XZIBIT - KINGMAKER (Official Discussion)

[WCThang]

Listened to it 2 times now, I like all the songs, realy love the beat sellection, there are no bad songs on this album, the only thing I don’t like is the autotune on the Dre track, but still a dope song and Dre killed the beat! Another classic from X! Hé still got it! 

Facts! Such a dope album!

[Mr. Sunshine]

The album really isn't bad, but with most of the tracks, Xzibit always has good lyrics, but the beats don't really fit in my opinion! I think Dr. Dre was the problem. Let's take the Dr. Dre feat. The hook is just awful, and on that track you can hear exactly what Dr. Dre contributed. I think the track was better without the hook by $
and that was exactly my problem with the album the beats
and almost every track ends abrupt, one would have preferred to leave out 1-2 tracks

[The Predator]

Xzibit’s 9th Album “Kingmaker” Shares Knowledge Attributing to His Success (Album Review, LWND)




Xzibit is a 50 year old MC, actor, television presenter, radio personality & record executive from Los Angeles, California starting as a member of the Likwit Crew collective. His first 2 full-lengths At the Speed of Light and 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz under Nightz under Loud Records & RCA Records were prominently bout around the traditional boom bap sound, forming his own label Open Bar Entertainment & fulfilling a 1-album deal with Epic Records for my favorite of his Restless. X later signed to Columbia Records to put out Man vs. Machine & Weapons of Mass Destruction, opting to release Full Circle & Napalm independently through distribution by MNRK Music Group & EMI Records respectively. Over a decade later, Mr. X to the Z is joining former UFC Featherweight & Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor’s newly formed Greenback Records to back his 9th studio LP.

“Play This at My Funeral” was a tight boom bap single to start off the rollout suggesting to say it with your chest if you want to make it out in the west whereas “Everywhere I Go” produced by Dem Jointz thunderously talks about rockin’ both coasts regardless of where he’s at. “Been a Long Time 2”recaptures the energy of a Restless highlight avoiding a conversation that was had almost 25 years ago while “The Moment” featuring Busta Rhymes & Jason Martin formerly known as Problem promises to fuck up any pussy on sight over a boisterous Focus… beat.

The horns on “Earth is Over” were a nice touch dismissing these muhfucka out here for being actors instead of experiencing the hardships of the streets like X has just before “Leave Me Alone” featuring Dr. Dre hooks up some organs with the help of Swizz Beatz so both of them can talk about wanting to have some peace. “Belly of the Beast” featuring Jason Martin aggressively tells everyone to manifest their destinies & making them into reality, but then the sample-driven “History” nods some of the albums that’ve inspired him.

“Genesis” finds him telling this woman that he can be her everything acting all innocent & her becoming his origin or beginning of something while “Perfect Alibi” makes his own a statement under suspicion of a crime he was in a different place around the time the offense was committed. “American Idol” featuring Symba goes for a soulful flare courtesy of Sndtrak explaining that they’re make to kill they own through circumstances they were given while “Crash” featuring Royce da 5’9” reminds us the million ways to die.

Ice Cube appears for the final single “For the Love”sampling “Quiet Storm” by the late Prodigy feeling the rain almost as hard as they did when they fell in love while DJ Battlecat provides a g-funk groove to “Shut Yo Mouth” featuring Compton AV clapping back at the people who’ve been doubting them. “Higher” featuring B-Real & Redman unites the trio for a funky weed smoker’s ballad clocking at 2 & a half minutes while until will.i.am flips “Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)” by N*E*R*D throughout “Success” breaking down what that means to X.

Likwit Crew founder King T preludes his upcoming final album with his own solo joint “Notified” proving that he’s still got it 4 decades later with Beat Butcha taking it into rap rock territory while DJ Khalil turns the funk up once more during “What U Like” featuring Guapdad 4000 talks about having fortunes on both of their sides. “End of the Day” featuring Domo Genesis & Tre Capital encourages everyone to do whatever it takes for them when it’s all said & done while the title track finishes by asking if you’re ready for the throne or something greater.

Kingmaker reads as more of a sign that he wanted to share his knowledge of the good, the bad, the ugly, the ups & downs he’s faced throughout his life & career that he attributes to making him successful rather than getting called royalty or sitting on the throne & being a part of some kind of hierarchy, which I ultimately feel improves on everything that made Napalm feel so mature during my sophomore year in high school over a decade ago. It may be the best he’s sounded production-wise in over 2 decades & yet, he hasn’t lost a step with the pen & the guests hold their own weight.

