His first worldwide fanbase came in 1996 with a serious contender for track of the year — today a true underground classic with an unforgettable accompanying music video featuring an orchestra on the beach. Paparazzi! A few years later, as a charismatic television host, he wedged himself into the collective memory as nothing less than a pop-culture icon of the early 2000s.
Xzibit is one of the key protagonists of West Coast American hip-hop of the late nineties and early 2000s era. A member of the Likwit Crew collective and at the time an absolute street kid, he appeared in the mid-nineties with features for his crew colleagues (for example with The Alkaholiks). In 1996 his exceptional debut At the Speed of Life was released, on which he presents himself as an original force with a raw sound and introspective lyrics. This was followed by the album 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz (1998), which firmly cemented his position in the underground section of the rap game.
And then came the logical move — a shot toward the mainstream. A successful one. First with breakthrough guest appearances (such as his multiple appearances on Dr. Dre’s seminal 2001) and then with the final breakthrough: an album with a more accessible sound and polished production, Restless (2000), overseen by Dre as executive producer. Xzibit didn’t rest — in 2002 came the equally commercially successful album Man Vs. Machine, marking the continuation of his key collaboration with the Doctor.
At that time, another pivotal moment occurred. Between 2004 and 2007, Xzibit hosted the now-cult, and at the time extremely popular, MTV show Pimp My Ride. Yes, those were the days when reality shows still had substance and possessed humor. His role as host opened the door for him into the world of television and film — he had already appeared in 8 Mile in 2002, and roles followed in films such as The X-Files: I Want to Believe, Gridiron Gang, Bad Lieutenant, Derailed, and the series Empire …
After an exceptionally busy beginning of the new millennium, a break from releasing music followed. This year he delivered a comeback — the album Kingmaker, on which we hear an impressive lineup of guests such as Busta, Dre, Ice Cube, Redman, B-Real, Royce da 5’9’ …
A street-credible figure, underground hard-hitter, superstar, film actor, television and radio host, author of legendary features and collaborations … Xzibit can do it all
Tickets on sale on Friday, 12. 12. at 10 am.
Organisation: Kino Šiška and Društvo KAPA.
