Biography

1. 8Ball, born Premro Smith, is a rapper from Orange Mound in Memphis, Tennessee in the United States, and one half of a duo consisting of himself and fellow Memphis rap star MJG. 8Ball has his own label, 8 Ways Entertainment, and has released several solo albums.

He got started in the rap scene in the early 90s with MJG, whom he met at Ridgeway Junior High in 1984. However, thanks to the industry climate at the time that preferred rappers from the East or West Coast, 8Ball was largely ignored by the mainstream. Still, perseverance resulted in a strong underground following in the southern United States, and he was a legend there by the end of that decade. Traveling throughout the lower half of the country along with MJG, his music absorbed many of the elements of their destinations, perhaps most noticeably Texas and Georgia.

Unlike many of his peers, 8Ball has steered clear of legal and criminal trouble and has stuck to a reliable release schedule. He is currently signed to P. Diddy’s Bad Boy label.