Score: 8/10

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California Love: Xzibit

Red Bull

More than a decade since his last LP, West Coast legend Xzibit returns with Kingmaker—an album that speaks to his legacy and offers the keys to his success.



The clear skies over Los Angeles on this morning in March mirror a shimmering pool at a Bel Air mansion—the kind that makes you instinctively reach for a pair of sunglasses and consider an impromptu road trip. Today’s drive to the San Fernando Valley is less spontaneous. This is where the platinum-selling rapper, actor and business mogul Xzibit awaits us at his personal recording studio.
On site for a photo shoot with The Red Bulletin, X, whose reputation precedes him, greets the team with a wide and radiant smile. Ever the affable host, he thanks everyone for taking time out of their day to come and work on the shoot. Surveying the collection of photographers, editors, writers and publicists, he dissolves any lingering professional stiffness with a declaration regarding the calendar that only he has realized. “Happy Saint Paddy’s Day!” he shouts. His reminder about the Irish holiday, delivered with genuine enthusiasm, momentarily shifts the attention from the lens and lights to the day’s more festive occasion, which may or may not be recognized with a few alcoholic beverages a couple hours later. But while St. Patrick’s Day brings its own revelry, the day’s true focus is the return of Xzibit, back with his first solo album in 13 years.

Despite his standing as a West Coast icon, X’s path to stardom began in the Midwest. Born in Detroit, the 50-year-old rapper, whose real name is Alvin Joiner, credits the Motor City as the place where his heart and soul were forged. “A lot of my DNA comes from being around that at birth,” he explains. But after his mother passed away when he was 9, Xzibit’s father, who later remarried, moved him out to Albuquerque, New Mexico—a stark contrast that the youngster resented. “It was like I was in limbo,” he recalls. “Being that I was coming from a city and taken into a desert, and not really having any of the connecting points that I was used to, I was really angry and really rebellious.”

That rage manifested in some questionable and reckless decisions, which X now acknowledges were detrimental. So, at 18, when he moved to Los Angeles, he was fresh off the street. “I didn’t know who I was or what direction I wanted to go in,” he admits. This uncertainty began to dissipate when Xzibit’s path intersected with Compton rapper King T and underground L.A. hip-hop trio Tha Alkaholiks. Both acts took the young upstart under their wing, providing his first opportunities to rap in the big leagues. His debut on a professional record was on Tha Alkaholiks’ “Hit and Run” in 1995, followed by an appearance on King T’s “Free Style Ghetto” shortly thereafter. Besides these exciting career wins, X also became a father for the first time with the birth of his son, Tremayne, who now himself raps under the moniker Tre Capital.
“When I talk about the West, I talk about the establishment of me. I found my voice,” Xzibit says, before adding that, while he always shows love to the other places he’s called home, the type of kinship he feels for Los Angeles is unparalleled. “I feel like I was made in L.A.” Not only did Los Angeles help shape Xzibit and his identity; it was also home to some of his favorite artists, including Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Eiht, Tha Dogg Pound and Above the Law, many of whom he encountered early in his career. “The West Coast was definitely an attractive place for me to be,” he says. “So when I got here, I was meeting these people for the first time. It was surreal to be a fan of the music and now I’m part of the very fabric that makes it what it is.”




Xzibit attributes his early career success in part to his unwavering commitment to embracing every opportunity and never declining a collaboration request. For example, following the release of his first two albums, At the Speed of Life (1996) and 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz (1998), he got an invitation from Snoop Dogg to contribute a verse to “Bitch Please,” the second single from No Limit Top Dogg, Snoop’s fourth studio album, produced by Dr. Dre. X’s first encounter with the legendary producer was when he arrived at the studio to record his verse. “It was just me and Dre in a room,” he recalls.“He was like, ‘Yo, you got something for this?’ He put the beat on and it was ‘Bitch Please.’ I wrote my verse in 15 minutes, laid it down, thanked him for the opportunity and then left. It was just that quick.” Shortly after, Dre contacted X, expressing how much he enjoyed their collaboration and extending another invitation: “He was like, ‘I’m working on this record—why don’t you come through and see if you can do something on here.’ That ended up being the 2001 album.” From there, a brotherhood was born, and this connection with Dr. Dre opened further doors, propelling Xzibit’s career into overdrive.

