Xzibit on his first album in over a decade, ‘Kingmaker’: “It’s all about energy”

nme.com:

Xzibit has spoken to NME about the making of his new album ‘Kingmaker’, how he nearly retired, and how the “diversity in hip-hop is lacking”.The rapper-turned-actor is gearing up to release his eighth studio album in early 2025, marking his first in 12 years. ‘Kingmaker’ will serve as the follow-up to 2012’s ‘Napalm’ which featured the likes of E-40, Wiz Khalifa, Prodigy and more.NME sat down with the 50-year-old in London, where Xzibit (real name Alvin Joiner) sported his returning signature – a sign that he’s once again “ready to go” and “feels all powerful like Samson”.Now, the Detroit-born, LA-raised rapper has released ‘Play This At My Funeral’ – the lead single for ‘Kingmaker’ – which Xzibit said is his “state of the union”.“It is a morbid title but I think ‘Play This At My Funeral’ has nothing to do with me dying,” the rapper explained. “This is a snapshot of where I am mentally, physically, emotionally.

Some finite statements are made in there. I think it’s really dope to be able to come back and show people where I am, what I’ve been doing, what I’ve done, so it answers a lot of questions.”Joiner also stated that ‘Kingmaker’ “has nothing to do with him being royalty or sitting on the throne and being a part of some kind of hierarchy”, but a sign that he wanted to share his knowledge of “the good, the bad, the ugly, the ups and downs” he’s faced throughout his life and career that he attributes to “making him successful”.“Music is what I do the best, naturally,” Xzibit said while explaining why he decided now is the time to release an album. “I do a lot of other things – a lot of different films, a lot of different TV stuff – but music is the catalyst to what makes everything work.