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.
We Do It
Eightball & MJG Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah (Yeah)
Can you feel that nigga? (That's Right)
Nuttin but that gutta shit
Tre bar? Nigga (yeah)
Pimp tight
Spit truth to these niggas
You just like to hang around 'em
And run your mouth with bitches and tellin' em how you down
And tellin' em you da man
And tellin' em how you can have the dope
Sent straight to yo hands straight from ya pan
And you tired of yappin' ya mouth
And always talkin' bout
Who ya gon shoot and who ya gon knock out
See niggas talk all that shit thats why they need an army
And always talkin' about some killa nigga shit constant
But let the police pull a pistol on him quick fast
Now you a big 'ol bag a sugar with yo bitch ass
I come from [in a vile?] mothafuckin' killin
Drug dealin' where them niggas love grillin listen
I'm not tryin' to exaggerate like a lotta boys
Who run around with artillery like a lotta toys
You niggas ain't tough
You [point a] G goddamnit be
A time you shoulda left and gone home with your family
Mane we do it for money
Mane we do it for bitches
Mane we do it for riches
And pray to God that we do it
Mane we do it for family
Murder kidnap and hustle
They say life is a struggle
I can't stay outta trouble
Mane we do it for power
Bills heroin and weed
Mane we do it for momma
And them babies we feed
Mane we do it for family
Murder kidnap and hustle
They say life is a struggle
I can't stay outta trouble
Pop that (pop that) Pistol if you got that
Don't act (don't act) like it if you not that
I'm just (I'm just) a product of these dirty streets
We just (we just) a couple niggas tryna eat
Slow down (slow it down) never did I try ta do it
Orange mound (orange mound) nigga you done met the truest
8 ball (8 ball) MJ fuckin' G and now we
Represent (represent) Them niggas who just getting by
Hard times (hard times) money always ain't the cure
That's why (that's why) I ma take you on a tour
So deep (how deep) hold yo breath and dive in
Come with me (come with me) you'll never see this shit again
Inside (inside) where good and evil shit collide
Alotta niggas tried got locked up or got they brains fried
Ain't that (ain't that) a shame when you think about it
Its easy to get in it
But hard to get up out it
Mane we do it for money
Mane we do it for bitches
Mane we do it for riches
And pray to God that we get it
Mane we do it for family
Murder kidnap and hustle
They say life is a struggle
I can't stay outta trouble
Mane we do it for power
Bills heroin and weed
Mane we do it for momma
And them babies we feed
Mane we do it for family
Murder kidnap and hustle
They say life is a struggle
I can't stay outta trouble
[Verse 3]
Oh here you come again
Mister mouth runna (mouth runna)
Providin' a roof ova (roof ova)
to make a house unda (house unda)
You talk a good game (good game)
but you don't know a thang (don't know a thang)
bout what these streets can do to a nigga like you who lame (yeah)
You need to shut yo mouth (shut yo mouth)
That's what you need to do (need to do)
And stop believing all that bullshit they feedin' you (they feedin' you)
They don't believe in you (believe in you)
Even deceivin' you (deceivin' you)
Them hoes use you up its over now they leavin' you (they leavin' you)
And within three weeks (three weeks)
She done married ova (married ova)
That sucka deal with problems she done carried ova (carried ova)
You need to think about it (think about it)
Who really on yo side (who on yo side)
Not just in yo face tryna get summa what you got
Tryna count ya change (count ya change)
Wanna crush the mischief (crush the mischief)
You'll get cornered in and dealt with when you buck the system (buck the system)
So just stay strong (stay strong)
Listen to my song (to my song)
Its time to stop playin' homey and get ya hustle on (get ya hustle on)
Mane we do it for money
Mane we do it for bitches
Mane we do it for riches
And pray to God that we get it
Mane we do it for family
Murder kidnap and hustle
They say life is a struggle
I can't stay outta trouble
Mane we do it for power
Bills heroin and weed
Mane we do it for momma
And them babies we feed
Mane we do it for family
Murder kidnap and hustle
They say life is a struggle
I can't stay outta trouble
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
You know what we do it fa
We do it for that family
We do it for the murda, kidnap and hustle
Nigga tryna stay outta trouble
8Ball and MJG, Bad Boy, you know how we do this
We do it for murda yeah yeah for life
We do it to the mutha'. fuckin'. dirt
And pray to God that we get it
Foreva
Ya hear me?
