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.
Pimp Ride
8Ball & MJG Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah yeah! Eightball & MJG in the mothafuckin house,
And we came here today to talk to you about this thang called pimpin.
It has been misunderstood over the years, so now, we come to set the record straight.
Niggas don't do this shit I right it takes a special kinda nigga, knowatimsayn'? Yeah!
[Eightball:]
It takes a nigga that's hard from the start, you gotta have heart,
It's all in the game, a nigga can't change,
If you don't break a bitch then your game is lame mane.
See I'm from Tennessee, with curls and gold teeth,
So everywhere I go bitches strike up conversations with me.
About the way I talk, about the way I dress,
About how my gold teeth look so fresh.
See how I bait 'em in soon as a nigga speak,
That G's voice just make a bitch knees weak.
I'm in my caddilac, chillin like a fat mac,
Smokin on a fat sac, drinkin on a pint of 'yac.
I pick up my car phone 'cause a freak beeped,
It's my niggas baby mama but some times I creep.
That's just the way it is niggas have to take a chance,
When you ain't around anybody could be in that ass.
But I'm just a young nigga tryin to make a dolla,
And the way I live, to some it's hard to swallow.
See living down south ain't what you think it be,
Nine times outta ten niggas like me, pimps.
(Yeah, that's right, tryin to teach all these lames
How to do this shit, 'cause it's really a hard job.
But them lame niggas, they make me get so high)
[Chorus: Woman/Eightball]
And I just can't stand to get my feet off the ground
(I get so high)
And I just can't stand to get my feet off the ground
(I get so high)
[MJG:]
Now let me explain a pimp a nigga about the m-o-n-e-y
See a hoe break a hoe, and try to influence the bitch
To turn a trick for the nigga who, presuaded her to sell ass
Like a hoe is supposed to
Now how the fuck you think as pimp is slippin?
Surrounded by all these hoes that's going and giving me money
It's funny how a hoe could make you thinks she's with 'cha
When all the time she's just another niggas gold digger
MJG got a bitch for a rich trick, take of your business,
Bring me my money, yeah this shit is thick
Hoe don't violate, bitch you know I taught you better,
Take all his cash, grab on his ass, write that trick a love letter.
Train your woman to break a man, man meaning another nigga
Just some shit in the game same 'ol same to make your pimpin bigger
Slicker the pimpin gets, freaker gets the bitch,
MJG is rich, I'm coo-coo for these tricks, I'm a pimp.
(Yeah that's right baby, I'm pimpin so what you need to do is
Set that ass out and uh, right about now I'm finna fire up one of these spliffs, and get so high)
[Chorus: Woman/MJG]
[Eightball:]
Part two, it's all the same g,
Trying to school fools on this P-I-M-P
Lesson 1 - first you should, pull a bitch fuck her good
The next time tell her no, but the next time take her dough.
Oh! you gotta watch your back too mane
'Cause there's a lot of bitches in the world with much game
Lesson 2 - watch that hoe, don't trust her with none of yo dough
Never let a bitch know how you make your cash flow
Lesson 3 - if you don't tell that how who is boss,
Bitches like to run shit but end up gettin smacked in the mouth
See a real nigga believe in beatin them hoes down
Push her head into the wall til you hear the crackin sound
Drown in the tub, rub-a-dub dub
Some niggas get pussy whipped then fall into a love bug
Buyin hoes this, buyin hoes that, then braggin to your friends
How you fuck her from the back
Never how you took they cash, never how you beat they ass
Never how you pull hoes, fuck 'em then drop 'em fast
I don't understand your plan at all man
You should be around niggas like me pimps
(Yeah man these niggas a trip knowatimsayin?
But niggas like me, I have to smoke them spliffs to keep my mind off that shit,
But when I smoke, I get so high)
[Chorus: Woman/Eightball]
[MJG:]
Where ever there's a hoe there's bound to be a pimp
The pimp supplies his bitches with some tricks that they can attempt
A sucker will spend all his money 'til he ain't got nothing left
Instead of blaming a bitch he needs to blame it on himself
It wouldn't be a hoe if it wasn't for the trick
But I suggest we keep 'em so a pimp can keep his bitch
It needs to understood, there wouldn't be one without the other
So why in the hell these folks tryin to sweat a mother fucka
Jealous sucka just maaad they can't hang with the pimp thang
Looking to sprinkle some salt in a pimps game
How in the fuck do you figure that pimpin is dead
When nigga you know it's alive pimpin been misunderstood
By those who can't that's why they said it died
Others tried pimpin but was only making chump-change
One track minded niggas never run a m-train
Re-arrange shit that they done seen in a movie script
Damn ain't that a bitch [echo]
Niggas like me, a pimp
(MJ fuckin G, P-I-M-P, stand down on this pimpin
About these hoes, but some niggas fucks it up for real niggas
And that shit just makes me get so high)
[Chorus: until fades out]
The lyrics of "Pimp Ride" by 8Ball & MJG are focused on exploring the topic of pimping and how it is a misunderstood profession. The song is divided into three parts, featuring both rappers detailing their thoughts on pimping and explaining the steps necessary to become a successful pimp. In the first part, Eightball emphasizes the importance of having the right attitude and style to attract women. He talks about how his gold teeth and Tennessee accent are irresistible to women and how he can easily manipulate them. The second part, delivered by MJG, discusses the business side of pimping, highlighting how pimps make money through their hoes and tricks. He stresses the importance of controlling one's women and putting them to work to make the most profit.
