Xzibit
Xzibit | |
|---|---|
| Born | Alvin Nathaniel Joiner September 18, 1974 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, actor, television host, radio personality, music executive |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Known for | Hosting MTV's Pimp My Ride; albums including At the Speed of Life, Restless, Man vs. Machine; acting roles in Empire, Gridiron Gang, The X-Files: I Want to Believe |
Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born September 18, 1974), professionally recognized as Xzibit (pronounced "exhibit"), is an American artist known for his work as a rapper, actor, television host, radio personality, and music executive. His musical journey commenced in 1992 when he signed with Loud Records, a subsidiary of RCA Records, to launch his first album, At the Speed of Life (1996). This debut received favorable critiques, charted on the Billboard 200, and featured the track "Paparazzi," which reached number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100. His follow-up album, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz (1998), garnered comparable acclaim and included the single "What U See Is What U Get."
Xzibit's escalating prominence caught the attention of rapper Dr. Dre, who took on the role of executive producer for Xzibit's subsequent two albums. The third release, Restless (2000), showcased a more mainstream sound and peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200. Afterward, Xzibit departed from Loud Records to join Columbia Records, under which he released his fourth album, Man vs. Machine (2002), achieving a peak position of number three on the chart. Both records were issued in partnership with Xzibit's own imprint, Open Bar Entertainment. Later projects included Weapons of Mass Destruction (2004) and Full Circle (2006), followed by a short break before unveiling his seventh studio album, Napalm (2012). Since 2013, he has been active as a member of the hip-hop collective Serial Killers.
Outside his music career, Xzibit became widely known as the host of the reality television series Pimp My Ride during the 2000s. His acting portfolio includes portraying Shyne Johnson on the TV drama Empire along with roles in films such as Gridiron Gang (2006), The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), and Sun Dogs (2017).
1992–1999: Early beginnings and debut album At the Speed of Life
Starting his rap career at age 14 under the alias "Exhibit A," Xzibit moved from Detroit to Albuquerque, New Mexico. After encountering behavioral challenges in school, he relocated to Los Angeles during his late teenage years to break free from a violent environment. His professional entry into music occurred in 1995 with guest appearances on The Alkaholiks' album Coast II Coast and King Tee's IV Life. Upon signing with Loud Records, he released his first album, At the Speed of Life, in 1996. This project reached number 74 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and climbed to number 38 on Canadian charts. The lead single "Paparazzi" attained number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and found notable success in Europe, particularly peaking at number 11 in Germany.
Establishing himself as a prominent figure within West Coast underground hip-hop circles, Xzibit issued his sophomore effort, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz, in 1998. The album peaked at number 58 domestically and reached number 50 in Canada. The track "What U See Is What U Get" achieved a peak position of number 50 in the United States. His expanding reputation led to collaborations with Dr. Dre, including contributions to Snoop Dogg’s "Bitch Please" and several songs featured on Dr. Dre’s platinum-certified album 2001. Additionally, Xzibit made his acting debut with a role in the film The Breaks released in 1999.
1999–2003: Emergence and the Restless Era
In 2000, Xzibit unveiled the compilation Likwit Rhymes, which included unreleased material and a guest appearance on "Bitch Please II" alongside Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Nate Dogg. He also contributed to Limp Bizkit’s multi-platinum album Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water. His major breakthrough arrived with the platinum-selling third album Restless, executive produced by Dr. Dre, featuring collaborations with artists such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Nate Dogg, and DJ Quik. This album achieved nearly 2 million sales and reached number 12 on U.S. charts, with the track "X" gaining international recognition.
Xzibit participated in Dr. Dre’s American Up in Smoke Tour in 2000 alongside prominent performers including Snoop Dogg and Eminem. He ventured into acting with roles in films like Tha Eastsidaz and The Wash, as well as appearances related to Eminem’s projects such as The Slim Shady Show and 8 Mile. In 2001, he released two concert films highlighting his musical journey and assembled a featured artist compilation entitled You Better Believe It. Additionally, he contributed to Fat Joe’s platinum-certified album Jealous Ones Still Envy.