The newly anointed star quickly became a hot commodity, with collab requests pouring in. From De La Soul and Limp Bizkit to Wyclef Jean, Fat Joe, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek, Devin the Dude and Korn, the calls were constant. One early collaboration that particularly excited Xzibit was “U Can’t Fuck with Me” by LL Cool J. “At the time we were heating up and it was really dope to be embraced by the hip-hop community like that,” X explains. “We get the call from LL and I’m like, ‘Yes!’ It was like getting validation from this thing I had been listening to for a long time. Now I’m getting calls from people whose albums I’d bought and they want me to be on the records. It was amazing.”

But even more than those dream features, Xzibit considers his inclusion on the Up in Smoke Tour to be one of his proudest moments. Headlined by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Eminem, the juggernaut tour, which spanned the summer of 2000, foreshadowed the blockbuster hip-hop stadium tours that would follow. “We didn’t realize it was going to be what it was, which happens more often than not,” Xzibit admits. “When we’re creating and putting something together, we’re just in the moment. Nobody’s looking at it like, ‘Oh, this is gonna be something that’s gonna be looked at down the line and studied.’ It was just about getting behind Dre and being very proud of the moment.”

Given their burgeoning bond and artistic chemistry, Xzibit nearly signed with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment imprint around this time. However, his then label boss, Steve Rifkind of Loud Records, impeded the deal—or at the very least made it exceptionally difficult. “He asked for an $11 million buyout,” X recalls, still astonished by the figure. “He just didn’t wanna let me go.” When an agreement couldn’t be reached, Dre took an unusual step, venturing outside his own camp to executive produce two of Xzibit’s most successful albums: 2000’s Restless and 2002’s Man vs. Machine. “He told me that no matter what he was doing or where I landed, he was gonna make sure he was there for me.”

As Xzibit recounts these stories, he begins to roll up a joint (likely acquired at one of his hugely successful West Coast Cannabis dispensaries). He’s sitting in the lounge of his studio, where framed accolades that commemorate his work with Dre hang above his head. While the gold and platinum plaques are a clear indication of the magic they’ve made together, the N.W.A. co-founder’s influence extends beyond the music. “He has a sign in his studio that says ‘Your ego is not your amigo.’ It’s right there as you walk in next to the microphone,” X reveals, highlighting a key aspect of Dre’s philosophy. “Being in that room requires you to be open to other ideas and other techniques and delivery options you’re not used to. Some people can’t do it. They wanna sound how they sound. But if you let go of that and rise to the request of the room, you find yourself in different genres and frequencies you didn’t know you were capable of. If you stop learning, you stop living. I’ve always been able to grow because of that.”


When I talk about the West, I talk about the establishment of me.
    Xzibit

Part of this growth included Xzibit stepping into the world of acting. Between 2001 and 2009, he appeared in 11 films, including 8 Mile, Derailed and The X Files: I Want to Believe. While his role in Gridiron Gang alongside Dwayne Johnson was widely acclaimed, it was his unexpected turn as host of MTV’s hugely successful car restoration series, Pimp My Ride, that took his career to new heights. “The beauty of what I’ve been able to do in my career is challenge myself outside of music and get out of the box that has kinda been created for me to stay in,” he explains. “Nobody knew Pimp My Ride was gonna be Pimp My Ride until that shit came out. I had soccer moms coming up and pinching my cheeks and telling me how much they loved me. It turned me into a global brand. I was in people’s homes. I was in people’s lives. People still come up to me to this day and tell me I was a big part of their childhood.”

Suddenly, the studio’s creaky front door, which Xzibit jokes is “very Scooby-Doo-ish,” swings open and interrupts the conversation. It’s a crew member gesturing that it’s time for the man of the moment to get in front of the camera. Always a revolving door of friends, family and colleagues popping in and out, Xzibit's recording studio has, for today at least, been transformed into a photo studio, ready for photographer Koury Angelo to capture the essence of X. This very building, steeped in musical history, was where Fleetwood Mac laid down tracks for Say You Will with award-winning engineer Mark Needham, and where the Killers crafted the iconic “Mr. Brightside.” You can still find little echoes of that past life here and there; legend has it that the vanity mirror nestled in the corner of the bathroom was installed at the request of Stevie Nicks.

Unlike the famed Fleetwood Mac singer, Xzibit’s no diva. For his photo shoot, which lasts about two hours, he doesn’t lean on a team of stylists, or need a blunt roller, and there’s no ridiculous rider demands—like separating his M&Ms by color. All he wants is his new album, Kingmaker, played at full volume for everyone to hear. After the shoot wraps, X emerges from the control room, holding aloft an oversized whiteboard displaying the 20 tracks making the cut for his eighth studio album. Excited to talk about it, he makes a detour to the kitchen to grab a drink before sitting back on the couch and lighting up the blunt he rolled earlier.



His new album, Kingmaker, is a roadmap to follow in his footsteps.

“I’ve worked on this record to a point where not only am I confident that it’s my best work, but I feel like I owe this to my fans,” Xzibit says of the album. “Speaking from a place of maturity, power and growth is all I can do—and I think that’s what this record does. It’s entertaining, but at the same time, the Kingmaker title is based off a transfer of information. This is not about me sitting on a throne or wearing a crown, or feeling like some type of dominance; these are the things that made me successful: the habits, the mindsets, the discipline, the execution. This is what has got me to this point.” And he wants to share this knowledge with anyone willing to listen. “Here’s the keys to my kingdom, do with it what you will.”

The album is the first to be released on Greenback Records, the new multi-genre record label co-founded by former UFC world champion, entrepreneur and entertainer, Conor McGregor. Billed as “the first major Irish record label,” it aims to rebalance the music business by presenting fair recoupment structures, offering splits that are “currently unheard of in the industry.” While some might have been hesitant to sign with McGregor, citing his controversial antics and lack of experience in the music industry, for Xzibit, it was a no-brainer.
“We all shit the same way,” he says bluntly about his new label boss. “And some people’s bullshit is worse than others, but we all got bullshit. So I focus on the person I met. I believe in his energy and his drive. Sometimes you don’t need experience. Sometimes bringing in people with a fresh perspective is what’s needed. He doesn’t need to have music experience; I have the music experience. But what he does have is a big-ass megaphone that reaches millions of people, and we can sit together and rock the whole world, because he’s not jaded by the record business.” Regarding McGregor’s intentions for launching the label, X believes it’s more about legacy than the money. “I don’t think Conor McGregor needs to eat off the record business. He’s not here to get a paycheck,” X says with a smirk. “He’s here to make an impact.”

The opening track on Kingmaker is its first single, “Play This at My Funeral,” a powerful state-of-the-union address where X recounts his past, both the triumphs and the trials, and delivers a dose of tough love to those who need it: “You all know what time it is/It’s time to grow the fuck up, get a job and feed ya kids/ Kingmaker from the West/If you wanna make it here, better say it with yo chest.” Despite its title, the track isn’t about death. However, X, who admits he’s danced with the devil a few times over the course of his life, has been thinking about his mortality a lot more in recent months.

His hard-charging youth, fueled by “a whole Hennessy fifth” and a devil-may-care swagger (as highlighted in the opening bars of 2000’s “Get Your Walk On”), painted a picture of invincibility. But 50 years and a sobering glimpse at death have rewritten his script. Witnessing close friend and longtime collaborator Saafir’s passing, he’s swapped the late- night benders for a renewed appreciation for life’s ticking clock, realizing dreams shouldn’t eclipse precious family time. “Life is still life-ing,” he reflects, a stark reminder that even as the spotlight beckons, his presence at home is paramount. Believing he shouldn’t have lived past the age of 21, he’s now embracing the unexpected bonus round, prioritizing “collecting memories” with loved ones over chasing rap-star glory. It’s a hard-earned wisdom, where the wild child who saw drinking stamina as a “gift” has traded that reckless abandon for a balanced life, where family anchors him and every moment is a precious, carefully curated memory.

These “moments” also encompass significant career highlights on the new album. Xzibit realizes two notable achievements in particular: a collaboration with Redman (alongside Cypress Hill’s B-Real) on the track “Higher,” and another with Ice Cube on “For the Love.” Despite a highly decorated career that spans 30 years, X is as enthusiastic now as he was when he first started out.
“I’m still a fan of this,” he says. “I still remember hearing Public Enemy’s ‘Fight the Power’ for the first time. I still remember doing the running man, wearing Cross Colours and Hammer pants and listening to Gang Starr’s music on my Sony Walkman. Those days aren’t fleeting for me. So to still be here and be a part of these moments, I still get excited about that. Music is a universal language. It’s where people come to bare their souls, connect with others and be touched in ways they didn’t realize they could.”


Xzibit was photographed at his recording studio in Los Angeles on March 17.



Kingmaker also has another purpose for Xzibit. “I want to use my platform to spotlight and celebrate emerging talent,” he explains. This includes artists like Symba, Guapdad 4000, Compton Av, Domo Genesis and his son, Tre Capital, who all feature on the album. “These are artists who I feel hold a torch, or hold the integrity of the artist that I’d like to be,” he continues. “Not only am I making a project that focuses on the transfer of information, but I’m making new Kings as well.”
Despite his willingness to champion the next generation, Xzibit’s departure from music seems far off. He does, however, have a plan to ride off into the sunset—sort of. “This might surprise you,” he says with a grin, nodding toward his girlfriend, Valerie, who’s been enjoying the interview from the other side of the room, her smiles and laughter often punctuating his words. “Me and my lady have this plan. I’m gonna go get an RV, pull up in front of the house and we’re gonna go find a new home.”
The pair envision a unique house-hunting adventure. They plan to select 10 potential properties, then embark on an RV journey, driving to each location until they find the perfect home. With a five-year plan in place, they’re ready to embrace whatever spot the universe presents, ultimately setting up shop wherever they feel most at peace. “I’m not gonna tell her when I’m going to get the RV, but when an RV pulls up outside the house, that means some great shit is about to happen and we’re fucking out of here!”
On that note, it’s time to wrap the interview. A man in high demand, Xzibit has a lot of things to get to before the day’s out— including some last-minute tweaks to the album. But before he does, he spends a few minutes with each crew member, thanks them for “a great day” and takes pictures with everyone. The gesture embodies the spirit of an L.A. king, a true reflection of the city’s heart and sense of community. It’s no wonder Mr. X to the Z is still here, continuing to thrive nearly 30 years after the release of his debut.

Xzibit’s new album, Kingmaker, is out now on Greenback Records.

Xzibit Shares Thoughts on ‘Pimp My Ride,’ Cannabis, Hip-Hop Media & How It Feels to Drop His First Album in Over a Decade

The rap veteran caught up with Billboard ahead of his new album Kingmaker.

 It’s been 13 years since Xzibit dropped his last album Napalm, and a whole lot has changed since.

Not just with Xzibit, who has since ventured into the cannabis industry, acted in dozens of films and gone through divorce — but to the music industry as a whole. The way albums are marketed and rolled out now is completely different than it was when Napalm dropped, while Xzibit’s core fans are now well into their 30s and 40s.

I ask if the rap veteran is aware people may not be as quick to tune in to his music. “This’ll be the litmus test,” Xzibit says of his new album Kingmaker, which drops on Friday. “Let’s see what happens. It’s a nice science experiment.”

 Regardless, the former Pimp My Ride host is not nervous or worried, he’s amped. The album has colossal features from big West Coast names like Dr. Dre, Ty Dolla $ign and Ice Cube, and Xzibit has steadily promoted the project for months, appearing on seemingly every podcast known to man.

Kingmaker is an ambitious return to form, with Xzibit fully embracing his veteran status in the hopes of spreading some knowledge. Songs like opener “Play This At My Funeral” aim to inspire the youth, and offer guidance to those in need of it.

“I’m not preaching, I don’t wanna preach,” the rapper clarifies. “The church and politics are way too violent, I’ll stick to gangster rap.”

Below, Billboard chats with the rapper about his new album, his reunion with Dre, his Pimp My Ride legacy, his thoughts on the state of rap media and more.

You haven’t put out a record since 2012. I’m curious as you started getting back into the studio if there was any imposter syndrome or insecurity creeping in during the album’s early days?

I think the benefit of being able to have had a career spanning from 1996 to now, the self-doubt kinda [goes] out the window. I’m coming into the energy of where music is right now — and not necessarily ignoring what’s happening in music, but just realizing I need to do what I need to do extremely well. I don’t need to chase a trend or follow a sound, I just need to do Xzibit music really well.

What was it like then putting the album together? How did your sound change after all those years away from the booth?

I started and stopped the album like four or five different times because I didn’t like what was coming out. There are three songs that made it from the first original Kingmaker sessions, only three. Everything clicked when we did “Play This at My Funeral.” Now, that song gave me a nod to what the messaging should have been about, and that messaging was speaking from a position of power. If this was my last project, what would I wanna leave the game? That was the voice that I needed to find.

Tell me more about “Play This at My Funeral.” At what point in the creative process did that song transform into more of an anthem for your entire career?

