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.
Collard Greens
Eightball & MJG Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Niggaz ain't fuckin with us
Cause we strapped with them guns
And we always shoot 'em
Nigga you got us fucked up
Ain't no hater in us
We some real muthufuckas baby
Nigga I clown fo' mine
I get it down fo' mine
If necessary pull shit and bust a round fo' mine
You know my sound design
For niggaz street encline
Southern niggas on tha grind
Shine and recline
I stay hard like fake tits
Dig like ice-picks
Disrespect the 'Slab' and yo wig I might split
You hide we find you
Creep up from behind you
And leave you with some heat that will always remind you
[ MJG ]
Because of that big trigget
You niggaz need to quit givin cheese out
You probably wear your knee's out
Yo' wife wanna leave out
But when she pull them keys out
A bunch of that please baby please
What it be'z bout
But what we be'z bout is big body
When we roll up in ya after party
Been smokin wait but hold up, stop, don't tell nobody
Stage holda, mic controller, money gripper
Toe tipper, nigga big time hoe flipper
[ CHORUS: 2x ]
[ MJG ]
When I roll bitches
Lyrical lethal like it was dope hard Moonshine
Niggaz playin like cartoon time
He get tucked in the dark room time
To a busta who done died, why?
All because he tried
What? To tell the truth about some shit
But that nigga lied
Talkin about he don't bump us in his ride
Nigga FUCK you
And the horse you rode on too
You can't fuck with me
Unless you stressed to be an absentee perminately
[ Eightball ]
I don't bard no nigga talkin bout what he got
Until you show me somethin nigga you just talkin a lot
Niggaz love to start shit
Poppin that hard shit
Catch them alone and they convert to a broad quik
Where them niggaz at?
Who you said got yo back dawg?
[ Ball they all fake, they puttin on a act dawg ]
Yeah you niggaz be trippin thinkin shit is sweet dawg
We gon' keep it raw until all my niggaz eat dawg
[ MJG ]
I'm a cool nigga
But sometimes I act a fool nigga
I'm certified in takin bitces to school nigga
The rule is for MJG to stack paper
And fuck bitch niggaz up when they act hata
[ Eightball ]
Big ball, MJG
We do it for the streets
For them niggaz and them bitches tryna get up on they feet
Haters get a hollow tip deep off in they fo'head
All over some punk shit that bitch shouldn't have neva said
[ MJG ]
We got plenty connections
In all of the preferred sections
Potent elections fo' big playaz and bitches sexin
Eigthball and MJG
Consider reckless, flawless
You got blessed the day you saw this
[ Eightball ]
Nigga realize you can't fuck with this
Get it hype, get it crunk, get it buck up in this bitch
Take no nigga Space Age
Thug up in this shit
Eightball, MJG we wuz up
Up in this bitch
[ CHORUS: 2x ]
The lyrics to Eightball & MJG's song Collard Greens express the duo's pride in their toughness and authenticity. The chorus asserts that nobody can compete with them because they are armed and dangerous, but also because they are real and don't have any hate in their hearts. Eightball's verse describes his commitment to defending his reputation and his willingness to use violence if necessary. He also boasts about his ability to make hits and his disrespect for anyone who doesn't show proper respect for his music. MJG's verse gives a warning to haters that they should not mess with him and his crew, and he brags about his lyrical skill and his ability to seduce women. He also speaks of his determination to make money and punish those who try to hold him back.
The song Collard Greens is representative of Eightball & MJG's influential style, which helped to establish Southern hip-hop in the 1990s. The lyrics showcase the duo's distinctive drawls and their gritty, streetwise attitude. They also highlight the importance of guns and violence in the rap world, which is often seen as a reflection of the harsh realities of life in the inner city. Interestingly, the title of the song has nothing to do with the content of the lyrics, but rather refers to a traditional Southern dish made from collard greens and meat.
Line by Line Meaning
Niggaz ain't fuckin with us
Other people cannot compete with us.
Cause we strapped with them guns
We are armed with guns.
And we always shoot 'em
We don't hesitate to use our weapons.
Nigga you got us fucked up
You have misunderstood us.
Ain't no hater in us
We are not jealous or resentful of others.
We some real muthufuckas baby
We are authentic and genuine individuals.
Nigga I clown fo' mine
I am dedicated and committed to what I do.
I get it down fo' mine
I put in the hard work to achieve my goals.
If necessary pull shit and bust a round fo' mine
I am willing to use my weapon to defend myself and my interests.
You know my sound design
You are familiar with my music style.
