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Memphis, Tennessee

rappers 8 Ball & MJG’s latest album Living Legends has been

certified gold, moving over 500,000 copies.

The album, the

sixth in an impressive career that spans well over a decade, was the first release

by the duo for Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment

imprint.

People think just

‘cause we with Bad Boy we hangin’ with Puff and we done made it

and all that, but it’s not like that,” 8 Ball told AllHipHop.com.

“We’ve been knowing him and we always had a relationship with him

and it’s a lot more work, but that’s what we want, more work.”

That work ethic

has helped the group sell albums consistently throughout the years. Every album

the duo has released has been certified at least gold, while 8 Ball’s

solo debut album Lost from 1998, reached platinum status.

“We was just

doing our thing in the Southern region and in the Mid-West going gold and platinum,”

MJG added. “We just wasn’t getting that worldwide recognition; so

when it finally came, we was already ready because we had already been doing

it, We already had stacks of music done and it was already a pile of independent

companies out here. That’s why a so many Southern labels started getting

deals so fast. They was already ready with seven or eight albums worth of music,

just waiting for somebody to recognize the South.”

Currently, 8 Ball

is working on the follow up release to his 8 Ball Presents: The Slab

compilation, as well as a solo album from rapper Devius and his third solo album,

all of which will be released via his 8 Ways Entertainment.

MJG is working

on the follow up to No More Glory. The rapper’s untitled second solo

album will be released through his MJG music.

The key to their

longevity is simple, the pair said.

“You have

to grow extra nerves, and have more patience,” MJG revealed. “You

have to learn how to be a people person. You gotta bite your tongue sometimes

and be more political and all that type of s**t.”