To many people around the world, Xzibit is a face they'll recognise from watching MTV - but it hasn't always been that way. Long before he became known as the host of 'Pimp My Ride', X was a key figure in the growth of West Coast hip hop. At a time when the East Coast/West Coast feud was dying down, there was one man who stayed on his grind, dropping track after track of raw, unadulterated hip hop. And while his releases haven't always been multi-platinum successes, Xzibit has constantly remained true to his roots, refusing to succumb to the lure of the spotlight, even after his hugely popular hit 'X'.

Eleven years on from his debut 'At The Speed Of Life' and Xzibit - aka Alvin Joiner - is back in London to promote his latest album, 'Full Circle'. Fresh off the plane from Italy, The Situation caught up with X to find out what really went down at Gumball, the truth behind his Strong Arm Steady split, and why the US is in for a political overhaul...
 

‘Full Circle’ was released last year – why has it taken so long to come over and promote it in Europe?

Well, I only had two months to put the record together because I was in between filming things. It was right after I finished filming ‘Gridiron Gang’, and I had to finish ‘Pimp My Ride’, so this was the only time I had free to actually come over and do what I had to do, so it’s better late than never.

It was also your most critically acclaimed album to date – how do you plan to top that on your next release?

Well, I’m just gonna keep making music. You can’t please all of the people all of the time, you know, I just do it as I feel the music.

There’s reports circulating the internet saying you’re readying your new album, ‘More Than Just A Game’. Who’ve you got lined up as producers/guest appearances?

On the new one? I haven’t started the new one yet! People have been telling me (about) that, but it’s not true. I don’t know where that came from!

You’ve managed to release one album every two years since your 1996 debut – is that something that you had planned, or is it just a coincidence?

No, it just happened. I don’t have a plan; I just go into the studio and make good music when I feel it.

You were previously a part of the Strong Arm Steady crew, which you founded. Why did you leave the group last year?

They went and signed with Blacksmith (Talib Kweli’s label), but I just didn’t agree with the terms of the deal, so I left. It was a personal choice; it just wasn’t right for me. You gotta do what you gotta do.

50 Cent recently stated that making a hit record and making money was more important to him than sustaining his lyrical credibility – what are your thoughts on this?

You know how I feel, just listen to ‘Paparazzi’. I mean, what if gay rapping became the status quo, like just being a straight up fag and selling millions of records – does that mean you’re gonna become a gay rapper?! Just because it’s selling? He didn’t really think about that! Just because it’s making money doesn’t necessarily mean it’s made out of gold, you know what I’m saying? And that’s by no means disrespect to 50 Cent. He may feel like that, but for me, I come from a different principle.

What do you think of West Coast hip hop at the moment? Snoop’s still going strong, The Game’s still holding it up…

I think we’re eventually gonna come to a place where we all can come out together as a movement, and do our thing for the West Coast.

Who do you think’s the most innovative artist on the scene right now?

I like Amy Winehouse. When I heard her record, I was floored. It's music, real music. She's from that era of Etta James and Billy Holiday, Miles Davis, even before Miles Davis. You know, that old, real soulful sh*t. I think she's got a good thing going.

Would you be looking to hook up a collaboration with her?

(Laughs) No, I can appreciate music without trying to make it my own!

Prince has been talking of Amy joining him on stage for a duet during his summer gigs – what do you think that will be like?

It’s gonna be crazy. She’s dope. Prince, I don’t know. He’ll shriek all over the track (mimicks Prince’s vocals)!

What about on the rap scene - who do you tip for success in 2007?

I hate rap right now.

Not even one of your own crew?!

Nope… Rap’s too stagnant. Underground hip hop is good, but rap is just... whatever. I don’t know how to walk it out, I don’t know how to do the motorcycle dance, I don’t know how to do that sh*t. I just know how to spit, and if there’s people that still wanna hear that, then I guess there’s still a market for me. But if you want me to make up a dance to go along with my record, then you’re f*cking missing the boat!

So when Nas said hip hop is dead, did you agree?

I understood what he said. I mean rap is dead; hip hop will never die. I mean, rap is pretty much stagnant, it’s in the ground. I believe him more now, but it’s more shocking to say hip hop is dead because it’s something we said would never die for so long.

How do you define hip hop and rap, because nowadays the terms are practically interchangeable?

Well, it’s simple. KRS-1 said it a long time ago: hip hop is something you live, rap is something you do. Hip hop is the culture; it’s the way we live, the way we dress, the way we communicate with each other, the way we celebrate. That’s hip hop. Rap is something that people get together, and then they put together a beat, then they go on TV… those are rappers. But in hip hop, rappers are just a part in this huge conglomerate of sh*t that we call hip hop. Rappers do not represent the whole of hip hop.

You’ve had several movie appearances in the last few years – what kind of roles have you got lines up?

I’m not really looking now. I did Gridiron Gang, I was happy with that. It’s not looking for the next thing, it’s looking for the right thing.

What would be your dream role?

I don’t know. I would have to definitely create it, cos there’s not a lot of strong roles for black men out there in Hollywood. It seems as though you gotta be slightly dumb; you can never be the hero, you’re always the sidekick. There’s a lot of work to be done, you know?

As you must have heard by now, Paris Hilton is going to jail…

(Proceeds to give a standing ovation)

She’s apparently written to Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon her from her jail term – if you were the Governor of California, would you excuse her from serving time in prison? Given that performance, I doubt you will!

B*tch, you gonna get 45 more days just for writing me that letter! How bout that?! She needs to go to jail to get a dose of reality. She’s gonna be someone’s b*tch! A tip for her: don't drop the soap! Someone's gonna move into your luxury suite, Miss Hilton! I love it!

Arnold Schwarzenegger featured on a special ‘Pimp My Ride’ episode recently – what was he like to work with?

That’s my homie, I’ma call him and be like, let her sink. Let her go to jail! (Laughs) It was good working with him. He was very down to earth, came in, talked to us. He didn’t have too many security, I mean he had a couple of secret service guys there with him, but it was cool. Actually, I was a little taller than him, and that kinda shocked me! (Although imdb.com records state Schwarzenegger is 6’2”, while X is 5’9”…) I was like, ‘Damn, that’s the Terminator! I can get him a little bit!’

Do you think he would make a good presidential candidate?

Hmm… I’d have to see his policies, not his movies!

What about the current presidential candidates? Who do you fancy as Bush’s successor?

I don't know... This race is very diverse, you can say that. We could have the first female president, the first black president… I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see what happens. I wish they’d stop slinging mud at each other, long enough to tell us what they plan to do in office.

Do you think Barak Obama has a real chance?

Yeah, it all depends on what he says, what he does.

You recently participated in The Gumball 3000 Rally, but it was reported that you’d lost your license after you were caught speeding…

Yeah, well I got a ticket, and in Belgium, if they don’t have the DA on the phone, then they can’t do anything like take your license. So it wasn’t that serious. But it was my first Gumball, and it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience, so it was good.

The event was cancelled after the fatal car crash towards the start of the race – were you disappointed at that? Do you think it’s fair for the whole rally to be called off because of this?

I was definitely feeling sorry for the family, the person who got into the accident but out of respect I had no problems, it was just like, woah, let’s handle business, it’s not about me. But there’s a lot of hearsay going around, a lot of rumours (about scrapping the race). I think it’s hard to pin things on the rally when it’s an individual act, you know.

You’ve been doing ‘Pimp My Ride’ for a while now – when do you think it’ll be time to move on?

I don’t know, I mean, we have a lot of laughs on set. But I don’t know what they wanna do with it.

Would you be willing to carry on?

I don’t know. That’s a decision I’m gonna have to make when I get to it.

What do you have in store for the next month, until you’re back in London?

More of this, more press. Just let everybody know I’m here and I’m around.