For niggaz street encline
For people who come from the same background as I do.
Southern niggas on tha grind
People from the southern region who are struggling to make a living.
Shine and recline
Enjoy the fruits of our hard work.
I stay hard like fake tits
I remain strong and steadfast.
Dig like ice-picks
I investigate and discover the truth behind things.
Disrespect the 'Slab' and yo wig I might split
If you show disrespect to the area where I come from, I might hurt you.
You hide we find you
We will locate you when you try to hide.
Creep up from behind you
We will surprise you when you are not paying attention.
And leave you with some heat that will always remind you
We will leave you with an unforgettable lesson.
Because of that big trigget
Because of our powerful weapons.
You niggaz need to quit givin cheese out
You need to stop being generous with your money.
You probably wear your knee's out
You work hard for your money.
Yo' wife wanna leave out
Your significant other wants to leave you.
A bunch of that please baby please
Begging and pleading to keep the relationship going.
What it be'z bout
What it's all about.
But what we be'z bout is big body
What we are about is luxury and excess.
When we roll up in ya after party
When we arrive at your party after it has ended.
Been smokin wait but hold up, stop, don't tell nobody
We have been smoking marijuana, but don't spread the word.
Stage holda, mic controller, money gripper
We are skilled in performing, controlling the microphone, and making money.
Toe tipper, nigga big time hoe flipper
We are expert players and manipulators of women.
When I roll bitches
When I am with women.
Lyrical lethal like it was dope hard Moonshine
My rapping skills are deadly and potent.
Niggaz playin like cartoon time
People are acting foolishly and unrealistically.
He get tucked in the dark room time
He will be punished and hurt badly.
To a busta who done died, why?
To someone who deserved what happened to him.
All because he tried
Because he made a mistake.
Talkin about he don't bump us in his ride
Saying that he doesn't listen to our music in his car.
Nigga FUCK you
Screw you.
And the horse you rode on too
Disrespecting both the person and their mode of transportation.
You can't fuck with me
You cannot compete with me.
Unless you stressed to be an absentee perminately
Unless you want to be permanently absent or gone.
I don't bard no nigga talkin bout what he got
I don't listen to people bragging about what they have.
Until you show me somethin nigga you just talkin a lot
Unless you prove it, you are just talking nonsense.
Niggaz love to start shit
People enjoy causing trouble and drama.
Poppin that hard shit
Acting tough and aggressive.
Catch them alone and they convert to a broad quik
They immediately become vulnerable and scared when caught alone.
Where them niggaz at?
Where are those guys?
Who you said got yo back dawg?
Who did you say was supporting and defending you?
[ Ball they all fake, they puttin on a act dawg ]
They are all pretending to be something they are not.
Yeah you niggaz be trippin thinkin shit is sweet dawg
You guys are mistaken if you think everything is easy.
We gon' keep it raw until all my niggaz eat dawg
We will keep it real until everyone is successful and satisfied.
I'm a cool nigga
I am a chill and relaxed person.
But sometimes I act a fool nigga
But sometimes I do and say foolish things.
I'm certified in takin bitces to school nigga
I am experienced in teaching women a lesson.
The rule is for MJG to stack paper
My objective is to make money.
And fuck bitch niggaz up when they act hata
And hurt people who are resentful and jealous.
We do it for the streets
We are doing this for the people who come from the same place as us.
For them niggaz and them bitches tryna get up on they feet
For the people who are trying to improve their situation.
Haters get a hollow tip deep off in they fo'head
Detractors will be hurt badly.
All over some punk shit that bitch shouldn't have neva said
All because of some disrespectful words that person should not have said.
We got plenty connections
We have a lot of contacts and associates.
In all of the preferred sections
In all the best areas.
Potent elections fo' big playaz and bitches sexin
We have powerful opportunities for wealthy and promiscuous people.
Eightball and MJG
Our names.
Consider reckless, flawless
We are both daring and perfect in our actions.
You got blessed the day you saw this
You are lucky to have witnessed us.
Nigga realize you can't fuck with this
Understand that you cannot compete with us.
Get it hype, get it crunk, get it buck up in this bitch
Get excited and energetic in this environment.
Take no nigga Space Age
We don't tolerate disrespect.
Thug up in this shit
Be aggressive and tough in this situation.
Eightball, MJG we wuz up
We are up and active.
[ CHORUS: 2x ]
The Chorus is repeating twice.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: M. GOODWIN, PREMRO VONZELLAIRE SMITH, MARLON GOODWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind