8Ball & MJG is an American hip hop duo from Memphis, Tennessee. Consist of … Read Full Bio ↴8Ball & MJG is an American hip hop duo from Memphis, Tennessee. Consist of Premrose Smith (8Ball) and Marlon Jermaine Goodwin (MJG).The two rappers met at Ridgeway Middle School in 1984.

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.

The Streets
Eightball & MJG Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Off brand niggas we ain't fuckin' with y'all
Catch up with ya kind 'cause you ain't touchin' a dog
Imitation fake like Gucci suits niggas be wearin'
Nigga like me hit the room and all the bitches be starin'
I'm not fine I'm not cute, they just know I got some loot
Grippin' wood, lookin' good '24s make them choose
Nine times out of ten the bitches bad news
Hit the dick and start actin like a motherfuckin' fool

Clothes brand new from my T-shirt to my shoes
Pop a tag every day, that's what ghetto niggas do
Hustle hard, spread all the bread with my crew
When we in the club they be poppin' bottles too
We crunk and keep it hype and everybody know it's on
When my work hits the street watch how quick that shit be gone
I rap like I'm quick enough but catch 'em full of zones
When my work hits the street watch how quick that shit be gone, nigga

[Chorus]
Street niggas (keep your guns hit the traps
spend your bread on rims and ice, whatever them bitches like)
Street niggas (push it all hard or ball
sticky weed, whatever ya need, man we got it all)
Street niggas (keep your guns hit the traps
spend your bread on rims and ice, whatever them bitches like)
Street niggas (push it all hard or ball
sticky weed, whatever ya need, man we got it all)

I'm just a street nigga I keep my heat under the seat
If a, bum run up hope he got his gun up
From sundown to sunup I keep it with me
And I end up be unloadin' on y'all when y'all hit me
It's a grand shame that you niggas come from it but can't walk through it
What is it? I thought you knew it
It was the streets nigga, my seat used to hit it when I didn't have no wheels to go get it
M J fuckin' G droppin' these bars with no regards for snitches and fake broads
You ain't hard from steroids, nigga you big fraud
I remember when them bullets was takin' your lunch card
I'm a real ghetto politician
and what I gotta give in to motherfuckers who willin to try to vision
When a nigga spittin', Quit all the whinin' and bitchin'
Baby sharp, look and listen, pay attention to what you been missin'
It's the

[Chorus]

Yea come on
Street niggas, street niggas
We sittin' on leathers and we grippin' on wood (Streets is watchin')
We makin plenty bread and reppin' our hood (Streets is watchin')
Money over bitches, man it still all good (Streets is watchin')
We makin plenty bread and we reppin' our hood (Streets is watchin')

What can I say about these streets that I be walkin'?
Not too much 'cause where I from niggas ain't motherfuckin' talkin'
We'd rather listen and watch
Tryin' to flex and guard their clothes and Baume and Mercier watches
Tryin' to get my gloss on
I paid the 'cause' to be the boss on these corners where ballin' niggas floss on
Haters get tossed on, 5-0 get ? and out of towners get robbed
and drop that, can't nobody gonna stop that
See it was like this before me
So if you think it's time to change, nigga show me
Obviously you don't know me It's time that you learned
niggas that try to hold me on my grind, they get burned
I'm down from P.A., man, West side to the east, fool
(Aw come on Bun be, dude what about peace?)
Fuck peace, fool
You want some love, ask your momma or the lord
Bitch I'm down with pimps see, UGK be goin harder

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The song "The Streets" by Eightball & MJG is a tribute to the street culture and the lifestyle that comes with living in the ghettos. The lyrics talk about the struggles of life on the streets, the importance of sticking together with one's crew, and the necessity of keeping one's guns close. The song attacks fake people who try to imitate the gangsta lifestyle and the brands they wear.

The first verse calls out off-brand people and talks about how they cannot keep up with the real dogs on the streets. The rapper boasts about his superior style and the attraction he has towards women. He talks about his brand-new clothes and shoes and how he pops tags every day, just like other ghetto people. He also mentions how he and his crew hustle hard, and when they go to the club, they party with the best of them.

The chorus is a representation of the street culture. The artists urge others to keep their guns close, spend their money on rims, and ice whatever the women want. They talk about pushing hard, smoking sticky weed, and being capable of fulfilling any need that arises on the streets. They also talk about how they rep their hoods and make plenty of bread.

The second verse is a continuation of the first. The rapper talks about how he keeps his heat under his seat and how he always keeps a watchful eye. He mentions his love for the streets and the shame he feels for those who come from it but cannot walk through it. He plays the part of the ghetto politician, giving the people what they want and trying to ensure that the streets run smoothly. He also mentions the need to pay attention to all the happenings on the streets so that one does not miss anything important.