His fourth studio effort, Man vs. Machine (2002), maintained a similar roster of collaborators; however, its singles did not significantly chart in the U.S., though "Multiply" found moderate international success. The album earned Gold certification and became his highest-charting release at number 3 domestically. Despite this achievement, Xzibit expressed dissatisfaction with the album’s production and promotional efforts, leading to the end of his partnership with Dr. Dre. Following Loud Records’ absorption by Columbia in 2003, Xzibit signed directly with Columbia Records. That year, he appeared in the film The Country Bears and co-founded The Golden State Project rap collective with Ras Kass and Saafir, continuing collaborations with West Coast artists including Snoop Dogg and Eminem during their European tour.
2003–2006: Hosting Pimp My Ride and Acting Career Expansion
Between 2004 and 2007, Xzibit gained widespread recognition as the host of MTV’s Pimp My Ride, where he highlighted custom car restorations performed by West Coast Customs.
On the musical front, he issued the compilation Appetite for Destruction, featuring tracks with 50 Cent primarily from his Dr. Dre era along with outtakes from his fifth studio album, Weapons of Mass Destruction (December 2004). This album debuted at number 43 on U.S. charts. After parting ways with Dr. Dre, Xzibit returned to Columbia Records; however, this project did not include contributions from Dre or Snoop Dogg. Prior to its release, he transitioned management to John Boyle. Although the album achieved Gold status, Xzibit criticized the promotional approach taken by the label, which prompted him to leave and pursue an independent route. The lead single "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)" featuring Keri Hilson peaked at #93 on the Billboard Hot 100; its follow-up "Muthafucka" failed to chart.
Beyond music and television hosting, Xzibit appeared in the film Full Clip alongside Busta Rhymes, made a guest appearance on CSI: Miami, released a concert documentary with his group Strong Arm Steady, and hosted the 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards. In 2005, he collaborated with shock rocker Alice Cooper on "Stand" from Cooper’s album Dirty Diamonds, marking Cooper’s first foray into rap music. That same year saw Xzibit featured in three video games: providing voice and likeness for Warden Abbott in The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, appearing in Def Jam: Fight for NY, and as a playable character in NFL Street 2.
In 2006, Xzibit concentrated more on acting roles within Hollywood productions such as Derailed, starring opposite Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston, appeared in XXX: State of the Union with Ice Cube, and provided voice work for the animated film Hoodwinked. He also played a leading role in Gridiron Gang and made two guest appearances on the animated series The Boondocks. His sixth studio album, Full Circle, was independently released through Koch Records, peaking at #50 but selling roughly 120,000 copies in the U.S. None of its three singles charted except for "Concentrate", which reached #68 on German charts. Collaborators included Kurupt, T-Pain, and The Game, whom Xzibit supported during the latter’s Doctor's Advocate tour. He also contributed to video games such as Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover and Pimp My Ride. In 2007, he hosted the final season of Pimp My Ride and took part in the Gumball 3000 rally event.
2006–2012: Full Circle and a pause in activity
After Pimp My Ride ended in 2007, Xzibit did not release any new albums in 2008, breaking his usual two-year release pattern. During that year, he appeared in films including The X-Files: I Want to Believe and American Violet, yet faced a significant financial downturn, earning just $70,000 compared to nearly half a million the previous year. He also took part in The Alkaholiks’ concert film titled Tha Alkaholiks: Live from Rehab.
In 2009, Xzibit portrayed the mob boss Big Fate in The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and returned as Abbott in the remake of The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. Sony issued his first compilation album, The Greatest Hits, amid ongoing monetary difficulties that led him to file for bankruptcy twice—in July 2009 and January 2010—both of which were dismissed but resulted in liens against his assets.
In 2010, he guest-starred on the crime drama series Detroit 1-8-7 and played the Jabberwock in the short film Malice n Wonderland, connected to Snoop Dogg’s reissue album More Malice. Following several guest appearances, he became a permanent member of the design team on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Although plans were made to release his seventh studio album, MMX, in 2010, complications with his record label caused delays.
By March 2011, Xzibit collaborated with Extreme Music to launch Urban Ammo 2, a collection featuring 40 tracks crafted for use in film and television. He worked alongside director Matt Alonzo on music videos for singles "Man on the Moon" and "What It Is", both including performances by Young De. Furthermore, he teamed up with Fredwreck and Adil Omar on a song for The Mushroom Cloud Effect. Later that year, he appeared in the TV movie Weekends at Bellevue, which ultimately was not developed into a full series.
