When he takes to the stage at Cactus Jack’s tomorrow (Nov. 28), it will be Xzibit’s first time performing in Kamloops. Xzibit’s affinity for Canada goes further than selling records, too.
“Canada’s always been a good market for me,” Xzibit told KTW on the phone from Regina — “The Canadian city that rhymes with fun,” as he described it — ahead of a show in the Queen City. “I’ve been here a few times [not for work],” he said. “I’ve been fishing for sturgeon in Chilliwack. I like it up there.”
With no shortage of hits in his rear-view mirror, Xzibit said he thinks Napalm is his best record yet.
“I think I kind of create music from the standpoint, ‘What would I want to listen to?’ ” he said. “That’s where I take it from. That’s where good artistry comes from.”
That approach has worked out in the past. In addition to his solo studio successes — 2000’s Restless went platinum and his two subsequent albums both achieved gold status — Xzibit has collaborated with some of hip-hop’s biggest names on some of the genre’s most monumental projects. He was involved in two songs on Dr. Dre’s 2001 and appeared in hits like Snoop Dogg’s Bitch Please and Warren G’s 1999 single Game Don’t Wait — the latter two also featuring legendary West Coast baritone Nate Dogg, who died in March 2011. Xzibit said he is honouring Nate Dogg on the Napalm tour.
“You gotta come see,” he said. “I definitely feel like we lost a big part of the West Coast when Nate Dogg passed away.”
The collaborations continue on Napalm, which features Wiz Khalifa, RBX and Tha Alkaholiks — a group Xzibit was a part of in the late-1990s. The second single on Napalm is Up Out The Way, which features Yay Area rapper E-40, who has arguably gained as much notoriety for his made-up slang words as he has for his lengthy hip-hop career. Surprisingly, Xzibit said he had no trouble speaking E-40’s language when collaborating on Up Out The Way.
“You can understand him perfectly,” he said. “That’s E-40’s world, that’s his lane. I just think it’s dope he finds the creative space to do that — to say, ‘This word’s not good enough, I’m gonna make up my own word’.”
Overall, Xzibit said, he expects fans to like what they hear on Napalm. “I’m very proud of the clarity, the maturity,” he said. “This is a great representation of where I am as an artist.” And, as for being back out on the road promoting an album he says “It feels good, It feels like a homecoming — like what I’m supposed to be doing. This is what I do.” Article thanks to Kamloops This Week
As Xzibit announces more dates we will announce them to fans via this website on the Xzibit Concert, Tour and Show Dates page on XzibitCentral.com page and follow us on Facebook or Twitter to be notified when more dates are locked in.
Xzibit is set to take Bonita Platinum Tequila to Canada and will debut the product at the largest Food & Beverage show in Canada: EAT! Vancouver festival in Vancouver, Canada on May 24-May 26. Eat! Vancouver is expected to turn out more than 30,000 attendees including celebrity chefs from the Food Network. This year’s event will be held at the BC Place Stadium located at 777 Pacific Boulevard-Gate A.