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
Eightball & 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 lyrics of Eightball & MJG's "On Tha Outside Lookin' In" tell a vivid story of a man who's been sentenced to seven years in prison. He reflects on how his history has led him to this point and how the laws have surrounded him with walls, both physical and metaphorical. He explains that he's only got his love for the streets, a need to learn and teach, and a lust for the present moment because he can't think about the future.
The singer talks about how his lady sends pictures of herself, but he can't touch her. He is living a life far from home, and the only important thing to him is surviving in prison. He reflects on the fact that the system seems designed to keep black men down, with lawyers who snitch and judges who are kin. In order to cope with the negative aspects of his environment, the singer surrounds himself with the people who respect him: the real niggaz. And he disregards traditional education to make money quickly.
The lyrics of "On Tha Outside Lookin' In" represent the harsh realities of life in prison and how it can turn a person's life upside down. The song highlights the impact of the system that over-polices and incarcerates people, especially black men. The lyrics reveal how the prison environment creates isolation and cuts people off from their loved ones, forcing them to rely on their own wits and the support of their peers to endure.
Line by Line Meaning
The hammer hit the table leaving me with 7 years
I was sentenced to 7 years in prison and it feels like a crushing blow.
My history was shit so I could'nt shed a tear
I have a bad past and I am unable to cry about my current situation.
My future was a wall, surrounded by a cage
My prospects for the future are bleak and I feel trapped by my imprisonment.
Them laws got me locked down damn at an early age
I was imprisoned at a young age because of the laws that are stacked against me.
The only thing I got is a lust for the streets, the shit I gotta learn / And the shit I gotta teach
All I have left is my love for the street life and the lessons I've gained from it.
I'm living for the minute, muthaf**k a whole hour
I am only concerned with the present moment, not the future.
And I aint pickin shit up when It falls in the shower
I don't care about small inconveniences and problems anymore.
My lady sends me pictures with her pussy in the air, / but she aint really there / So I don't really care
My girlfriend sends me sexually explicit photos, but it doesn't matter because she's not here with me anyway.
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
My only comfort is the food I receive, I have nothing else to rely on.
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
I need to find a way to succeed in this difficult situation and gain confidence to endure it.
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
The system has trapped and betrayed me, from the lawyers to the authorities, everything is rigged against me.
My muthaf**kin phone and the judge was his cousin
My phone was tapped and it was revealed that the judge was related to one of the people who arrested me.
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
It's hard to maintain a positive mindset when the environment around me is so negative, so I gravitated towards people who understand me and accept me for who I am.
'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
Even MJG, someone who is respected in the streets, had to live by the same rule to survive: stay calm, ignore traditional education, and just make money by any means necessary.
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
If you haven't been through what I've been through, you can't fully comprehend my situation. But if you were in my shoes, you would understand and likely 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
You can't expect the system to help you, they only put you in the ghetto and keep you there.
See deep down in my heart I had this urge to go astray / And knock out all my problems in one ordinary day
Sometimes I feel like retaliating or acting out against the system in a violent way to solve all my problems at once.
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
The system has made me paranoid and suspicious, even of myself. They find ways to punish and ruin people for small mistakes or moments of weakness.
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 can't associate with those who have abandoned their integrity and morals, even if they are also black. I don't respect those who engage in senseless violence.
I'm in the Pen, you outside lookin in
I am trapped in prison, while you are free and watching from the outside.
Contributed by Isaac B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.