2012–present: Napalm, acting ventures, and Kingmaker
On October 19, 2011, the album's title was updated to Napalm. It was officially released on October 9, 2012, coinciding with Xzibit’s participation in the BET Cypher during the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards. Shortly after, on October 29, 2012, he announced his Collateral Damage tour initially set for 16 Canadian dates starting in November; this was later expanded to 18 shows and served as the first segment of an international tour extending into 2013.
Xzibit broadened his acting career by starring as a Navy SEAL in the TV movie Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden and appearing as Jason "JC" Dekker across three episodes of Hawaii Five-0 beginning in 2013. That same year, he contributed guest vocals to Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation’s sixth studio album, Hydra, on the track "And We Run". Additionally, he released an album with hip hop group Serial Killers, alongside Demrick and B-Real. Xzibit also featured on Dr. Dre's album Compton on the track "Loose Cannons" with Cold 187um and Sly Pyper.
During his tour in the United Kingdom, Xzibit confirmed intentions to release a new album in 2016 with Dr. Dre serving as producer and announced the Compton Tour featuring appearances by both Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar.
On February 25, 2016, Xzibit joined the cast of Empire, portraying the character Shyne.
On September 25, 2024, Conor McGregor announced that Xzibit had signed with McGregor’s label Greenback Records. Xzibit performed his inaugural live show under Greenback Records on October 12 in Marbella, Spain at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
Personal life
Xzibit and his former spouse Krista are parents to two children: Xavier, who was born prematurely on May 15, 2008, and passed away eleven days afterward, and Gatlyn. In February 2021, Krista initiated divorce proceedings. The track The Foundation from the album At the Speed of Life is a tribute to his son Tremayne (born June 8, 1995) from an earlier relationship, who performs as the rapper Tre Capital.
By late 2010, Xzibit faced over $900,000 in overdue federal taxes. He filed for bankruptcy twice, in 2009 and 2010, but both attempts were rejected. His financial difficulties emerged following the cancellation of Pimp My Ride; while he earned $497,175 in 2007, his income plummeted to $67,510 the following year.
Gumball 3000
During the 2007 Gumball 3000 event, Xzibit drove a black Jaguar XJ220. Dutch authorities revoked his driving license after he was caught speeding at 160 km/h in a zone limited to 100 km/h. His co-pilot, producer Fredwreck Nassar, then assumed driving duties. Xzibit explained that he had mistaken kilometers for miles (100 mph equates to approximately 160 km/h). He never regained his Dutch license and had to apply for a new one in the United States. Additionally, Xzibit took part in the rallies held in 2013 and 2014.
Discography
Studio albums
- At the Speed of Life (1996)
- 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz (1998)
- Restless (2000)
- Man vs. Machine (2002)
- Weapons of Mass Destruction (2004)
- Full Circle (2006)
- Napalm (2012)
- Kingmaker (2025)
Collaborative albums
- Summer of Sam (2020) (with B-Real and Demrick as part of Serial Killers)
Film
}Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Breaks | Jamal | |
| 2000 | Tha Eastsidaz | Blue | Video |
| 2001 | The Slim Shady Show | Knuckles (voice) | Video |
| The Wash | Wayne | ||
| 2002 | 8 Mile | Mike (Male Lunch Truck Rapper) | |
| The Country Bears | Himself | ||
| 2004 | Full Clip | Duncan | |
| 2005 | XXX: State of the Union | Zeke | |
| Derailed | Dexter | ||
| Hoodwinked! | Chief Grizzly (voice) | ||
| 2006 | Gridiron Gang | Malcolm Moore | |
| 2008 | The X-Files: I Want to Believe | FBI Special Agent Mosley Drummy | |
| American Violet | Darrell Hughes | ||
