Features

Thaformula.Com - What made you decide to drop the DVD?

Xzibit - It was just me utilizing the time around me. I was just bored kickin it, doing shit and just documenting everything that was going on around like after The Up In Smoke Tour. We just went 8 months recording behind the scenes, back stage, Europe and Anger Management and all that shit.

Thaformula.Com - Was the DVD your idea?

Xzibit - Yeah, It was my idea.

Thaformula.Com - How long did the DVD take to record and put together?

Xzibit - It was done over a period of like 6 month or 7 months filming, and like a couple of months to edit it.

Thaformula.Com - What is it that you did with Eminem on the DVD?

Xzibit - It's just us backstage performing a song to the camera doing our thing. Just fun. It's like some real up close and personal shit.

Thaformula.Com - Is it true that you will be Executive Producing Phil Da Agony's Album?

Xzibit - Yeah, I'm gonna help Phil put his album together. We real cool and we been knowing each other forever and my man stepped to me and asked me if I could get down with his shit and I was more then happy to.

Thaformula.Com - Are you still bringing out King Tee on Open Bar man?

Xzibit - Nah, King Tee decided to go to Ruthless. The first thing that will be coming out on Open Bar will be The Golden State Project. The album is called "The Coast Is Clear".

Thaformula.Com - So who's on Open Bar right now?

Xzibit - Right now the only thing we're concentrating on is the Golden State Project and my albums. We are also messing around with an R&B singer named Andre Wilson.

Thaformula.Com - As far as lyrics wise, did you see your recent albums as a step up or down? In your eyes how did you view this album?

Xzibit - I liked the albums. I feel 40 Days & 40 Nights is different because I know where I want to go as an artist. With Restless & Man Vs. Machine, it was the first time that I was working with an Executive Producer. With other albums, I've always done it myself. So it was just an experiment dealing with different opinions and different ways to generate the music and it came out good. For the most part, I love my last 2 albums. I love what they stands for and what they represent, and I think it is a step up from my other shit. Production wise and lyrically I think it was a step up.

Thaformula.Com - How did you hook up with Mel Man because I know you guys go pretty far back?

Xzibit - Right, Well we been runnin for a minute. We kinda like came into workin with Dr. Dre almost at the same time you know after The Firm and he was working on his album. He was working on Snoop Dogg's album and there was other mc's and DJ's around but we persevered and we still here and were doing our thang. We always had a cool little working relationship, and it's still tight. Mel laced me and had faith in the whole project with me fuckin with that camp. He was one of the big reasons it was crackin.

Thaformula.Com - What's the biggest difference between working with Mel and Dre?

Xzibit - I think it's just he experience factor man. Mel is still learning, just like I'm still learning. We kind of bounce ideas off of each other more so it's kind of like that.

Thaformula.Com - Do they both have their own different style of producing or do they pretty much work the same way?

Xzibit - Nah, they both got different type of styles. You can't pin point their style. Dudes are hella creative.

Thaformula.Com - How do you look at the L.A. underground now compared to a few years back when you were doing a lot of shows and shit like that?

Xzibit - For me, I still keep my ear to the street. I don't see no difference between just sellin a record that would make me change the way I fuckin love my music. I'm as grimy as the grimy. Nigga, I came from the fucking gutter with it and so comin up through the ranks man and being a nigga that came with a back pack, that came with the pen and paper nigga and competing with these niggaz up here. It's just a matter of how much you want to put into your music because I ain't never been a person to pretend or what not. When I see the underground today, I see a couple of cats that are trying to persevere to that side and what not. When I hear it it's sprinkled. I don't see like the drive or the standouts. I see the niggaz that are around me like Dilated Peoples, Self-Scientific, and all the niggaz like that. But the long range, everybody is regional. Everybody taking care of their own is what I see in the underground. They only get hype for their region and that sucks for the underground.

Thaformula.Com - But do you see the underground getting better or has it gotten worse with time?

