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.
In The Line Of Duty
Eightball & MJG Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listen officer I know I got a traffic warrant
But yo wife got 3. So where the fuck is she?
You don't know
So you bring your personal problems back to your job
And every damn day you make it hard
You can't understand when you see a black man
Rollin in a new ride gotta pull him over and
Who in the fuck do you claim to be?
My help or my hurt cause you ain't did shit for me
See, every time I rolls and every time I walks
Every time I breathe and every time I talks
I'm always being heard or either being watched
By scary as white folks or crooked ass cops
They comin' they searchin'
They pat me on my ass
The sons of a slave owner's son from the past
I laughs, knowing that these fellas must be jealous
They want our autographs but they don't know how to tell us
It's crazy the way you treat my kind
You call this your job?
The system must have brainwashed your mind
I really resent the rules a cop abuse within a day
So if you keep talking that shit
Is it my duty to blow you away?
[MJG]
Punk ass, rookie ass, sissy ass motherfuckin' police.
Always in as motherfucker's shit
I just got out the motherfucking county
[8BALL]
I'm supposed to love America
But Amerikkka don't love me
The son of the slave of the father of this country
Free wasn't meant to be a luxury for you and I
Freedom came after many influential people died
In vain it seems, ain't a whole lot changed
They still crackin' whips and shacklin' up niggaz mayne
Projects ain't nothing but modern day plantations
And the masters reside at the police station
Replacing whips with berettas and clips on they hips
Quick to gang up on young brothas who make that grip
I used to think that stackin' papers would eliminate
lack of pussy to fuck and police that playa hate
I found out that a bitch is gonna be a bitch
And the police could give a fuck that a nigga'z rich
Old white men from the days of the cotton pickers
That used to ride around on pickup trucks lynching niggaz
That's them same peckrwoods actin' like a hoe
When they see a nigga moving in next door
In front of my own home rough me up and harass me
And say they did it all in the line of duty
[8BALL]
Coward ass police
Bustaz hiding behind a badge
All in a nigga face, cause you can bee strapped
I can be strapped too hoe!
Running with your gang
I'm runnin' with my gang bitch!
You know what I'm sayin'?
You betta steep off this Pimp shit hoe!
[MJG]
Here come the motherfucking plain clothes
Riding low-pro in a 4-door '95 Caprice
Trade mark of the police
Each and every damn Nigga, Wetback, and Hu Chank
Need to recognize 'fore your motherfucking ship sank
I don't think these laws have no love for minority
This is how I know it be
So FUCK the Majority!
Pick 'em out 1 by 1
Shoot 'em down with my gun
Take 'em to the woods no mistake
Concrete shoes in the lake!
I Hate playa hatin' perpetratin' cops!
The nerds of the school wanna run my fuckin' block
You wanna know my name well trick it's MJG
So miss me with that shit PST you'z a beast see
What in the fuck do you expect to gain?
Constantly pullin' me over
Constantly throwing your salt into my game
You lame, Weak Bustaz, can't do me
Especially when you're out or even in the line of duty
[8BALL]
I aint takin' it
Police hatin' the shit I represent
STREET SENSE, GLOCK TOTIN', RIPPIN' PIG'S CHESTS OPEN
Hatin' them like they hate me soon as they see
Another colored brother flappin in some luxury!
All in my ass with some gloves looking for some drugs
Dogs sniff my balls Hell Naw it ain't no love
Catch you slippin on your off-day and Spray yo ass!
Into thee past as I fire up one and hit the gas
I never did it but them bustaz make me wanna do it
Pull out the Tech in a sec'
And leave them in the street wet
But that won't solve nothing
All that'll do is get me time
So I choose to write this rhyme
And dick them hoes in every line
Sometimes, my mind wonders would the world be shocked
If we all did like Pac
And bucked cops when we got stopped
Betcha shit straighten up and start flying right
Bitch it's judgement night
In the line of duty
[MJG]
WTF y'all punk motherfuckers lookin' for?
WTF do you see?
Shit, gotdamn thang!
Talking about WTF you smell.
It ain't here, Bitch!
You can't prove shit!
Leave me the fuck alone, gotdamnit
Is my tags outta date hoe? hell nah gotdamnit
Do I gotta motherfucking traffic warrant? Fuck naw
Am I on yo motherfuckin' warrant list? Nah Bitch
So why thee fuck you all up in my motherfuckin' shit gotdamnit?
I can't help it cause your wife pussy aint hittin' right gotdamnit
I can't help it cause your son made straight F's gotdamnit
I ain't got shit to do wit that shit gotdamnit
I can't help it cause you ain't paid the mortgage yet bitch!
You ain't gotta put that shit out on me hoe!
I ain't got no record gotdamnit
I ain't been to jail you givin me motherfuckin hell hoe!
Get out my shit. Stay out my shit!
The song "In the Line of Duty" by Eightball & MJG confronts the issue of police brutality and racial profiling towards black men. The lyrics provide a raw perspective on the resentment and anger felt towards the police system, which is supposed to protect citizens, but instead perpetuates a cycle of oppression towards certain groups. The lyrics describe an encounter with a police officer who's bringing their personal problems to their job, and making it hard for the singer to live freely without being watched or stopped. The singer feels that they have done nothing to deserve this constant surveillance and is fed up with the constant harassment.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that America is built on systemic racism, and the singer feels that although they are supposed to love their country, America doesn't love them back. They describe how freedom was only granted to blacks after many influential people died, and although some progress has been made, the police system continues to oppress and target black men. The singer feels that they are being treated unfairly and wonders if it's their duty to fight back.
