Interviewing one of today's multi-media artists shouldn't be this easy to set up. All it took was a conversation with Assistant Photo Editor, Alisa Applegate-who knows damn-near everyone-who talked to her people and-Voila-I got an interview. Xzibit's fifth album Weapons of Mass Destruction is set to coincide with the first episode of his hugely popular MTV show "Pimp My Ride!" (now in its second season). The tandem dropping will grab existing fans and mix them with the 80 million TV junkies. With this much promotion the album is almost guaranteed to go platinum.
2NR: Describe your music.
X: Original.
2NR: What's your sign?
X: Exit.
2NR: The song that made you get into music?
X: "What's goin' on?"
2NR: Marvin Gaye?
X: Nah man. I listen to all types of music. It's hard to say what particular song.
2NR: What's the genre of music you listened to before urban?
X: I listened to urban music first. I was born in Detroit, so I had Motown. So soul and urban was all you heard. Journey wasn't on the radio.
2NR: It surprised me when you were on stage with Linkin Park.
X: Don't be surprised, homie. Rap and rock have gotten along for years.
2NR: Is there a group outside of hip hop you'd like to work with?
X: I'd like to do something with Lenny Kravitz.
2NR: What are some of your old-school inspirations?
X: Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, Ice Cube, Chubb Rock, Big Daddy Kane, LL, Poor Righteous Teachers.
2NR: That's all late '80s early '90s stuff. When did you start listening to hip hop?
X: My brother introduced me. He brought home a Raising Hell cassette. It was green and grey. I wore that mothaf***a out. It was so worn I rubbed the words off the tape. It was just a clear tape by the time I was done.
2NR: Everybody knows some artists get a car to showoff for a show. What do you really drive?
X: I have a Mercedes S500 and H2.
2NR: What do you plan to buy next?
X: A Bugatti.
2NR: What's "pimped" in your ride?
X: Everything. I got more shit in my car than it's worth.
2NR: What gets done up first?
X: Do it all at once. Why f**k around?
2NR: Well, the rest of us have to show our friends in stages.
X: Well that works too-you gotta crawl before you walk.
2NR: Besides that un-pimpable Ford Escort and the "Fly-Jet" what ride should never be pimped?