Aging does not become most hip-hop artists, nor do reunions. However, there are always exceptions that prove the rule and, apparently, In Our Lifetime, Vol. 1 is one of those cases. Eightball MJG went on hiatus in 1998, and they both released solo albums that weren't bad but weren't particularly noteworthy, either. Their reunion on In Our Lifetime, Vol. 1 is another story altogether. Working with producers Organized Noize, T-Mix, and Black, the duo has found an appealing variation on the Dirty South sound -- a smooth groove that recalls classic late-'70s/early-'80s funk, while taking chances with its drum machine rhythms and the overall sonic texture. Even the hardest-hitting cuts, Get It Crunk and We Started This, have a spacy feel to their production. It all holds together, and none of the guest artists -- including Cee-Lo, Big Duke, Nina Creque, and OutKast -- detracts from Eightball MJG, who have written some of their finest lyrics yet. The entire album is designed as an oral history of their past, and since they have a loose narrative to follow, they've wound up creating their most coherent -- and arguably best -- album yet. Very few rappers could claim to get better with age, but it seems like Eightball MJG may be doing just that. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

1		Intro
2		We Started This
3		Paid Dues
4		Do It How It Go
5		Don't Flex
6		Belly
7		Daylight
8		We Don't Give A Fuck
9		Get It Crunk
10		Armed Robbery
11		Love Hurts
12		Nobody But Me
13		Throw Your Hands Up
14		Speed