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.
on tha outside lookin' in
8Ball & MJG Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The hammer hit the table leaving me with 7 years
My history was shit so I could′nt shed a tear
My future was a wall, surrounded by a cage
Them laws got me locked down damn at an early age
The only thing I got is a lust for the streets, the shit I gotta learn
And the shit I gotta teach
I'm living for the minute, muthaf**k a whole hour
My lady sends me pictures with her pussy in the air,
But she aint really there
So I don′t really care
The only thing I got is a muthaf**kin dinner
So f**k what I had, 'cause where I'm at I′m a beginner
I gots to be a winner in this muthaf**kin mix up
Get my shit together, scope it out and try to fix up
Some confidence to keep a real nigga going strong,
The system is my house, the system is my home,
The system was designed to keep a brotha on his back
The system crackers caught me that′s exactly where I'm at
My lawyer was a snitch, got me framed started buggin
My muthaf**kin phone and the judge was his cousin
It′s hard thinkin positive with negative around me
So I had to relate to the grounds that surrounded thee
House and The Mound where I chill
With the niggaz who respected a real nigga
'Cause MJG respect them too
So I had to survive living my life with the street rule "stay cool"
Disregard school and make my money fool, check it
It′s hard to understand where I'm comin from if you on the outside talkin shit
Lookin in, then again if you was on the inside lookin out, 9 times outta 10
You would probably be my friend
Nigga how you figure, the system′s gonna help ya
The ghetto's where they put ya, the ghetto's where they kept ya
See deep down in my heart I had this urge to go astray
And knock out all my problems in one ordinary day
The system got me thinkin ′cause I′m locked down in a tank
They saw a brotha strokin, so they had to make his ship sank
So I can't get mixed up with them devils or no other
With Ani... mosity I hate when It′s a brother, none other
Than a buck, duck, hoodle up, shootin up thangs in the wind
I'm in the Pen, you outside lookin in
The song "On Tha Outside Lookin' In" by 8Ball & MJG portrays the struggles of life in prison as experienced by MJG. He raps about his incarceration, the loss of his freedom, and the harsh realities of prison life. The lyrics provide a glimpse into the life of a prisoner and the effects of the criminal justice system on individuals and communities.
In the first verse, MJG reflects on the events that led to his imprisonment, and his sentiments upon arrival. He expresses his frustration with the system that has confined him, and his determination to survive in the level of confinement. The second verse dives into a more introspective tone, where MJG reveals the source of his anger- his inability to break free from negative aspects of life that continue to haunt him. While he is not proud of the choices he has made, the rapper still asserts his place in the streets; his identity still lies with the hood.
The song brings to light the complex issues surrounding the criminal justice system and the collateral damage that comes along the way. Although the song does not offer any solutions, its evocative lyrics serve as a reminder that problems within the system are not so easily solved.
Line by Line Meaning
The hammer hit the table leaving me with 7 years
I was sentenced to 7 years in prison
My history was shit so I could′nt shed a tear
I had a troubled past and didn't feel remorseful for my situation
My future was a wall, surrounded by a cage
I felt trapped with limited opportunities for my future
Them laws got me locked down damn at an early age
I was arrested and imprisoned at a young age due to the laws I broke
The only thing I got is a lust for the streets, the shit I gotta learn
My only desire is to learn the ways of the streets and survive
And the shit I gotta teach
I also have knowledge from my past experiences to pass on to others
I'm living for the minute, muthaf**k a whole hour
I'm only focused on the present because time moves slowly in prison
And I aint pickin shit up when It falls in the shower
I don't care about anything, not even something as basic as picking up soap when it falls in the shower
My lady sends me pictures with her pussy in the air,
My girlfriend sends me nude photos but it doesn't really affect me
But she aint really there
She can't physically be with me while I'm in prison
So I don′t really care
I have bigger things to worry about
The only thing I got is a muthaf**kin dinner
I only have my daily meal to look forward to
So f**k what I had, 'cause where I'm at I′m a beginner
I've lost everything so I have to start anew with nothing
I gots to be a winner in this muthaf**kin mix up
I have to come out on top despite my current situation
Get my shit together, scope it out and try to fix up
I need to analyze my situation and try to improve it
Some confidence to keep a real nigga going strong,
I need self-assurance to stay strong and true to myself
The system is my house, the system is my home,
The legal system has taken over my life and dictates my daily routine
The system was designed to keep a brotha on his back
The system was created to keep black men down and prevent them from rising up
The system crackers caught me that′s exactly where I'm at
The system unjustly targeted and arrested me, resulting in my current situation
My lawyer was a snitch, got me framed started buggin
My own lawyer betrayed me, framed me, and made my situation worse
My muthaf**kin phone and the judge was his cousin
My lawyer and the judge were related and worked against me
It′s hard thinkin positive with negative around me
It's difficult to have a positive outlook when everything around me is negative
So I had to relate to the grounds that surrounded thee
I had to find common ground and relate to the environment I was in
House and The Mound where I chill
I hang out with my friends at House and The Mound
With the niggaz who respected a real nigga
My friends are loyal and respect me for being true to myself
'Cause MJG respect them too
I respect my friends just as much as they respect me
So I had to survive living my life with the street rule 'stay cool'
I have to adapt to the street life and follow the rules of survival
Disregard school and make my money fool, check it
I had to give up on education and focus on making money to survive
It's hard to understand where I'm comin from if you on the outside talkin shit
It's difficult for someone on the outside to understand my situation and struggles
Lookin in, then again if you was on the inside lookin out, 9 times outta 10
If you were in my position, you would understand what I'm going through
You would probably be my friend
You would likely be empathetic and supportive of me
Nigga how you figure, the system′s gonna help ya
There's no reason to have faith in the system that put me in this situation
The ghetto's where they put ya, the ghetto's where they kept ya
Society forces you to stay in the ghetto and doesn't provide opportunities for escape
See deep down in my heart I had this urge to go astray
I had a desire to break the law and act out in rebellion
And knock out all my problems in one ordinary day
I wanted to take out all my frustrations in one act of violence
The system got me thinkin ′cause I′m locked down in a tank
The oppressive system has influenced my thoughts and feelings about my situation
They saw a brotha strokin, so they had to make his ship sank
The system targeted and arrested me because I was successful and achieving too much
So I can't get mixed up with them devils or no other
I can't associate with corrupt and deceitful people, even if they're in prison with me
With Ani… mosity I hate when It′s a brother, none other
I have a strong disdain for other black men who are deceitful and go against their own
Than a buck, duck, hoodle up, shootin up thangs in the wind
I hate men who act recklessly and commit senseless acts of violence
I'm in the Pen, you outside lookin in
I'm in prison and you're on the outside trying to understand my perspective
Writer(s): Premro Smith, Marlon Goodwin, Tristan Jones
Contributed by Samantha Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.