8 Ball
Eightball & MJG/MJG Lyrics

Uh
Starting the song with an interjection

The streets of my city be gritty
The streets in my city are harsh and rough

Young niggaz pack plenty, and ain't never show no pity
The young men in the city carry a lot of guns and show no remorse for their actions

Many die on streets of concrete, blasted from the heat
Many people die on the city's pavements, killed by guns or other weapons

From under the seat, niggaz just tryin' to make ends meat
They are trying to make money by selling drugs or doing other illegal activities

Trying to eat, day to day livin' with no religion
They are trying to survive, living day by day, with no spiritual/religious guidance

Luxury cars, and this money got my full attention
The desire for wealth and material possessions is all-consuming

School teachers and the preachers don't know what to teach us
Educators and religious leaders are ineffective in teaching young people in the city

They don't get a second look without them ghetto features
People in the city are often judged based on their appearance and social status

Created so the non pigmentated rated
The media is designed to appeal to white people

Pornographic caught they children learn the words and say it
Children are exposed to explicit content and language from media and entertainment

Save the monsters, but don't nobody know the lord
People are more concerned with entertainment and celebrity culture than spirituality

Status depends on the baddest shit you can afford
Socioeconomic status and material possessions determine one's social status in the city

And look at me I'm in the middle of the confusion
The artist is experiencing the chaos and confusion of the city

Crime in my blood and I need a transfusion
The artist is a product of the city's violence and crime and wants to escape it

Take it how you want to take it
The artist's message can be interpreted in different ways

I gotta twist and break it
The artist has to reshape and modify his message to be more effective

Make it shine to distinguish from the ones who fake it
The artist wants to make his message stand out from others that are insincere

and if it comes out raw, and uncontrollable
The artist's message may come out unpolished and erratic

Money's foldable, fuck a hip-hop quotable
The pursuit of money is more important than being recognized by the hip-hop community

Nobody felt what I was feeling when I wrote this shit
The artist's experiences and emotions are unique to him and may not be fully understood by others

Broke this shit, but that ain't new so I can cope with this
The artist is accustomed to being broke and can handle it

Hope it get better for those who don't get a chance
The artist wants things to improve for people who are less fortunate than him

To advance, and dig the shit I be saying
The artist wants people to listen and understand his message

You know what might make what I say a little clearer
The artist suggests a way to make his message more understandable

If mothafuckers judge the one they see in the mirror
If people are introspective and self-aware, they may better understand the artist's message