8Ball & MJG is an American hip hop duo from Memphis, Tennessee consisting o… Read Full Bio ↴8Ball & MJG is an American hip hop duo from Memphis, Tennessee consisting of Premrose Smith (8Ball) and Marlon Jermaine Goodwin (MJG). The two rappers met at Ridgeway Middle School in 1984.

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.

nobody but me
8Ball & MJG Lyrics

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MJG: It ain't no changing me no matter what you claim to see

I can only aim to be M J G

If thangs seem strange to me they can't be the same with me

You know it's lame to be somethin that you know is a lie

Hoes want a nigga to try to be somethin that he ain't

right before your eyes livin his life in a fuckin disguise

Follow the pack and wind up dead last (Go on)

Real dummy with your scared ass

In the future, ain't nobody gonna listen to you

(Why) Cause you do whatever to please the crew

It's easy to - Kiss ass for your wealth, Or get cash for yourself

I think I'll go with the green, Cause asses I do not clean

As bad as the shit might seem, I got a get-right team

Nigga, sensing myself and I, it ain't ever let a day go by

Without reality checks, fuck my salary check,

that ain't the reason why I want respect, but you ain't finna

distress

I gotta keep a level head, fuck what a devil said

I'm stayin me, M-J fuckin G - Put your trust in me..

Chorus: I can't be nobody but me, and that's all I can be

I can't be who you want me to be, cause nigga, that ain't me

(repeat x 4)

Eight: 100 ways to die, and I done survived 99

99 lives lost and one of them could've been mine

Blind with my eyes open, seein what is killin me

Feelin what is killin me, but wantin more constantly

Runnin from temptation, but I'm much to slow to get away

Gang, shootin niggas and bitches fuckin with me everyday

Man if I was lame and couldn't see em from a mile away

Smile on their mug, and in their minds, nothin but jealousy

Why should I get caught up in that bullshit not concernin me

Yeah, I run with Suave and we gone ride til infinity

Lord if I was lyin, strike me right here as I'm speakin this

Separate the strong from the cowardly and the weak at this

(repeat chorus x 4)

Eight: I see him everyday, point shaven and cravin

for the money that I be savin, and the moves that I be makin

Breakin rules, tryin not to be one of them broke fools

robbin niggas comin from school, thinkin that that shit is cool

Served out, whether sober, playboy, I got heataz for ya

Quick to shoot, because that indo boosts up my paranoia

I rap the blues, cause the blues is what I'm livin nigga

Surrounded my animals - livin and dyin by the trigga

Word to me, and if that shit don't meet your expectations

Fuck you critics, I do this for the underground nation

Slab ridaz, nigga, drug traffickaz and jackaz

Heat packaz, nigga, all my homeboys ain't rappaz

And, I wouldn't say it if it wasn't necessary

All of this is just a test, tryin to prepare me

My future's lookin dark, and I don't think it's gettin brighter

Forever Eightball, Pimp-Caso, Poetry writer...

MJG: It's hard to be, something that you didn't start to be

these streets be apart of me, until it's hard to see

till the years when it's hard to walk, gettin old

and, it's hard to talk, I'm on a line of chalk

it seems thinner than a line of thread, but through all this

still instead, I'm real after all

Paper, short or tall - Wife, be big and small

and still down to earth, I'll still be on the scene

Life like a tv screen, but I keep my strength

and I'll keep my hope (Why?) Cause I know they got me under the scope

But, if you're lookin at me, Look close, and your ass will learn

Maybe when you have your turn, and take a stand and shit

You might be a man and shit, make your own plan and shit

Cause I don't make no moves unless G want to make that move

Fuck he and she want to make that move, I got a face that blues

when a nigga gotta pay them dues, and they lookin at my face like Ooo

Mane, you broke and shit, but they ain't gonna throw me out a rope

and shit

I'm a drown and choke and shit

And my folkaz get clowdy with that hocus pokus shit,

I'll be the brokest trick...

But, I'm gone be myself, Pimp type nigga for sho'

Once again like I did it befo', up top or below

I'm a keep my feet on the flo', and do it in the heat or the snow

Give me a beat and I go, Off like a champ on your ass

Drop the mic and vamp on your ass, stick a stamp on your ass

Send you off to camp on your ass...when I rain, I'll dampen your

path.

(repeat chorus ..)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Nobody But Me" by 8Ball & MJG reflect the theme of staying true to oneself and not conforming to societal pressures. MJG talks about how people want others to change and how it's better to just be yourself regardless of what others think. He sees through people who try to put on a façade and live a life in disguise. He talks about not following the pack and doing what is best for oneself rather than pleasing others. Throughout the song, MJG emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and not trying to be someone else.

Eight talks about the struggle to survive in a difficult environment, and how hard it is to avoid temptations that could lead to death. He describes the envy and jealousy of those around him, and how it's important to stay away from people who only want to bring you down. He is aware that there are people who want what he has and is constantly looking out for himself rather than pleasing others. He sees himself as someone who is passionate about his craft and is ready to take on any challenge that comes his way. Overall, the song has a strong message of individuality and staying true to oneself.

Lyrics © Royalty Network Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: M.J. GOODWIN, PREMRO SMITH, T. JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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