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.
Shine And Recline
MJG Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I come and go and chill as I please
160 miles per hour on Greentrees
Really ain't no reason to try and pretend these
Hoes ain't down and willin' to bend knees
I ease
Up off of my gas to smash brakes
I'm gazin at a stout piece of ass at high stakes
I gots to get some glue in my life before I break
Shake rattle and roll hold the dice until I can't
It's time for G to toss up in the paint
Pimpin' ass real nigga
I squeeze big ass and big trigga
And leave hard weak ass niggas in big rivers
Who in the fuck got stuck you bucked and outta luck
Lookin to find trouble with me, now that's enough
Muthafuckas
I torture yo ass and make you suffer
I'm spittin real shit you false niggas can smother 'cause
[Chorus: ]
I know the flows that drops the hoes clothes
T makes the beats that heats the whole streets
If you got the time
Fine I got the rhyme
Shine and Recline
Vibe and sip wine
[Eightball]
I be the nigga who really don't give a fuck man
Rough and tough I'm puttin strain on your weak game
Hard and real dammit I never knew another way
Rappin bout the shit that happens round a nigga everyday
Life is hard and hoes ain't free, believe me
Ask them real G's dying in the penetentiary
Old and cold, ain't no love in the steel cage
It's all about your freedom in this muthafuckin space age
Some got chosen, some choose and lose
Some pay dues, snooze, and lose what they choose
I, be, PIMP NIGGA SUPREME!
Invest some cream and straight sell a ho a dream
Bust on wax and rip tracks by T-Mix
Hated 'cause I talk real shit bout a freak bitch
Peep this I don't give a fuck about what
Somebody say they can die & suck a nigga nuts
Cornbread fed south women luva
Money-makin black fat muthafucka
Can't no other duplicate mine
It's all fine while we shine and recline
[Chorus (2x)]
[MJG]
I'm pimpin hoes till they mind gone
My rhymes on now where my money bitch?
How many suckas you trickin and who you runnin with?
Some stunnin shit you layin down with plain fools
Her nigga want to send alumni back from school
Who you rule?
Not shit but yo mouth I brings proper shit to the ring
But shit you wear straight stops muthafuckas
Lookin for reason to start trouble
You come with that shit 10 shots gonna bust yo bubble
Like a teardrop
I can't feel the pain, just my ears pop
The bullet just an inch from your brain
Live and he'll stop
You talkin cash shit but you writin' them rubber checks
And still don't know the way to commit with a brotha yet
God Damn!
Is this shit ham or is it Spam
I thought I had a bottle of jelly and got jammed
In the blender a million degrees
Deep in December
The flashbacks weakened your mind so just remember 'cause
[Chorus (2x)]
In MJG’s song Shine and Recline, the artist talks about his life as a pimp and the struggles he faces while trying to make it to the top. MJG talks about how he can come and go as he pleases and how he can drive as fast as he wants, without a care in the world. He talks about how he has to get some “glue” in his life before he breaks and how he needs to make it to the top of his game, no matter what it takes. MJG's lyrics suggest that he is like a true "pimp" who doesn't care about the consequences of his actions and that he will do whatever it takes to be on top.
The song also features Eightball, who talks about his own life as a pimp and how he never knew another way. He talks about how life is hard, and how there is no love in the steel cage. He also talks about how some are chosen while others choose and lose. His lyrics suggest that despite the hardships he faces, he still wants to shine and recline.
Overall, Shine and Recline is an insight into the world of pimps, and how they view their lives and society.
Line by Line Meaning
I come and go and chill as I please
I'm a free spirit who doesn't conform to anyone's expectations or rules
160 miles per hour on Greentrees
I drive fast and live life on the edge
Really ain't no reason to try and pretend these
There's no point in pretending that these women aren't willing to do whatever I want
Hoes ain't down and willin' to bend knees
These women are willing to do anything to please me, including sexual acts
I ease
I take it easy and enjoy life
Up off of my gas to smash brakes
I slow down to ogle at attractive women
I'm gazin at a stout piece of ass at high stakes
I'm checking out a curvy woman and risking getting caught
To make it to the top of my game what will it take?
What do I need to do to achieve success?
I gots to get some glue in my life before I break
I need something to hold me together before I crack under the pressure of my life
Shake rattle and roll hold the dice until I can't
I take chances and risks until I can no longer do so
It's time for G to toss up in the paint
It's time for me to take action and make things happen
Pimpin' ass real nigga
I'm a real pimp who knows how to handle women
I squeeze big ass and big trigga
I handle big guns and big women with ease
And leave hard weak ass niggas in big rivers
I take care of anyone who gets in my way or disrespects me
Who in the fuck got stuck you bucked and outta luck
Whoever has a problem with me is out of luck and screwed
Lookin to find trouble with me, now that's enough
Don't mess with me or you'll regret it
Muthafuckas
An expression of frustration or anger
I torture yo ass and make you suffer
I'll make you suffer if you cross me
I'm spittin real shit you false niggas can smother 'cause
I speak the truth and don't care if fake people try to silence me
I know the flows that drops the hoes clothes
I know how to rap and talk to women in a way that makes them strip
T makes the beats that heats the whole streets
T-Mix makes the beats that everyone in the streets loves
If you got the time
If you have the time and willingness
Fine I got the rhyme
I have the talent and skills to entertain and impress
Shine and Recline
Live a luxurious and enjoyable life
Vibe and sip wine
Relax and enjoy the finer things in life
I be the nigga who really don't give a fuck man
I don't care what anyone thinks of me
Rough and tough I'm puttin strain on your weak game
I'm tough and intimidating to anyone who tries to challenge me
Hard and real dammit I never knew another way
I've always been authentic and unapologetic in my life
Rappin bout the shit that happens round a nigga everyday
I rap about the everyday experiences of black men
Life is hard and hoes ain't free, believe me
Life is tough and women aren't cheap or easy to handle
Ask them real G's dying in the penetentiary
Ask the real gangsters who are dying in prison
Old and cold, ain't no love in the steel cage
Prison is cold and unforgiving, with no love or compassion
It's all about your freedom in this muthafuckin space age
Freedom is everything in this modern era
Some got chosen, some choose and lose
Some people are chosen for success, while others make their own poor choices
Some pay dues, snooze, and lose what they choose
Some people work hard and succeed, while others are lazy and fail
I, be, PIMP NIGGA SUPREME!
I'm the ultimate pimp, and I'm proud of it
Invest some cream and straight sell a ho a dream
I spend money to make more money by selling women a false dream
Bust on wax and rip tracks by T-Mix
I rap on tracks produced by T-Mix and deliver great performances
Hated 'cause I talk real shit bout a freak bitch
People hate me for speaking honestly about promiscuous women
Peep this I don't give a fuck about what
Listen, I don't care what anyone thinks
Somebody say they can die & suck a nigga nuts
If someone disagrees with me, I don't care if they die or not
Cornbread fed south women luva
I love women from the southern US who know how to cook
Money-makin black fat muthafucka
I'm a rich and successful black man
Can't no other duplicate mine
No one can imitate or copy my style or success
It's all fine while we shine and recline
Everything is great as long as we live a luxurious and enjoyable life
I'm pimpin hoes till they mind gone
I'm controlling and manipulating women to the point where they lose their own sense of identity
My rhymes on now where my money bitch?
I'm doing well in my music career, but I want more money
How many suckas you trickin and who you runnin with?
How many men are you manipulating and who are you working with?
Some stunnin shit you layin down with plain fools
You're doing some impressive things despite being surrounded by mediocre people
Her nigga want to send alumni back from school
Her boyfriend wants to harm me and send me back to my old ways
Who you rule?
Who are you controlling and manipulating?
Not shit but yo mouth I brings proper shit to the ring
You're all talk and no action, while I bring real skills to the table
But shit you wear straight stops muthafuckas
Your attire and appearance commands respect and attention
Lookin for reason to start trouble
You're trying to provoke me into fighting or causing problems
You come with that shit 10 shots gonna bust yo bubble
If you keep acting up, I'll shoot you and end your nonsense
Like a teardrop
Swiftly and without warning
I can't feel the pain, just my ears pop
I'm so used to violence and danger that I barely feel scared anymore
The bullet just an inch from your brain
You're dangerously close to death
Live and he'll stop
If you live, I'll let you go without harm
You talkin cash shit but you writin' them rubber checks
You're talking big but you're not able to back it up with money
And still don't know the way to commit with a brotha yet
You don't know how to form a real connection with other black men
God Damn!
An expression of frustration, anger, or disbelief
Is this shit ham or is it Spam
Is this real, high-quality stuff or is it fake and low-quality?
I thought I had a bottle of jelly and got jammed
I thought I had something good, but it turned out to be bad or problematic
In the blender a million degrees
A chaotic and uncontrolled situation
Deep in December
In the depths of winter, a time of sadness or despair
The flashbacks weakened your mind so just remember 'cause
Your past experiences or traumas have weakened your mental state, so keep that in mind
Lyrics © Royalty Network Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: M.J. GOODWIN, PREMRO SMITH, T. JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind