Customer Reviews

Living Legends

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There isn't any doubt about Eightball and MJG's legendary status as pioneers from the south. They've been puttin' in down ever since "Comin' Out Hard" in 1993. All their albums are timeless classics - Ball and G always had their own style - both lyrically and musically. They never followed the mainstream - they set new standarts. Forget about all those clowns these days (Lil' Jon, Ludacris etc.) thinking they are ruling the south...
Anyway, after more than 3 years without an album, Eightball and MJG signed to Bad Boy South. Puff Daddy is a smart executive - he saw the way the South blew up, so he had to get someone for his own label - and who's better than those two guys?... Anyway, for the album itself - I've got mixed feelings about it. On some songs you get the same ol' Ball and G', spitting their wise lyrics about pimpin', hustlin' and just life... But on other songs, it was obvious Puffy wanted the album to follow the lead of mainstream rap these days. A few songs sound like Lil Jon made them, which isn't a good thing in this case - those kinds of beats don't suit Eightball and MJG's style. But it's also about the lyrics themselves - on the so-called mainstream influenced songs, the lyrics and songs topics don't fit the crew's style at all!! Some song suffer from way-too much hardcore and gangsta talk - something that doesn't fit Eightball and MJG's style anymore: they're some laidback pimps, not killers talking about shooting everyone! And when you sign with Bad Boy, you can't escape a stupid love song featuring 112... It's all Puffy's fault though - in order the album to sell platinum he felt it had to sound like the stuff that's selling these days. Anyway, more than half of the album is pretty amazing, both lyrically and musically. Eightball and MJG are still legends, when they were let to do their own thang! Best songs are "Memphis Blues", "We Do It", "Confessions". From the "mainstream songs" that are good, two stand up - the one featuring Lloyd (I can't believe it, but the boy drops a great hook) and "Look and my grill" (featuring T.I. who's verse you can barely hear, Twista who steals the show, and a typical yet very nice beat by Lil' Jon. He's not on the song so it's all good).
Overall, I like this album very much despite Bad Boy's influence on some songs. Eightball and MJG are still one of the best rap crews there's ever been and this album is one of the best to drop in 2004.

Although I had known about their CDs like "On The Outside Looking In", "Coming Out Hard", and "On Top Of The World", I never had bought an 8Ball & MJG CD. In 1998, I was heavy into No Limit Records and I heard a track on the "I Got The Hook Up" soundtrack called "Let's Ride" that was pretty tight. Then once I heard "Pure Uncut" which was a track with 8Ball, Master P, Mystikal, Silkk The Shocker and Psycho Drama, I was sold on finally purchasing their CDs. I bought 8Ball's "Lost" CD which included my favorite song "Coffee Shoppe" with 8Ball & Redman, MJG's solo CD "No More Glory" and eventually once they were relased, "In My Lifetime Volume 1" and "Space Age 4 Eva". Two of my favorite 8Ball collaborations are "Where I'm From" w/Mobb Deep on their "Murda Muzik" CD and "Ride(Down South)" w/Foxy Brown, Juvenile and Too Short from her "Chyna Doll" CD. You also can't forget about the 8Ball & MJG collaboration from Mase's 1st CD, "The Player Way".

When I first learned that 8Ball & MJG signed with Bad Boy I was a little skeptical at first. I know that Bad Boy does well as far as marketing their artists but I was worried that P Diddy might try to water them down a little bit. However, I was wrong. I happened to be watching Rap City one day and the video for "You Don't Want Drama" came on I was nearly speechless. I just remembered turning the volume on the TV real high and nodding to the beat of the track. When I heard the CD, "Living Legends" was coming out on May 11th, I knew I would buy this CD the day that it was released.

"Living Legends" definitely will reclaim 8Ball & MJG's spot in the Dirty South game, not that they ever lost their spot, but it had been a minute since they had the beats to back up their potent lyrics. The first single, "You Don't Want Drama" is clearly the best song on this CD. Shondrae definitely deserves props for this head nodding beat. Shondrae strikes twice on "Don't Make". In the video for "You Don't Want Drama", the video leaves from the club and then moves to the street, so I am thinking that they are still rapping the same song, come to find out that they had switched to "Don't Make". If you are a fan of any 8Ball & MJG singles, then you definitely need to get "Living Legends" for these two songs alone. However, they have more bangers for you as well. "We Do It" is produced by Nasheim Myrick, who has been making beats for Bad Boy artist for years. This song is as grimy as "Don't Make" as you are able to tell the chemistry that 8Ball & MJG have since they have been rapping together for so long. "The Streets" is another banger that features Bun B from UGK as he is tring to carry the UGK name on his shoulders while Pimp C is in jail. This is another song that can contend as best song on this CD. "Shot Off" features Ludacris as 8Ball & MJG join Luda for a lyrical free for all as all 3 rappers hold their lyrical weight throughout the song. "When It's On" features a nice beat by Yogi as you hear the beat and they have a nice piano drop throughout the song. "Look At The Grillz" features TI and Twista and is produced by Lil Jon. Lil Jon actually makes a beat where he's not screaming Yeah! and OK! throughout the whole track. This song should be the next single in my opinion, as TI and Twista are 2 of the folks that are holding the rap game down in their region right now. 8Ball & MJG are allowed to speak about their "Memphis City Blues" as well and to tell some personal "Confessions". The beat for "Memphis City Blues" has an old school feel to it as 8Ball & MJG speak a few lines about the town they represent.