Xzibit - I mean, I don't know. I haven't heard nothing that really sparked my interest. I mean I'm listening. I see people that have promise to me, but they may not take it no farther then a couple of hot songs and then that's it. Plus you got to look at it from the perspective of somebody that's put out records and survived and made it to another record and doing other things. You can't just look at a niggaz verse and try to depict his whole fucking career. I'm still waiting on somebody to step up.

Thaformula.Com - How big of a blow do you think it was to lose the Wake Up Show in L.A.?

Xzibit - It was definitely a good way to clean out the clutter as far as L.A. hip hop because cats would go in there and either shine or get roasted and we was up there doing our thang for a minute, but I think that L.A. is definitely in need of a radio show that caters straight to hip hop. Not just commercial hip hop or top 40 hip-hop, but just hip hop in general like the wake up show did.

Thaformula.Com - Do you think there will ever be another Wake Up Show man?

Xzibit - Definitely, you can't hold it down like that. I think if something happened tomorrow and you couldn't make no money off of hip-hop, muthafuckaz would still do it, period. That's where I find my faith and strength. Cause it ain't about that and it ain't never been about that. But I do feel that the underground is still alive and still kicking and it's just about how much niggaz wanna put into it.

Thaformula.Com - A lot of people out there say Xzibit sold out because he went with Dre. What do you say to people that say that?

Xzibit - SUCK MY DICK!! (Laughs)

Thaformula.Com - Another thing that is also always talked about is how you became exactly what you were spittin about in you classic track, "Paparazzi". What do you think about that?

Xzibit - I don't know. If I started rappin about gold chains and what not, I would be down with that. But the same shit I'm kickin on muthafuckin Restless is the same shit I'm kickin on Paparazzi. It depends on your interpretation. Muthafuckaz are always gonna be able to ridicule you or try to build you up just to break you down homie, but I don't fall for that. Everybody has got there opinion, but if you look at the truth of the matter. I'm consistent homie. Whether niggaz like it or not, I'm consistent and that's all that matters to me.

Thaformula.Com - As far as The Likwit crew album goes, is that ever gonna happen?

Xzibit - I would be mighty glad to, if somebody can organize it, but for right now I got this Xzibit shit to do, this Golden State shit to do and niggaz is waiting on it and I can't keep them waiting.

Thaformula.Com - Do you still freestyle at all?

Xzibit - Yeah man, for sho. I know I can rhyme and I created something where people can reach out. Freestylin for me is a novelty. I can do that. I can write, I can freestyle, I can do whatever. I can rock a show and all that shit is part of mcing. One part ain't more greater then the other. A nigga can be able to freestyle, but never be able to do a show. You got to be balanced all the way around.

Thaformula.Com - How did it feel to go platinum man?

Xzibit - It felt like bustin a gigantic nut. (Laughs)

Thaformula.Com - No matter what anybody says, isn't that always the ultimate goal?

Xzibit - Yeah, but it depends on how you get there. You can sell your soul for it or you can get it how you want it and then that's it. It depends on how you feel comfortable with it. The more you realize that you are doing you as an artist and your feeding your family and you give a fuck what a nigga think, that's when a nigga really sees what kind of artist he is because you ain't ever gonna do nothing that you don't feel comfortable with. I don't give a fuck what you say. No matter what.

Thaformula.Com - A lot of people seem to forget that an artist has a family to feed?

Xzibit - Yeah, and that's all their is to it. A nigga wasn't doin nothin crazy that I wasn't doing on the last 2 albums. So what I'm with Dr. Dre, so what I'm with Snoop Dogg. So what!

Thaformula.Com - Did you approach Dre about executive producing your album or did he approach you?

Xzibit - Yeah, after Bitch Please I asked him to do some songs on my album, and he said "Why don't you let me just produce the album". I was like Bet!!

Thaformula.Com - In a situation like that, do you lose a lot of money?

Xzibit - Nah, that was between him and my label. Dr. Dre don't want nothing from me but just good music.  So you best believe I'm definitely more focused then ever.   

Be  sure to join the over 500,000 Industry Heads that have signed up to our exclusive mailing list!!  Click here to join and receive exclusive interviews only available to members. Leave contact info ( name & email address) at info@thaformula.com and we will contact you to confirm your membership.