The two shared a passion for hip-hop, which hadn't yet made a strong impact in the South, and formed their own rap duo, 8Ball & MJG. They made their recording debut in 1991 with a three-track single, Listen to the Lyrics, released on cassette and 12" vinyl by On the Strength Records, an independent label. (These early recordings for On the Strength would later be reissued in 1997 as Lyrics of a Pimp and also in 2000 as Memphis Under World.) 8Ball & MJG subsequently signed a deal with Suave Records (aka Suave House), a Houston, TX-based label run by Tony Draper. 8Ball & MJG's debut full-length, Comin' Out Hard (1993), produced partly by MJG, was the inaugural release by Suave, which would grow to become one of the premier Southern rap labels of the decade. Now considered a milestone, Comin' Out Hard was among the first Southern rap albums to get widespread recognition, opening the door for other pioneers such as Three 6 Mafia, Master P, and Cash Money Records.
8Ball & MJG recorded a few additional albums for Tony Draper throughout the remainder of the decade -- On the Outside Looking In (1994), On Top of the World (1995), In Our Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1999) -- and did much to foster the growth of Suave, regularly being featured as guests on the label's other releases. Plus, 8Ball and MJG each branched out for solo projects, Lost (1998) and No More Glory (1997), respectively, both released by Suave. In 2000, 8Ball & MJG left Suave and switched to JCOR Entertainment, a short-lived rap label founded by Jay Faires, for the release of Space Age 4 Eva. The album, which notably featured production by Swizz Beatz and DJ Quik, was a departure for 8Ball & MJG, who heretofore had worked more or less exclusively with regional producers. The album spawned a pair of minor hits, "Pimp Hard" and "Buck Bounce," the duo's first to first to get national, opposed to regional, airplay. In 2001, JCOR released a pair of 8Ball albums -- The Slab, a various-artists compilation, and Almost Famous, a proper solo album -- but the label then ran into trouble and went out of business, leaving 8Ball & MJG without a recording contract.
After a couple years in limbo, Bad Boy Records, helmed by Diddy, picked up 8Ball & MJG and released Living Legends (2004), the duo's most star-studded album to date. "You Don't Want Drama," the lead single, became 8Ball & MJG's biggest hit ever, reaching number 30 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, while Living Legends itself likewise became the duo's best-selling, debuting at number three on the Top 200 album chart and topping 500,000 in sales. 8Ball & MJG's second Bad Boy album, Ridin High (2007), was less successful, though, despite debuting well at number eight and spawning a strong lead single, "Relax and Take Notes."
Ball & MJG are now signed to T.I.s Grand Hustle lable.
MJG has released 2 solo Albums in 2008 titled Pimp Tight & This Might Be The Day.
Armed Robbery
MJG Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Now I was clicking out my barrel just to see if it was loaded
checking out it's bullets just to make sure it won't explode this
hand around of the handle of my snub no skill
stood around the corner while I cased out the bank
busted in the door and stuck the guard wit' a shank
ran up to the counter pull the gun out wit' the quickness
shot the bank teller so it wouldn't be a witness
fled out the door with the money in my left hand
still in my right hand running like a wild man
ran to the hide-a-way knowing they was after me
burned out my id stole a jeep Cherokee
couldn't be late for my trip to Jamaica
heading to the river skeeming up on how to take a
boat from a victim, rush right up and stick him
with a sharp object making sure that I get him
put it to the river, see, nervous as a lunatic
jumped out of the veichle as borrowed me a boat quick
jumped on with the gun, soughter on the break and run
shot with the gat, in the back, like in Vietnam
quickly making waves in the river as I ran fast
got a mile in the boat ran out of gas
oh no Joe! the cops can't get me...
I'll never be wanted for armed robbery
(Eightball)
On the other side of town
moving quickly rolling swiftly in da hoopty ride
loading up the nine cause there just my be a homicide
MJG know the plan so the shit is on
by the time 5-0 come we'll be through and gone
got to the area, stop then took a glance
puttin' on the ski mask, stuffing the gat in my pants
where I saw the right on time, now it's time for the crime
do the crime waste no time then I'm going to get mine
waited for the door to open shot the first trick I saw
then shot the other fool I ain't thinking 'bout no law
jumped in the truck put the pedal to the medal
then fired up a square man doing about 1-10
looking in my rear-view 5-0 everywhere
messing up my plans with them helicopters in the air
headed for the airport, wait I see a road block
hit the gas even harder fool I ain't gonna stop
crash through the road block they ain't gonna get me yet
J-Smooth waiting at the airport with a private jet
jumped out of the truck with fast P's right behind my ass
running trying to shoot my nine holding bags full of cash
jumped on the jet now we set to hit the runway
took to the air yea I got away scott-free
fired up a Mac j P's didn't catch me
countin all my money from a strong armed robbery...
(MJG)
You thank it's over but it ain't
cause I can't get caught by authority
the camera at the bank got me ganked so they know it's me
reached for artillery, put the shank in my mouth
dove off the boat to the river and I bailed out
swam like a fish greeted land with a kiss
did I hit or did I miss well it goes like this
I put the money in the spot
took the clothes that I got
tied them up in the bag same place I put the mask
changed clothes in between spots
hands, spot-see
the designated area we call spot-be
see I can't be broke so I come up with a plan
the man, money soon in they hand
get over get up and jet
bounce the set
the longer you stay the quicker you get arrested
MJG testing his strategy..
wit' a slick armed robbery
(Eightball)
Flying through the air on my way to Jamaica
thinking about why I took the money for the faka
me living poor and wishing to be richer
and me like Picasso I had to paint a picture
of people dying rapidly, trying to imprison me
just because I took a little money in a robbery
landed in Jamaica chilling with the dreads
smoking on the gunja messing with my head
the feds came behind me hit me with a billy club
I fell to the ground, turned around pumping slugs
jumped up quick, ditched the gun as I ran away
ran to the hills where I hid for a few days
no, I'm not the one that they will catch soon
bought me a palace in the hills wit' a hundred rooms
I got the money, got the women, got the be -you-D
I plead guilty to armed robbery!
The song "Armed Robbery" by MJG tells a vivid story of two men planning and committing a bank robbery, fleeing from the police, and finally getting caught. The first verse by MJG describes his preparation for the robbery: checking his gun, casing the bank and then busting in, killing the bank teller and stealing the money. He then flees from the bank, steals a Jeep Cherokee and heads towards Jamaica with the money. In the second verse, Eightball takes over and describes his part in the robbery and how he flees from the cops with his accomplice, MJG, in a high-speed chase. The two eventually crash through a roadblock and make their escape with the stolen money, flying away in a private jet to Jamaica. In the final verse, MJG is shown to have been caught and confesses to the armed robbery.
The lyrics of "Armed Robbery" paint a vivid picture of the intense planning and execution of the robbery, as well as the panic and fear of being pursued by the police. The story is told in a manner that glamorizes the crime, but with a strong note of cautionary tale at the end as both perpetrators are ultimately caught. Overall, the song serves as not only a piece of musical entertainment, but also as a commentary on the grim reality of a life of crime and the inevitable consequences of illegal activities.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: M.J. GOODWIN, PREMRO SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind