Xzibit, the legendary MC and all-rounder from Los Angeles, has always sprinkled his own salt on the hip-hop scene. This man began his career as part of the Likwit Crew and broke through with his albums "At the Speed of Light" and "40 Dayz & 40 Nightz. These records had those real boom bap vibes that old school heads feast on. He founded his own label Open Bar Entertainment and signed a deal with Epic Records for the masterpiece 'Restless'. This was followed by major releases through Columbia Records and his salty independent work like "Full Circle" and "Napalm. Now he returns to the ring with his latest project via Greenback Records, set up dope by none other than Conor McGregor.
His new album kicks off with the tight track "Play This at My Funeral," a true west coast anthem. A song that makes you understand that you have to open your mouth if you want to make it on the streets of LA. Next comes "Everywhere I Go," produced by Dem Jointz, which rocks plenty on both coasts. And "Been a Long Time 2" harkens back to the fiery energy of his classic "Restless," while "The Moment" featuring Busta Rhymes & Jason Martin smashes everything short on a pounding beat from Focus....
Xzibit throws a musical bomb with "Earth is Over," a song that mentions actors who never knew the real street struggles. "Leave Me Alone" with Dr. Dre, featuring organs thanks to Swizz Beatz, gives you those peace-of-mind vibes. "Belly of the Beast," again featuring Jason Martin, motivates everyone to manifest their destiny, and "History" blows you away with its sample game as a nod to the albums that inspired X.
With "Genesis" things get a little more personal, Xzibit tells a lady that she can be his starting point. "Perfect Alibi" shows us his clever alibi for a mistake he wasn't involved in. Soulful vibes emerge with "American Idol" featuring Symba, which raps about the circumstances in which many lose themselves. While "Crash" featuring Royce da 5'9" makes us pause to consider the many ways life ends.
Ice Cube brings us "For the Love," a track that experimentally honors the love and rainy days of Prodigy's "Quiet Storm." And with the g-funk tune "Shut Yo Mouth," you can't help but move your head along. "Higher" featuring B-Real & Redman is purely for stoners, and "Success" featuring will.i.am makes us ponder what true success means.
And then there's King T, co-founder of the Likwit Crew. He does it all over again with his own track "Notified." Beat Butcha brings it all rock, while DJ Khalil sharpens the funk file with "What U Like" in which Guapdad 4000 shows that success lies on both sides of the line.
This album, "Kingmaker," is just that salty book that shares his knowledge and experiences, in which X highlights his struggles and triumphs. For us, Xzibit remains a grandmaster who has his place firmly in his hands, without ever losing his grip on the pen. And while "Napalm" was already a masterpiece, "Kingmaker" is a salty step forward on many levels. Score? Definitely an 8 out of 10!
#hhz #houhet salt #hiphop #xzibit #kingmaker #conormcgregor
