Xzibit @ Mean Fiddler, London

Xzibit @ Mean Fiddler, London

- 14 June 2007

Reviewed by Chloe McCloskey

“We ain’t pimpin’ no rides tonight!” proclaims West Coast rapper and MTV ‘Pimp My Ride’ host Xzibit to a sparse audience at Central London’s Mean Fiddler venue. Funny that – because moments earlier while waiting for the show to begin, a fellow attendee scanned the crowd and was overheard saying, “This is that happens when you do Pimp My Ride.” And fair play to him, the audience is a bit “chavvy" – for lack of a better term.

X to the Z has been kicking it in Cali since 1996 when he blasted onto the scene with the guttural single ‘Papparazzi’ – a rowdy tune about soulless rappers, the performance of which happens to be the climax of tonight’s event. Dedicating the song to everyone who’s stuck around since the beginning, new school fans seemed at a bit of a loss, and it was kind of funny hearing: “It’s a shame, n*ggaz in the rap game/Only for the money and the fame” coming from the presenter of an MTV show focused on pricey car customisation. But that aside, Xzibit, born Alvin Joiner, provides for a pretty live show.

After the underground success of his first two LPs, X continued his journey up the gold encrusted West Coast fame ladder throughout the late Nineties until he hit the top hooking up with the kingpin Dr Dre to appear on Snoop Dogg’s ‘Bitch Please’.

His connection to these heavyweights landed some real cred, so that when deck-man DJ Invisible slyly fingers his seriously iced-out chains before banging out a room-shaking Dre medley, the crowd is catapulted toward frenzy level. Following the G-Funk up with a dub-reggae beat, X pays tribute to all the “weed smokers” and jokingly begs his fans to “Pass the Dutchie pon the left hand side.” Hilarious?

At one point Xzibit introduces an “LA underground legend,” who turns out to be former Likwit Crew member (and the evening’s requisite hype-man) Defari. Unfortunately X brought enough hype and D ended up looking like a school teacher trying to relive his glory days chasing the big man around the stage...

Finally X disappears backstage announcing he’s going to get some friends while Invisible creates anxious speculation by playing three Snoop tracks in a row – could the big Dogg be coming on? Not quite. Minutes pass, the lights dim and suddenly the stage is strewn with a very sexy string section. X reappears suited and booted while the audience classily chants, “Get your tits out!” to the all-female orchestra. With ‘Thank You’ – an ode to fans, friends and family alike, Xzibit shuts it down with an emotional tribute. After 11 years, this MC has proven that what you see isn’t necessarily what you get because this MC’s talents go far beyond pimping rides.

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	Xzibit @ Mean Fiddler, London - 14 June 2007 Reviewed by Chloe McCloskey “We ain’t pimpin’ no rides tonight!” proclaims West Coast rapper and MTV ‘Pimp My Ride’ host Xzibit to a sparse audience at Central London’s Mean Fiddler venue. Funny that – because moments earlier while waiting for the show to begin, a fellow attendee scanned the crowd and was overheard saying, “This is that happens when you do Pimp My Ride.” And fair play to him, the audience is a bit “chavvy" – for lack of a better term. X to the Z has been kicking it in Cali since 1996 when he blasted onto the scene with the guttural single ‘Papparazzi’ – a rowdy tune about soulless rappers, the performance of which happens to be the climax of tonight’s event. Dedicating the song to everyone who’s stuck around since the beginning, new school fans seemed at a bit of a loss, and it was kind of funny hearing: “It’s a shame, nggaz in the rap game/Only for the money and the fame” coming from the presenter of an MTV show focused on pricey car customisation. But that aside, Xzibit, born Alvin Joiner, provides for a pretty live show. After the underground success of his first two LPs, X continued his journey up the gold encrusted West Coast fame ladder throughout the late Nineties until he hit the top hooking up with the kingpin Dr Dre* to appear on Snoop Dogg’s ‘Bitch Please’. His connection to these heavyweights landed some real cred, so that when deck-man DJ Invisible slyly fingers his seriously iced-out chains before banging out a room-shaking Dre medley, the crowd is catapulted toward frenzy level. Following the G-Funk up with a dub-reggae beat, X pays tribute to all the “weed smokers” and jokingly begs his fans to “Pass the Dutchie pon the left hand side.” Hilarious? At one point Xzibit introduces an “LA underground legend,” who turns out to be former Likwit Crew member (and the evening’s requisite hype-man) Defari. Unfortunately X brought enough hype and D ended up looking like a school teacher trying to relive his glory days chasing the big man around the stage... Finally X disappears backstage announcing he’s going to get some friends while Invisible creates anxious speculation by playing three Snoop tracks in a row – could the big Dogg be coming on? Not quite. Minutes pass, the lights dim and suddenly the stage is strewn with a very sexy string section. X reappears suited and booted while the audience classily chants, “Get your tits out!” to the all-female orchestra. With ‘Thank You’ – an ode to fans, friends and family alike, Xzibit shuts it down with an emotional tribute. After 11 years, this MC has proven that what you see isn’t necessarily what you get because this MC’s talents go far beyond pimping rides. Return To Concert Review Archive
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