8Ball Explains Bad Boy Break, Rewards Eminem W/ Rap Legend Status

Written By S. Samuel

Southern rapper 8Ball recently spoke on the reasons behind ending his business relationship with Diddy's Bad Boy Entertainment and Eminem being ranked as one of the best emcees in the game.

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While claiming there is no bad blood with Puff, 8Ball said his time on the iconic label was officially over.

“Yeah, I mean with the Bad Boy situation, man, I think it just kind of ran its course with us, man,” he explained. “I think there really wasn’t no more that could happen for us [over there] or whatever. I think everybody just kind of came to a decision that it would be best if we all just kinda be on our own and just move, you know, that was the best thing for everybody…Eminem, is like rapping plain old off the head and then his ideas and sh*t. He’s definitely one of the cats at the top of the [‘Rap Legend’] list; just his thought process. He still, off the top of the head, like dude can still rap about a cup on the table and make it sound interesting to a motherfucker you know what I’m sayin? And you know, he holdin’ it down.” (Vibe)

Rap mogul Irv Gotti previously questioned Eminem’s status as Vibe‘s No. 1 ‘Best Rapper Alive’ emcee.

Vibe did a thing and they had him as the No. 1 rapper,” Gotti said. “Sh*t like that kinda pisses me off. You know why? Because let’s take Eminem’s records. Watch my analogy. Eminem is a great artist, no doubt. He puts words together, he’s witty, a smart lyricist, a great lyricist. But how can we say the guy is the best rapper alive? Look at Hov…I been to battles with [DMX], Jay[-Z] and Ja [Rule], that was some real sh*t. Homie, you wouldn’t been able to survive…I say take Eminem, and let him say ‘Hard Knock Life.’ Still hot. Now, let’s have Jay-Z say the ‘We Made You’ song. They would laugh him out the f*cking building…It would be over.” (MTV)

8Ball & MJG joined forces with Diddy almost a decade ago.

8Ball & MJG eventually left Suave for a major label, JCOR/Interscope, in 2000, and then were signed by Diddy to Bad Boy Records, resulting in their most commercially successful album to date, Living Legends (2004). In addition, 8Ball & MJG recorded individually, the former by far the more prolific of the two. Despite never crossing over into the mainstream — none of their singles ever broke into the Billboard Hot 100, for example, not even once they signed to Bad Boy — and despite occasionally infrequent output, 8Ball & MJG persevered over the decades. (Billboard)

The rap duo have since begun their own business ventures.

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.” In addition to these Bad Boy albums, 8Ball revived 8 Ways Entertainment — a vanity label of his which had lain dormant since its 2001 debut on The Slab, an aforementioned various-artists compilation showcasing the talent assembled around the label — and secured a distribution deal with Navarre. A series of 8Ball-associated releases resulted, beginning with a 2006 re-release of The Slab, and subsequently including Montana Trax: The Boy Somethin’ Great (2006), Light Up the Bomb (2006), and The Vet & the Rookie. (All Music)

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Written by S. Samuel

Steven Samuel is the co-founder of SOHH.com.

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