Yeah
The song "We Do It" by Eightball & MJG is a reflection of the struggles and motivations of individuals in the ghetto, where one is forced to do whatever it takes to survive. The lyrics express the desperation and hopelessness of the people in the ghetto and the various things they do, such as drugs, murder, and kidnapping, to provide for themselves and their families. The chorus repeats the phrase "Mane we do it for money, Mane we do it for bitches, Mane we do it for riches, and pray to God that we get it" which highlights the driving force behind their actions.
The verses of the song are directed toward those who talk a big game about being tough but are not willing to do what it takes to survive on the streets. The lines "You aint no real ass nigga, You just like to hang around 'em" and "You niggas ain't tough, You [point a] G goddamnit be, A time you shoulda left and gone home with your family" emphasize the danger of pretending to be something you are not when it comes to gang-related violence.
The song is a powerful commentary on the social and economic factors that contribute to the perpetuation of violence and crime in the ghetto. It gives insight into the various struggles that people in the ghetto go through and the difficult choices they have to make to survive. The song's lyrics discuss both the negative and positive aspects of surviving in the ghetto and the vicious cycle of poverty that it creates.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah (haha)
Expressing amusement
Yeah (Yeah)
Agreeing with someone
Can you feel that nigga? (That's Right)
Asking if someone agrees with you
Nuttin but that gutta shit
Only doing things that are streetwise
Tre bar? Nigga (yeah)
Asking if someone is ready for the street life
Pimp tight
Being confident and cool
Spit truth to these niggas
Telling the truth to those who need to hear it
You aint no real ass nigga
Not truly living a street life
You just like to hang around 'em
Just enjoy the company of streetwise individuals
And run your mouth with bitches and tellin' em how you down
Boasting to women about your street credibility
And tellin' em you da man
Exaggerating your importance among your peers
And tellin' em how you can have the dope
Sent straight to yo hands straight from ya pan
Boasting about your drug connections
And you tired of yappin' ya mouth
Getting sick of boasting
And always talkin' bout
Who ya gon shoot and who ya gon knock out
Talking about violence without actually carrying it out
See niggas talk all that shit thats why they need an army
Talking tough requires having support
And always talkin' about some killa nigga shit constant
Constantly talking about killing people
But let the police pull a pistol on him quick fast
Getting scared when confronted by the police
Now you a big 'ol bag a sugar with yo bitch ass
Being cowardly when things get intense
I come from [in a vile?] mothafuckin' killin
Drug dealin' where them niggas love grillin listen
Being involved in the dark side of the street life
I'm not tryin' to exaggerate like a lotta boys
Who run around with artillery like a lotta toys
Not trying to be boastful like many others
You niggas ain't tough
You [point a] G goddamnit be
A time you shoulda left and gone home with your family
Telling wannabe tough guys that street life isn't for them
Mane we do it for money
Mane we do it for bitches
Mane we do it for riches
And pray to God that we do it
Mane we do it for family
Murder kidnap and hustle
They say life is a struggle
I can't stay outta trouble
Doing whatever it takes to provide for family, including illegal activities
Mane we do it for power
Bills heroin and weed
Mane we do it for momma
And them babies we feed
Mane we do it for family
Murder kidnap and hustle
They say life is a struggle
I can't stay outta trouble
Gaining power through drug dealing to provide for those you love
Pop that (pop that) Pistol if you got that
Don't act (don't act) like it if you not that
Telling people to only brandish firearms if they are willing to use them
I'm just (I'm just) a product of these dirty streets
We just (we just) a couple niggas tryna eat
Explaining how street life has led them to their current situation
Slow down (slow it down) never did I try ta do it
Orange mound (orange mound) nigga you done met the truest
8 ball (8 ball) MJ fuckin' G and now we
Represent (represent) Them niggas who just getting by
Taking pride in their origin and representing those who are struggling
Hard times (hard times) money always ain't the cure
That's why (that's why) I ma take you on a tour
So deep (how deep) hold yo breath and dive in
Come with me (come with me) you'll never see this shit again
Inside (inside) where good and evil shit collide
Alotta niggas tried got locked up or got they brains fried
Showing the gritty, harsh reality of the street life, where good and evil coexist and many fail
Ain't that (ain't that) a shame when you think about it
Its easy to get in it
But hard to get up out it
Reflecting on how difficult it is to leave the street life
You know what we do it fa
We do it for that family
We do it for the murda, kidnap and hustle
Nigga tryna stay outta trouble
8Ball and MJG, Bad Boy, you know how we do this
We do it for murda yeah yeah for life
We do it to the mutha'. fuckin'. dirt
And pray to God that we get it
Foreva
Ya hear me?
Yeah
Reiterating that everything they do is for family, and hoping it will be a long-lasting way of life
Contributed by Evan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.