Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born September 18, 1974), better known by his stage… Read Full Bio ↴Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born September 18, 1974), better known by his stage name Xzibit (pronounced "exhibit"), is an American rapper, actor, television presenter, and radio personality. Xzibit began his musical career after the release of his debut studio album, At the Speed of Life, on October 15, 1996. The album was both critically and commercially successful, peaking at number 74 on the Billboard 200. It also contained the single "Paparazzi", which peaked at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100. This success allowed Xzibit to secure a recording contract with Loud Records later that year.

Xzibit released his second album, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz, on August 25, 1998; it peaked at number 53 on the Billboard 200. The album also contained the single "What U See Is What U Get", which peaked at #50 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album's success caught attention from West Coast rapper Dr. Dre who acted as the executive producer on Xzibit's third album, Restless, which was released on December 12, 2000.

Restless debuted at number 14 on the Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum in the U.S. The album contained the singles "Front 2 Back", "X", and "Get Your Walk On". His follow-up album Man vs. Machine (2002) also enjoyed success; it debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold. Weapons of Mass Destruction (2004) also became certified gold. After the release of Full Circle in 2006, Xzibit underwent a hiatus, not releasing music until the release of his seventh studio album Napalm on October 9, 2012. Since 2013, he is part of the hip-hop supergroup Serial Killers.

Xzibit has also gained fame as an actor and television host, for his role as Shyne Johnson in the television series Empire, and as the host for the reality television series Pimp My Ride. He has starred in the films Gridiron Gang (2006), The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) and Sun Dogs (2017).

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xzibit

Studio albums
At the Speed of Life (1996)
40 Dayz & 40 Nightz (1998)
Restless (2000)
Man vs. Machine (2002)
Weapons of Mass Destruction (2004)
Full Circle (2006)
Napalm (2012)
King Maker (2022)

Best of Things
Xzibit Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Xzibit]
I was voted most likely to have a psychiatric evaluation
Let's start the process of elimination
This dedication is for niggaz with the green buddha
The bandula, six-shooter to your suit coolers
Now how this feel? Cold black steel up in your grill
This hollow point lead gon' be your last meal
Say your prayers, say your graces

Pieces of your face is found in a hundred different places
Huh, so what we lookin like? We tryin to see some hoes to fuck tonight
and you just tryin to see the afterlife
Make a decision before we have a head-on collision
makin me spend the rest of my life in prison
See I can only play the cards I was given
Multiplication division whatever you got to break mines off
like the U.S. government did to Microsoft
Like Xzibit in some pussy with the lights turned off
It's like

[Chorus]
I'm just livin to fulfill my dreams
I'm just tryin to have the best of things
None of y'all can't take shit from me
Life's a bitch she ain't fuckin for free
So I'ma ride til the wheels fall off
while all the rest get weak and go soft
Your petite style, can get you beat down
My heat's loud, have you huggin on the street now

[Xzibit]
Niggaz keep askin me how does it feel
How does WHAT feel? Not havin to scrape for a meal?
Not bein locked down to a fucked up deal?
The biggest man in Los Angeles is not Shaquille
We had to reinvent the wheel, draft new blueprints
Made a whole album, spent HALF what you spent
then sent the rest to my people to invest wit it
Custom fitted, if you want it nigga, come and get it
and I suggest you bring a million niggaz runnin wit it
Split it, feel it, hit it it's hot, look
I ain't gon' stop til everybody's shot
Muammar Khadaf's the dot, X mark the spot
with an infrared to your head, left for dead
Fuck the feds, flee the country then grow some dreads (ya mon)
I suggest you keep your distance, for instance, the same distance
it takes to get to the next solar system, motherfucker

[Chorus]

[Xzibit]
Strike one, when a nigga talkin shit with his hands
Strike two, gettin caught in the wrong place with your pants down
Strike three, tryin to fuck with the D-O-double-G
D-are-E, or any of my Alkaholik family
Huh, Xzibit turn your vital signs to a straight line
Never seen a dog bite and bark at the same time
Restless, rugged, never relaxed
Permanently owe you motherfuckers backs like tax
Baseball bats and breaks upside of your head
Homey STILL gettin swoll off water and bread
I got this, retaliation, for any situation I'm facin
and leave the stage with a standin ovation, it's like

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

In Xzibit's song Best of Things, the rapper reflects on his journey to success and the challenges he has faced along the way. He begins the song by referencing the assumption that he was most likely to have a psychiatric evaluation, highlighting the stereotypes and judgments that he has had to overcome. He then takes aim at his rivals, using vivid imagery and aggressive language to demonstrate his dominance and power. He declares his commitment to achieving his dreams and having the "best of things," despite the obstacles in his way.

The chorus of the song emphasizes Xzibit's determination to succeed and his refusal to be held back by anyone. He asserts that he will keep "riding" until the "wheels fall off," while others will "get weak and go soft." He also acknowledges that life is a struggle and that success does not come easily, declaring that "life's a bitch she ain't fucking for free."

Overall, Best of Things is a gritty and intense reflection on Xzibit's career and his experiences in the music industry. Through his lyrics, the rapper highlights the challenges that he has faced and his determination to overcome them, while also asserting his dominance and power in the rap game.

