GIBB, PREMRO VONZELLAIRE SMITH, ANDRE CHRISTOPHER LYON, MARCELLO VALENZANO, BARRY ALAN GIBB, MARLON J. GOODWIN, JASON P. D. BOYD
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