In the final part, both rappers offer advice to aspiring pimps. They stress the importance of understanding the game and the different methods used to break a hoe and make her work for you. They also remind listeners that the pimp culture is constantly evolving and that one should stay up-to-date on the latest tricks and techniques to stay ahead of the competition. Overall, the lyrics of "Pimp Ride" attempt to demystify the notion of pimping and offer a unique perspective on the subject.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah yeah! Eightball & MJG in the mothafuckin house,
Eightball and MJG are here to talk about pimping and set the record straight.
And we came here today to talk to you about this thang called pimpin.
The artists came to explain what pimping really is.
It takes a nigga that's hard from the start, you gotta have heart,
To be a pimp, you need to be tough and resilient.
To meet a bitch, mack her then rip her apart.
The process of finding, seducing, and exploiting a prostitute.
It's all in the game, a nigga can't change,
Being a pimp is a lifestyle that can't be easily abandoned.
If you don't break a bitch then your game is lame mane.
If you can't control and exploit a prostitute, you're not a real pimp.
So everywhere I go bitches strike up conversations with me.
Pimping is recognized and respected in some circles.
About the way I talk, about the way I dress,
Prostitution is attracted to the image and lifestyle of a pimp.
See how I bait 'em in soon as a nigga speak,
Pimps know how to seduce potential prostitutes with their charm and demeanor.
That G's voice just make a bitch knees weak.
A pimp's voice can have a powerful effect on a prostitute.
But I'm just a young nigga tryin to make a dolla,
Pimping is a way to make money for some people.
See living down south ain't what you think it be,
Pimping in the southern United States is different than what people expect.
Now let me explain a pimp a nigga about the m-o-n-e-y
A pimp's main motivation is money.
Now how the fuck you think as pimp is slippin?
Pimp's are constantly on guard for threats to their position and power.
Surrounded by all these hoes that's going and giving me money
Prostitutes are the source of a pimp's income.
MJG got a bitch for a rich trick, take of your business,
A pimp has control over the prostitutes and their clients.
Train your woman to break a man, man meaning another nigga
Pimping involves training prostitutes to control and exploit their clients.
See a real nigga believe in beatin them hoes down
Some pimps use physical violence to maintain control over their prostitutes.
It wouldn't be a hoe if it wasn't for the trick
Prostitutes exist because there is a demand for their services.
Jealous sucka just maaad they can't hang with the pimp thang
Some people are envious of the power and status of pimps.
Re-arrange shit that they done seen in a movie script
Some people misunderstand pimping due to popular media depictions.
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Eric Whalen
From the bottom to the top my history speaks for itself so I promise you I won't ever flop I have bars for days so I won't ever stop thinking about better days in reaching my destiny in amazing ways grinding all day and night reaching for the sky so I can take flight making music for my fans is such a delight I'm in the spotlight so I'm never out of sight so let me articulate my history some say I'm a mystery but I honor the code my artistic ideas are about to explode I put my team on my back I can carry the load I'm never going to lose or implode because I'm going to succeed because I know how to plant a seed in the mind I'm not hard to find because I'm one of a kind I dream realistically not blind so let's all make a toast and celebrate and collaborate in making hits🎶🎹
Kévin Holland
Pure 8ball & mjg,priceless muzic bro, top notch track tho,priceless period no doubt man, thanks 4 dat gangsta shit, 🫡🫡🫡🦅🦅🦅💯💯💯
Jonathan Samudio-Facyson
Im here with yall boys. Lets ride. Good song
Jervis Garth
Love song
David Rivera
YEAH I PIMPED MY RIDE WHEN I GOT IT WHY LIE!!!!!!😳😁👍✌🙏
Ziplok
MJG Memphis heat!
Chyna Shaw
🔥🔥💰🎧
LINIE PERSON
Ball, & MJG, y'all niggaz need to get back in the studio and lay another track!
and wen y'all Mathafuka's coming to Detroit, Mich so us northern mathafuka's can turn up and sho the fuk out! I'm from Jackson the hub.... now a nigga in the D...
so be like y'all first album and come out hard!
Victor Ramirez
Which track was the single off of this album ?
Ashton Douglass
Tennessee ya hear me