Overall, the song is a celebration of the street culture and the lifestyle it brings, complete with all its struggles and dangers. The lyrics paint a picture of a world that is not easily accessible to everyone but is beautiful and full of life, music, and friendship.

Line by Line Meaning

Off brand niggas we ain't fuckin' with y'all
We don't associate with fake people who try to imitate us

Catch up with ya kind 'cause you ain't touchin' a dog
Stay in your lane because you can't keep up with us

Imitation fake like Gucci suits niggas be wearin'
People who imitate us are as fake as those Gucci suits they wear

Nigga like me hit the room and all the bitches be starin'
I attract attention from women because they know I have money

I'm not fine I'm not cute, they just know I got some loot
Women aren't attracted to my looks, but to my money

Grippin' wood, lookin' good '24s make them choose
Having nice rims on my car makes women want to be with me

Nine times out of ten the bitches bad news
Most women who are attracted to me are troublemakers

Hit the dick and start actin like a motherfuckin' fool
After sex, women start acting irrational and dramatic

Clothes brand new from my T-shirt to my shoes
I always wear new clothes from head-to-toe

Pop a tag every day, that's what ghetto niggas do
I buy new clothes so often, I still leave the price tag on

Hustle hard, spread all the bread with my crew
I work hard and distribute the money I make with my peers

When we in the club they be poppin' bottles too
People in the club are drinking expensive alcohol and we are too because we have money

We crunk and keep it hype and everybody know it's on
We party hard and get everyone excited

When my work hits the street watch how quick that shit be gone
My drugs sell quickly when I hit the streets

I rap like I'm quick enough but catch 'em full of zones
I rap as if I'm fast, but I also sell drugs and get people high

Street n***as (keep your guns hit the traps spend your bread on rims and ice, whatever them bitches like) Street n***as (push it all hard or ball sticky weed, whatever ya need, man we got it all)
Being a street n***a involves selling drugs, having guns, making money, and spending it on luxury items that attract women

I'm just a street nigga I keep my heat under the seat If a, bum run up hope he got his gun up From sundown to sunup I keep it with me And I end up be unloadin' on y'all when y'all hit me
I am just a street thug who carries a gun with me all the time, in case an attacker approaches me

It's a grand shame that you niggas come from it but can't walk through it What is it? I thought you knew it It was the streets nigga, my seat used to hit it when I didn't have no wheels to go get it M J fuckin' G droppin' these bars with no regards for snitches and fake broads You ain't hard from steroids, nigga you big fraud I remember when them bullets was takin' your lunch card I'm a real ghetto politician and what I gotta give in to motherfuckers who willin to try to vision When a nigga spittin', Quit all the whinin' and bitchin'
It's unfortunate that some people come from the streets but can't handle it, I had to walk because I couldn't afford a car. I don't care about snitches and fake people. You are not tough just because you use steroids. I know you used to get bullied when we were younger. I am a community influencer who motivates those who are willing to see their vision. Stop complaining when someone is giving you real advice.

Yea come on Street niggas, street niggas We sittin' on leathers and we grippin' on wood (Streets is watchin') We makin plenty bread and reppin' our hood (Streets is watchin') Money over bitches, man it still all good (Streets is watchin') We makin plenty bread and we reppin' our hood (Streets is watchin')
We are street thugs, we wear high-quality leather and have nice rims on our cars, making lots of money representing our community. We prioritize money over women, but everything is still good because we are successful. We make money and represent our community.

What can I say about these streets that I be walkin'? Not too much 'cause where I from niggas ain't motherfuckin' talkin' We'd rather listen and watch Tryin' to flex and guard their clothes and Baume and Mercier watches Tryin' to get my gloss on I paid the 'cause' to be the boss on these corners where ballin' niggas floss on Haters get tossed on, 5-0 get ? and out of towners get robbed and drop that, can't nobody gonna stop that See it was like this before me So if you think it's time to change, nigga show me Obviously you don't know me It's time that you learned niggas that try to hold me on my grind, they get burned I'm down from P.A., man, West side to the east, fool (Aw come on Bun be, dude what about peace?) Fuck peace, fool You want some love, ask your momma or the lord Bitch I'm down with pimps see, UGK be goin harder
Walking these streets means a lot to me, but I would rather observe than talk about it. People who brag and show off their expensive watches deserve to be robbed. I paid my dues to be respected in my community. Haters and out-of-towners always get what's coming to them. If you think the streets need to change, I challenge you to step up and show me. Those who try to hold me back will face the consequences. I represent both sides of Pennsylvania, and I don't care about peace. If you want love, look elsewhere. I associate with pimps and UGK because they go hard.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CALVIN BROADUS, WILLIAM CALHOUN, NATHANIEL D HALE, JR., SCOTT STORCH, SCOTT SPENCER STORCH, J. GOODWIN / BERNARD FREEMAN / MARLON, PREMRO VONZELLAIRE SMITH

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