I didn’t name the song until after it was done, and when I listened back to it, there was no hook. Just one long verse. When I heard the statements that were being made in it, and how final and immovable [they were] — the song has nothing to do with me dying, but it has everything to do with the state of the union of how I feel about music. How I feel about the state of affairs in this world that we’re living in. I just thought it was very fitting to start the album off with that.

So at this moment, how are you feeling about the state of hip-hop right now?

I think it’s grown substantially — and, to be fair, the state of hip-hop is well. There is so much music that comes out, and it’s hard to kinda grasp the way it was. There are new ways of communicating, new ways to get through to the audience. I think because it’s grown so much hip-hop is experiencing some growing pains. The only way we can keep going is to tend to it and make adjustments accordingly.

For example, I think hip-hop has grown to the point now where it needs sub divisions. It needs adult contemporary, alternative hip-hop, and I think looking at it from an objective point of view: it’s too hard to lump everybody in and just call it hip-hop. If you look at the birth of what Travis Scott is doing and the energy he brings to it, that was birthed around the Anger Management time when we were going out with Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit. That kinda energy merged those audiences, so now it’s a hybrid. It’s something different and it needs to be addressed as such.

Is that difference inherently good for hip-hop?

Absolutely! Hip-hop was once just one piece of music, now it permeates through all things. That’s a double edged sword as well.

After being in the game for so long and watching the extinction of albums and physical media and the rise of streaming, does it worry you at all about how music is consumed?

The audience and the artists are great, what we’re experiencing are the gate keepers trying to keep control of the gate. It’s the middle men that are trying to keep the revenue going a certain way. Music has been here since the beginning of time and will continue to be here. As far as how it’s consumed, how we communicate, that’s the main thing I worry about. The tug of war of who’s in control.

On “Shut Yo Mouth,” you rap: “Here to address the nation like a congregation/ While you gossip like a b—h in your conversations.” Compton AV rapped a bar about Akademiks in the song too. What are your thoughts on hip-hop media after watching it evolve over the years?

I feel like hip-hop media is like the Basketball Housewives, and ain’t none of ’em married. It’s the drama of it, and I get it, but it reminds me of the tabloids from back in the day, the National Enquirer‘s. It’s about everything but the music. People are making livings off that media, I get it, but I think: Where’s the other side of it? The real hip-hop reporting that’s being drowned out? Now, the essentials of what hip-hop needs to be recognized for — the people behind the scenes and behind the music and networking of hip-hop — are being drowned out by the drama of hip-hop. There needs to be a balance.

“Shut Yo Mouth” is just the anthem for telling people to shut the f—k up. We’re in a world now where everybody has a soap box and a megaphone, but that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone needs to be heard.

You expressed some concern regarding Kendrick and Drake’s beef when it happened last year, but now that it’s been a little over a year, I’m wondering if you’re still worried about the precedent this sets for rap beefs moving forward?

I’m not worried it’s just that history repeats itself. That was a David and Goliath moment and it played out how it played out, but my worry is when people start being physically hurt. It happens so often, we loose so many good people that way. That doesn’t happen in any other genre of music. The spirit of competition is always welcome in hip-hop. It’s when it starts translating into other things.

What does it mean to be a Kingmaker?

I’m giving you the information you need to make yourself a king or queen in your own right. Some people, this is gonna go over their heads, some people, it’s gonna hit a bullseye. Everybody has a different understanding of life, but this is the best way I could communicate my journey and my experiences in this art form.

What was it like to link back up with Dr. Dre on “Leave Me Alone?”

We were supposed to come out on March 28, and then [“Leave Me Alone”] came in. I was like, “Oh s–t!” It was crazy. Swizz Beatz actually did the track and Dre did co-production, and just to have both of them together on a track, I don’t think that’s ever been done. It was really exciting. To have Dre on the album after all this time means the world to me. He’s my brother, he’s coach.

What was your most memorable studio sessions with Dre over the years?

The first one is always the best. When we did “B–ch Please” together. The insanity of it was being a fan first and then you basically get recruited into The Avengers. I’ll never lose that feeling, because it keeps things in perspective. The direction Dre gives when he’s in the studio only elevates the record, because you rely on his experience. Even if it takes you out of your comfort zone.

Obviously, I have to ask you about Pimp My Ride. The show really became a cultural force of nature on its own. Looking back on it, what was the biggest lesson you learned from that time in your career?