| 2009 | The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans | Donald "Big Fate" Godshaw | |
| 2010 | Malice n Wonderland | Jabberwock | Video |
| 2012 | Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden | Mule | TV movie |
| 2017 | Sun Dogs | Master Sergeant Jenkins |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Test | Himself/Panelist | Episode: "The Morality Test (I)" |
| MTV Cribs | Himself | Episode: "Xzibit, Boy George, Penny Hardaway, Al Harris" | |
| 2002 | Weakest Link | Himself | Episode: "Rap Stars" |
| Mad TV | Himself | Episode: "Episode 8.4" | |
| 2003 | Cedric the Entertainer Presents | Mack Daddy | Episode: "Episode 1.14" |
| 2004 | TV Land's Top Ten | Himself | Episode: "Top 10 TV Cars" |
| All of Us | Himself | Episode: "Basket Cases" | |
| CSI: Miami | Dwayne "10-Large" Jackman | Episode: "Rap Sheet" | |
| 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards | Himself/Host | Lead Host | |
| 2004–07 | Pimp My Ride | Himself/Host | Lead Host |
| 2006 | Mad TV | Himself | Episode: "Episode 12.1" |
| 2006–07 | The Boondocks | Himself (voice) | Guest Appearance: Seasons 1–2 |
| 2009–12 | Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | Himself | Recurring Designer: Seasons 7-9 |
| 2010 | Detroit 1-8-7 | Russel Pits | Episode: "Royal Bubbles/Needle Drop" |
| 2012 | Loiter Squad | Himself | Episode: "Date" |
| 2013–15 | Hawaii Five-0 | Jason "J.C." Dekker | Guest Role: Seasons 4–5 |
| 2015 | Unsung | Himself | Episode: "Nate Dogg" |
|
2016–19' ' |
Empire' ' |
Leslie "Shyne" Johnson' ' |
Guest: Seasons 2 & 5, Main Cast: Seasons 3–4' ' |
|
2017' ' |
Himself/Celebrity Player' ' |
Episode: "Hollywood Game Night"' ' | |
| 2018' ' |
Himself' ' |
Episodes: "2.2" & "2.4"' ' | |
|
Juicy Lou (voice)' ' |
Episode: "The Never-Ending Stories"' ' | ||
| 2019' ' |
Himself' ' |
Recurring Guest: Season 3' ' | |
|
Himself' |
Main Cast' | ||
| '2020' |
Himself' |
Episode: "Xzibit"' | |
| '2021' |
Himself' |
Recurring Guest' | |
| '2022' |
Himself' |
Episode: "The Greatest Mixtape Ever"' | |
| '2024' |
Himself (cameo)' |
Episode: "Jacob Elordi/Reneé Rapp"; prerecorded cameo, cut for time' |
Music videos
| Year | Performer | Track | Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg | "Still D.R.E." | As Himself |
| 2000 | Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg | "The Next Episode" | As Himself |
| Big Pun featuring Donell Jones | "It's So Hard" | As Himself | |
| 2001 | P. Diddy featuring Black Rob & Mark Curry | "Bad Boy for Life" | As Himself |
| 2003 | 50 Cent | "In da Club" | As Himself |
| 2004 | Cypress Hill featuring Tim Armstrong | "What's Your Number?" | As Himself |
| 2005 | Korn | "Twisted Transistor" | Portrayed Fieldy |
| 2008 | The Game featuring Lil Wayne | "My Life" | As Himself |
| 2009 | Busta Rhymes featuring Jadakiss & Lil Wayne | "Respect My Conglomerate" | As Himself |
Documentary
| Year | Film Title | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Rhyme & Reason | Portrayed Himself |
| 2012 | Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap | Portrayed Himself |
Video games
| Year | Game Title | Character Portrayed | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Madden NFL 2001 | Himself | Featured as a playable character |
| 2002 | Street Hoops | Himself | Provided voice acting |
| 2004 | The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay | Abbott | Voice and visual likeness used |
| Def Jam: Fight for NY | Himself | Playable character with voice and likeness included | |
| NFL Street 2 | Playable character with voice and likeness Also released on PSP as NFL Street 2 Unleashed | ||
| 2006 | Pimp My Ride | Guide / Narrator role | |
| 'Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover' | 'Himself' | 'Playable character featuring voice and likeness' | |
| '2009' | 'The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena' | 'Abbott' | 'Provided voice and likeness' |
| '2024' | 'Chrome Valley Customs' | 'Himself' | 'Voice and visual likeness included' |