8Ball & MJG 

We Are the South (Greatest Hits)

Koch Records 

Rating: 3.5/4

Before 8Ball & MJG, music from Tennessee was solely equated with Elvis. With rap representation nonexistent in the South in the early ’90s, their label Suave House was to Memphis as Rawkus was to New York City. They were the South way before it was deemed “dirty.” Pioneers before they even knew it, the duo created hip-hop classics inspiring a movement to come a decade later. From adaptable cadences, soul-inspired melodies and obvious Southern charm, these cats made a statement, while solidifying their status as legends. By title alone, We Are the South rings true especially to all they influenced. Ironically, the blueprint they laid down was more lyrical and more melodic than a good majority of their successors. No dance crazes accompanied their tunes and finger snapping is indeed absent. Rather, songs like “Space Age Pimpin’” infuse funk, layered over with their signature homegrown drawls. Other tracks like “Starships & Rockets,” on the other hand, maintain the same sonic recipe while the group dabbles in Orwellian themes. Ball & G to this day however have not changed their formula. While songs like “The Artists Pay the Price” recognize their accountability on wax, they refuse to renege on tales of experience. We Are the South is a testament to an entire movement that was aided by 8ball & MJG being true to themselves.