Line by Line Meaning

I was voted most likely to have a psychiatric evaluation
People anticipated that I would be subjected to mental health scrutiny since I took unconventional routes to reach my present state.

Let's start the process of elimination
Let's narrow down the options and figure out the best solution to our problem.

This dedication is for niggaz with the green buddha
This song is specifically for people who smoke marijuana.

The bandula, six-shooter to your suit coolers
I'll use a firearm to shoot through your formal clothing.

Now how this feel? Cold black steel up in your grill
How would this feel? A gun pressed against your face, ready to shoot.

This hollow point lead gon' be your last meal
This bullet will take your life.

Say your prayers, say your graces
Prepare for your death.

Pieces of your face is found in a hundred different places
Your body parts will be scattered all over the place.

Huh, so what we lookin like? We tryin to see some hoes to fuck tonight
What do we resemble? Are we searching for women to have sexual encounters with tonight?

and you just tryin to see the afterlife
You are only interested in discovering the afterlife.

Make a decision before we have a head-on collision
Make up your mind and choose carefully, or else we'll meet with disastrous consequences.

makin me spend the rest of my life in prison
I'll be imprisoned for the rest of my life if you make the wrong choice.

See I can only play the cards I was given
I can only work with the resources I have available.

Multiplication division whatever you got to break mines off
I'm willing to break off a share of my resources, be it by division, multiplication, or any other means.

like the U.S. government did to Microsoft
Just like how the U.S. government broke up Microsoft, I'm ready to split my resources.

Like Xzibit in some pussy with the lights turned off
Similar to how I am hidden in the dark while having sex, we are keeping our secrets hidden.

I'm just livin to fulfill my dreams
I am only living to accomplish my aspirations.

I'm just tryin to have the best of things
I am aiming to obtain the finest luxuries in life.

None of y'all can't take shit from me
Nobody can take anything from me.

Life's a bitch she ain't fuckin for free
Life is unfair and takes a toll on you in one way or another.

So I'ma ride til the wheels fall off
I will continue pursuing my dreams irrespective of any obstacles I might face.

while all the rest get weak and go soft
Others might give in and weaken, but not me.

Your petite style, can get you beat down
Your delicate mannerisms could lead to violence against you.

My heat's loud, have you huggin on the street now
My gun's loud sound will make you huddle in fear on the pavement.

Niggaz keep askin me how does it feel
People keep asking me the same question over and over again.

How does WHAT feel? Not havin to scrape for a meal?
What are you asking? How it feels not having to struggle for food?

Not bein locked down to a fucked up deal?
Not being confined to an unfavourable agreement?

The biggest man in Los Angeles is not Shaquille
The most powerful person in Los Angeles is not necessarily Shaquille O'Neal.

We had to reinvent the wheel, draft new blueprints
We needed to come up with new methods and ways of achieving success.

Made a whole album, spent HALF what you spent
I made an album for half the amount of money you did.

then sent the rest to my people to invest wit it
I invested the remaining money in worthwhile ventures for myself and my community.

Custom fitted, if you want it nigga, come and get it
These items are tailor-made, so if you want them, come and take them.

and I suggest you bring a million niggaz runnin wit it
But be prepared to face several others if you want these possessions.

Split it, feel it, hit it it's hot, look
We'll split the items we stole and enjoy it immediately.

I ain't gon' stop til everybody's shot
I'm not gonna stop until everyone is down and out.

Muammar Khadaf's the dot, X mark the spot
Muammar Gaddafi was the target, and X marks the area of attack.

with an infrared to your head, left for dead
I'll use an infrared targeting device to shoot you dead.

Fuck the feds, flee the country then grow some dreads
Screw the authorities, and escape to another country, where you can grow dreadlocks and elude identification.

I suggest you keep your distance, for instance, the same distance
It's better to maintain a safe distance from me, exactly like the distance between us now.

it takes to get to the next solar system, motherfucker
The distance is vast, and you don't want to get too close.

Strike one, when a nigga talkin shit with his hands
The first strike happens when someone talks trash and throws punches.

Strike two, gettin caught in the wrong place with your pants down
The second strike is getting caught in an inopportune moment with your guard down.

Strike three, tryin to fuck with the D-O-double-G
The final strike is attempting to mess with the West Coast rapper, Snoop Dogg.

D-are-E, or any of my Alkaholik family
B Real (from Cypress Hill), or any other members of the Alcoholics Anonymous alliance.

Xzibit turn your vital signs to a straight line
Xzibit can transform you from alive to dead in a matter of seconds.

Never seen a dog bite and bark at the same time
A dog can either bite or bark, not do both at once, and likewise either do nothing or get involved.

Restless, rugged, never relaxed
Always moving, unyielding, and unfazed.

Permanently owe you motherfuckers backs like tax
I owe no one anything, except for the responsibilities of a taxpayer.

Baseball bats and breaks upside of your head
I'll use a baseball bat to break your head open.

Homey STILL gettin swoll off water and bread
I don't even need proper food to maintain my shape.

I got this, retaliation, for any situation I'm facin
I can handle any crisis or trouble that comes my way, with an appropriate response.

and leave the stage with a standin ovation, it's like
And then earn immense praise and admiration for my feat.