Xzibit is a West Coast legend who has been around since the mid-1990s, and as LA’s answer to 50 Cent, Xzibit, a former member of Aftermath Entertainment, spent a lot of time around the Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ rapper. However, he also spent many years in the studio with Dr Dre. In a recent appearance on the Los Angeles morning radio show Big Boy’s Neighborhood, Xzibit reminisced about his time around Dre (real name Andre Young), revealing what it is like being with him in the studio.
Speaking with the hosts, the former Pimp My Ride presenter recalled when he worked with Dre for his 2002 single ‘Multiply’ featuring the late Nate Dogg. According to the emcee (real name Alvin Joiner), during the studio session, Dr Dre made him redo one intro line over 500 times.
Humorously recollecting the session, Joiner exclaimed, “That took me about two-three hours to get that line because he wanted me to sound like a down-south preacher… ‘I been this way, and I can’t stop.’ No. I couldn’t understand why or where he was trying to take me, but I wasn’t fighting. He sat there patiently with me like, ‘Nope, try it again.'”
The West Coast icon continued, “Eventually, it was like, ‘Oh.’ I had to break out of what I thought I needed to sound like and got into where he was trying to direct me, and that’s why the first intro lines sound like that. He didn’t get there doing nothing. I thought I nailed it — dropped the headphones, done. No. I trust him, and I respect him immensely. Being able to be in that position as he feels your art is good enough to be in his universe is dope.”
Laughing at the story and Dr Dre’s insane levels of perfectionism, the radio host comically asked Xzibit if he still enjoys the song or if it takes him to an “abusive” place. Revealing that he loves the track but will always remember the lyrics he had to redo, Joiner disclosed, “I love the song. I will never forget that part. Even if I have Alzheimer’s, I’m still gonna remember, ‘I been this way, and I can’t stop.'” You can watch the interview in the video below.