The power of television and how you become essentially part of people’s families. You’re part of people’s childhoods and developments. You’re in their homes. I didn’t realize the impact of that show until I was in Italy at one of the fountains. I was just sitting there, and this little old lady pushes past my security and starts, literally, grabbing my face with no fear. Just pushes past these gigantic dudes, and it dawned on me that people fell in love with my character. It has nothing to do with my music.

How do you think that show impacted pop culture?

Pimp My Ride‘s impact was unexpected — it really was amazing to see it grow into what it was — but what I take away from it was it wasn’t about me. It wasn’t about the cars. It wasn’t about the garage. It was about wish fulfillment, and people having that feeling that, “This could happen to me.” I think that was dope man, I’m glad we were able to put something out that was positive when reality television at the time was really bent on people’s embarrassment.

Still, you have random people pinching your face in public. Was it scary to go from being a rapper to the face of a mainstream movement like Pimp My Ride?

I didn’t realize what was happening. I wanted the world to know me as Xzibit the hardcore punch-him-in-the-face rapper, but life has a weird way of showing you different paths, and it’s up to you to be brave enough to go down it. That’s kinda what I just relied on, and sometimes those paths aren’t very well lit. It’s a risk, but I’ve never been afraid of taking risks. So I just went down that path… I didn’t wanna live with regrets.

Did taking that path negatively impact your rap career?

It took a backseat. I wasn’t able to tour [or] record. It was a constant film schedule, so I knew I had to dedicate time to do [Pimp My Ride] and I did. I’m glad I did it, but on the music side, it definitely was a disconnect. I was doing music, but I wasn’t able to give it the attention that I wanted to give it in order to proceed with it. You can’t be in two places at once, but I still got the same gratification building something outside of music as I did [with] music.

You were also one of the earliest rappers to pivot into the cannabis industry. What are your thoughts on the industry now?

It’s interesting to see people try to own the plant, which you can’t do. What we can do is come with the best versions of it and the most reliable versions of it. When you try to dominate it, and I think that’s this capitalist idea of “cornering the market,” it’s not gonna work. You can’t squeeze out and make it difficult for the people who are part of the culture. Cannabis is culture, it goes hand in hand with so many other things. You can’t corner that. Nobody’s gonna buy “McDonald’s Cannabis.”

What I think needs to happen is that Big Pharma is gonna need to come in when it’s federally legal to partner with the people who have been part of the culture from the beginning. You’re gonna need that bridge. Cannabis is not like alcohol or clothing where you can just slap a hip-hop label on it and put some funky music behind it. People need cannabis to work.

Having dabbled in all these different industries, how do you feel about this point in your rap career? Do you feel any pressure to try and cater Kingmaker to the younger audience or to the algorithms that seem to run music?

People will find me if they find me, but you can’t perform an algorithm. My audience is in front of me at that stage. My algorithm is in live performances, but whatever this album does, I feel really good about getting back in front of my people. I feel really good about the music I’ve created, and let’s let this thing be a good time, man. This is gonna be a really big moment for me. I worked really hard on this record. Still being able to do it at this level is a blessing, I can’t tell you enough how excited I am.

[WCThang]

Lots of good feedback for the album in national media!

[LostAngel]

Lots of good feedback for the album in national media!

Yeah? Where?

[WCThang]

Yeah? Where?

Seems like all the reviews and news stories posted above are fairly positive?

[TraceOneInfinite]

Seems like all the reviews and news stories posted above are fairly positive?

Yeah.. well, Napalm was a successful comeback record, so he's proved he can still make great music beyond his youth and prime.  Then the lead singles and videos and hype for the album have all been well done.  Seems like we might have something here... beginning listening now.

[doggfather]

Twitter likes it.

[WCThang]

Twitter likes it.

So does IG.

[astra4322]

I wonder why there is no Snoop feature 

[TraceOneInfinite]

It’s way better than Snoop’s album.  After one listen through I can tell that much.

[Duck Duck Doggy]

It’s way better than Snoop’s album.  After one listen through I can tell that much.

Definitely. It’s not even close lol

[astra4322]

It’s way better than Snoop’s album.  After one listen through I can tell that much.

Agree but I kike Snoop’s new album too.

[WCThang]

It’s way better than Snoop’s album.  After one listen through I can tell that much.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is crazy

[WestWestYA]

Very boring sounding album. Compared to Napalm, a few good songs and the best songs were already released months ago.