Their first full-length release on Bad Boy South finds Memphis vets 8Ball & MJG doing their best to balance that unique, gritty blues-influenced brand of hip-hop on which they built their long-running career with the more commercial aspects of 2000s Dirty South rap. The results on Ridin' High are just that -- a balance. The breakneck snares and chopped-and-screwed Biggie sample of "Relax and Take Notes," the chilling thump of "Whatchu Gonna Do," and the upbeat "Memphis" all provide ideal backdrops for 8Ball & MJG's hardcore rhyme schemes. In contrast, simplistic keyboard-driven cuts like "30 Rocks" and the generic "Cruzin," dominated by Slim of 112's R&B hook, are not up to the innovative duo's standards. Still, Ridin' High has its share of hot tracks and its best moments come courtesy of collaborations with fellow southern artists like Killer Mike, Project Pat, Pimp C, Al Kapone, and Juvenile.
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