Thug Life Army

Southern hip-hop pioneers 8Ball and MJG will be featured in the forthcoming book ''Country Fried Soul: Adventures in Dirty South Hip-Hop'' by Tamara Palmer (Backbeat Books/May 2005). They are featured in the "Foundations" chapter alongside Luther Campbell (former 2 Live Crew front man-turned free speech activist) and Too $hort (master of West Coast pimp flow).

Friends and musical partners since attending junior high school in the Orange Mound area of Memphis, Tennessee, 8Ball and MJG are part of a historical continuum of artists such as Al Green, Otis Redding, Booker T & the MGs, Isaac Hayes and the Bar-Kays.  After releasing platinum and gold albums and playing countless shows for over a dozen years as the premiere Memphis rap duo they are the perfect sources to describe how they and their peers are contributing to a long history of musical innovation in the South.

"If you truly understand and listen [to classic records], they''re saying the same things - just in their time, in their way, in their day," says MJG. "I like listening to it too ''cuz I''m trying to carry the vibe on. I want somebody somewhere listening to my CD 20 years from now and so if I give it that way, maybe I''ll get it back. If you talk to a blues artist or R&B artist about studio time that they used to do in the ''70s or ''80s or whatever, it's all pretty much the same. There are a lot of studios that have been here in Memphis for a long time, 20, 30, 40 years. In fact, we''ll be here for 20, 30 or 40 years."

After living in Houston for nearly a decade, 8Ball & MJG have come full circle with their lives and careers returning to their hometown of Memphis where they feel truly connected to the city and its rich musical history.

The group has had recent success once again with the 2004 Bad Boy Records release of the certified Gold album ''Living Legends'' which is currently in stores.  The group just recently shot the third video from the album "Forever" featuring Lloyd.  8Ball is currently setting up his new independent label 8Ways Entertainment which has a new distribution deal and will launch this summer.

Country Fried Soul also features a foreword by David Banner and original interviews with artists such as Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, Ludacris, Young Buck, Bone Crusher, Ying Yang Twins, Cee-Lo and Jazze Pha, plus extensive recommendations for singles, albums, magazines, Web sites and radio stations catering to the Southern sound. "King of Slang" E-40 is even on hand to assist in the glossary.