While platinum-selling rapper Xzibit remains an active veteran of the rap scene, he is perhaps most well-known for his role as the host of MTV‘s early 2000s hit series ‘Pimp My Ride‘. Lesser known is Xzibit‘s bonafides in the nü-metal scene, from having toured with the likes of Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach and more, to pairing with Sevendust and Endo on the 2000 ‘Loud Rocks‘ compilation, to even joining Deftones onstage for a performance of ‘Back To School (Mini Maggit)‘ back in 2009 at a benefit show for late Deftones bassist/vocalist Chi Cheng.
In a newly shared episode of Amoeba Music‘s long-running ‘What’s In My Bag?‘ series, Xzibit stopped by the music chain’s Hollywood, CA location and on top of picking up a Metallica shirt, he also snagged a copy of Deftones‘ platinum-selling 2000 landmark album, “White Pony“. He had the following to say about that effort, which just last week hit its 25th anniversary [transcribed theprp.com]:
“I spent a lot of time doing ‘Vans Warped Tour‘, ‘Anger Management ‘, stuff with Linkin Park, stuff with the The X-Ecutioners, Limp Bizkit; I did a lot of cross collaborations with rock bands, and I’ve also toured with a lot of rock bands. This [‘White Pony‘] was one of my favorite albums from the Deftones. “Back To School” was like my favorite song on here.
And I think you can find it online, I was like out in a festival in Europe somewhere, and they were playing and they let me come up and sing the song with them on stage. If you find that, it’s gold (laughs).”
Should he ever plan to crossover to the metal world, he already has the backing from one rap veteran who has already done so. B-Real of multi-platinum weed rappers Cypress Hill recently spoke of the potential Xzibit would have in that capacity during an interview with Korn‘s estranged bassist Fieldy,
B-Real stated that he had already begun nudging Xzibit down that path, thanks to a new track from the upcoming fifth release from their Serial Killers project, which should arrive this fall. B-Real stated [transcribed theprp.com]:
“On the Serial Killers sh*t, we have a song that’s more hard-edged, you know, like with that metal sh*t on it. Scoop [Deville, producer] decided, out of nowhere, ‘I’m gonna do one metal song and produce one metal-style song.’ And we did it, and Xzibit led that, you know, on the chorus, and then he laid some dope verses down. And he sounded f*cking amazing on that sh*t. You know, I was like, I told him, ‘bro, you should do like, an EP of just like, on some metal sh*t.’ Xzibit on some metal shit. And, yeah, because he sounded, he’s got that voice.”.”
“…I told him, I was trying to plant the seed, ‘You should do a f*cking EP of Xzibit on the metal.’ We’ll see if he does it. He should, because he’s to me, to me, he’s cut for it, know what I mean? And he’s still as sharp as f*cking ever, if not sharper.”