Overall, if you are a fan of 8Ball & MJG's earlier CDs, you can't afford to pass up on "Living Legends". Being with P Diddy and Bad Boy has not watered them down at all and as a matter of fact they might be better than ever before. If you are a fan of the New South which would include Ludacris, David Banner, Lil Flip, Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz, TI and others then their is nothing wrong with going back to your Down South roots by picking up "Living Legends". Believe me, it will be worth your time.

James' Top 6

1) You Don't Want Drama
2) Don't Make
3) Shot Off w/Ludacris
4) The Streets w/Bun B of UGK
5) Look At The Grillz w/TI & Twista
6) Memphis City Blues

Before Outkast, Before The Geto Boys, Before Arrested Development, there was 8 Ball & M.J.G...the souths premire rappers and some of the greatest southern Mc's to ever grace the world of Hip Hop music. And while Ball and G may be legends thier new cd is anything but legendary, and there is one reason for that...Bad Boy Records. Bad Boy and Ball and G are so different from each other that when combining MJG's southern drawl and 8 Ball's Graspy Hardcore rhyming with Crunk beats it fails miserabaly and leaves with dissapointment:
1.Album Intro-N/A
2.You Don't Want Drama-B+(2nd Best Song On CD)
3.Straight Cadillac Pimpin-B
4.We Do It-C
5.The Streets-C+
6.Mad Rapper-N/A
7.Shot Off-F
8.When It's On-C
9.Trying To Get At You-C+
10.Baby Girl-C+
11.Get A Kit-N/A
12.Forever-B+(3rd Best Song On CD)
13.Look At The Grillz-C+
14.Living Legends-N/A
15.Don't Make-B-
16.Memphis City Blues-B-
17.Gangsta-B+
18.Confessions-A-(Best Song On CD)

When I first heard that Eightball and MJG signed to Bad Boy's new Bad Boy South Records, I was pretty pissed off because I figured that P Diddy's production was gonna be all over the album. But I was wrong. Even though they signed with Bad Boy Records they put together a very solid album. Everybody has heard the new single "You Dont Want Drama" which is the best song out now in my opinion. Other strong songs on the album are The Streets feat Bun-B, Shot Off feat Ludacris, Look At The Grillz feat TI and Twista, and Gangsta. The entire album is good. There isn't a bad song on the whole album. If you are an 8ball & MJG fan this is a must have. Dont sleep on this album, these boys from memphis always put it down so go and pick up this album along with their other albums.

ball and mjg are good lyricists lovede them since the first cd but what was they thinking by signing with puffy and bad boy this cd is good but without puff's involvement could have been better screw you puffy or whatever you go by now you just jocking the south cause they're hot right now.

Definitely on of the top 3 groups of the south and the 2 have been around for 13 years making records so the title fits. After being away for a while I expected better but still a decent album. Of the 6 group albums of there's I have, this is near the bottom, but they have plenty of good albums and plus this is on Bad Boy so it don't have the funk that Mo Suave Productions provided and it has a few radio friendly joints on it. Of the 14 songs on here, 5 are ok and 9 are good, no real great or bad song on here. Guests rap on 3 of the songs and do hooks on 5. Production is decent, Shondrae does 3 songs, Yogi & Vanex each do 2, and Nasheim Myrick, Wonda Twinz, Gorilla Tak, Lil Jon, Red Spyda, D-Dot, Cool & Dre all do 1 song. A good album for their fans but not their best.

#2 - 8.5
#3 - 8.5 (f/ Shannon Jones)
#4 - 8
#5 - 8.5 (f/ Bun B)
#7 - 7.5 (f/ Ludacris)
#8 - 7
#9 - 8 (f/ 112)
#10 - 6.5
#12 - 7.5 (f/ Lloyd)
#13 - 6.5 (f/ Twista & T.I.)
#15 - 8
#16 - 8.5 (f/ Corte Ellis)
#17 - 8
#18 - 8 (f/ Poo Bear)

EIGHTBALL -- Primro Smith -- b. around 1971 -- Memphis, TN
MJG -- Marlon Jermaine Goodwin -- b. 1/9/72 -- Memphis, TN

check all my reviews

This CDs tight but its not their usual kind of thing. I mean, it's like this, I'm a female and I think its tight - that should give you an idea of what the feel of the CD is like. It seems like it's alot of "Hey girl, lets get down" stuff and not so much like "We're gonna shoot up your house." I dunno it's tight though, definetly worth burning, and probably worth the money. You don't have to be a MJG/Eightball fan to like this.

These guys got me through my college years from 1994 to 2000. They taught me about standing on your own 10 toes. How to separate myself from the many fakes out there. I was a big fan during the Suave House years, I mean these guys were innovators. I really didn't want the Space Age Era to End. This Album to me is not their best but is still better than most stuff that's out. They stay true to themselves and I respect them for that. Cop this Album if you're true fan and Cop the Screwed and Chopped Album too.

I was hearing some hype about this album. All my boys would keep askin' me "Aiyo son I know you heard that new 8 Ball & MJG album". Im not really a 8 Ball & MJG head, but tha album came out real straight. Even though there are a couple of songs that I think could have been left off, they have some really good songs to cover the bad up. Especially "Dont Make" "You Dont Want Drama" "Its On" and "Forever" ft. Lloyd. If you like down south music, dont like down south music...this is still an album to take a listen to.

This album is the hottest album i've listened to in years. The first single "You Dont Want Drama" was a huge it in the clubs & the second single "Straight Cadillac Pimpin" wasnt the best song but " The Streets" featuring Bun B of UGK, is my second favorite song on the album. The best song on the album is "Look At The Grillz" a Lil' Jon beat featuring T.I. & Twista.