Overall, the song offers a powerful commentary on the ongoing issue of police brutality and racism in the United States. It sheds light on the lived experiences of many black people, who are targeted and oppressed by the very institution that is supposed to protect them.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen officer I know I got a traffic warrant
But yo wife got 3. So where the fuck is she?
MJG questions why a police officer is bothering him over a traffic warrant when the officer's own wife has multiple warrants herself
You don't know
So you bring your personal problems back to your job
And every damn day you make it hard
MJG accuses the officer of bringing his personal problems to work and making it difficult for him for no reason
You can't understand when you see a black man
Rollin in a new ride gotta pull him over and
Gotta check the inside, Hell
Who in the fuck do you claim to be?
MJG calls out the officer's tendency to racially profile and harass black men driving nice cars
My help or my hurt cause you ain't did shit for me
See, every time I rolls and every time I walks
Every time I breathe and every time I talks
I'm always being heard or either being watched
By scary as white folks or crooked ass cops
MJG feels that the police have not helped him in any way, and always feels targeted by either racist white people or corrupt cops
They comin' they searchin'
They pat me on my ass
The sons of a slave owner's son from the past
I laughs, knowing that these fellas must be jealous
They want our autographs but they don't know how to tell us
MJG describes how the police frequently harass him and other black people, but he finds it amusing because he thinks the officers are just jealous of their success
It's crazy the way you treat my kind
You call this your job?
The system must have brainwashed your mind
I really resent the rules a cop abuse within a day
So if you keep talking that shit
Is it my duty to blow you away?
MJG strongly objects to the way that police treat black people, calls out the system for brainwashing officers, and threatens to defend himself with violence if necessary
I'm supposed to love America
But Amerikkka don't love me
The son of the slave of the father of this country
Free wasn't meant to be a luxury for you and I
Freedom came after many influential people died
8BALL feels betrayed by America since its history of slavery and oppression makes it clear that freedom wasn't meant for people like him
They still crackin' whips and shacklin' up niggaz mayne
Projects ain't nothing but modern day plantations
And the masters reside at the police station
Replacing whips with berettas and clips on they hips
8BALL sees the continuation of oppression and brutality towards black people in the present day, with police acting as the new overseers who use guns instead of whips
Quick to gang up on young brothas who make that grip
I used to think that stackin' papers would eliminate
lack of pussy to fuck and police that playa hate
I found out that a bitch is gonna be a bitch
And the police could give a fuck that a nigga'z rich
8BALL points out that even if black men accumulate wealth, it doesn't protect them from police violence or sexism
That used to ride around on pickup trucks lynching niggaz
That's them same peckrwoods actin' like a hoe
When they see a nigga moving in next door
In front of my own home rough me up and harass me
And say they did it all in the line of duty
8BALL describes how the legacy of white supremacy and violence against black people still persists in the behavior of some police officers
I aint takin' it
Police hatin' the shit I represent
STREET SENSE, GLOCK TOTIN', RIPPIN' PIG'S CHESTS OPEN
Hatin' them like they hate me soon as they see
Another colored brother flappin in some luxury!
8BALL rejects the police's hatred towards him and people like him, and glorifies violent resistance
Sometimes, my mind wonders would the world be shocked
If we all did like Pac
And bucked cops when we got stopped
Betcha shit straighten up and start flying right
Bitch it's judgement night
In the line of duty
8BALL muses about the possibility of a violent revolution against police, believing that it would lead to systemic change and justice
WTF y'all punk motherfuckers lookin' for?
WTF do you see?
Shit, gotdamn thang!
Talking about WTF you smell.
It ain't here, Bitch!
You can't prove shit!
MJG angrily questions a police officer's motivations for searching him, noting that they have no evidence of wrongdoing
Leave me the fuck alone, gotdamnit
Is my tags outta date hoe? hell nah gotdamnit
Do I gotta motherfucking traffic warrant? Fuck naw
Am I on yo motherfuckin' warrant list? Nah Bitch
So why thee fuck you all up in my motherfuckin' shit gotdamnit?
MJG reiterates that he has no reason to be harassed or searched by the police, and angrily demands that they leave him alone
I can't help it cause your wife pussy aint hittin' right gotdamnit
I can't help it cause your son made straight F's gotdamnit
I ain't got shit to do wit that shit gotdamnit
I can't help it cause you ain't paid the mortgage yet bitch!
MJG sarcastically suggests that the police officer's poor personal life is the reason for their harassment and mistreatment of him
Contributed by Lillian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
J-Rock
This dropped in 1995!! Here it is 2020 and it's just as powerful and even more relevant today as it was back then!!
Calvin Heath
Yes it is
Darrio Crenshaw
Real story telling real rap
Brian Daniel
This song is relevant right now and exactly how I feel
Hustla Jones
I almost drop a tear every time I hear shit from the real days I swear.
Jerome McCarty
Real talk!
that_G_EvanP
Right?!!!
Thomas The Great
"Freedom wasnt meant to be a luxury for you and I.
Freedom comes after many influential people die."
10/10
kokevinny
"... in vain it seems. Ain't a damn thing changed!"
Mister Dagger
the thing about this song is it tells a story and you are listening indeed to it!! when i hear this song i kind of know how they felt about police injustice and discrimination, something history books wont tell you. this album is full of songs who tell a story and thats why 8ball and mjg are one of my fav rappers now