Anyone else find similarities in how xzibit & cube handled their career's?

[7 Syns]

Don't get it twisted, Cube and Xzibit in their prime were monsters on the mic. Cube as we know (or should know and acknowledge) dropped 3 banging records from the get-go. "amerikkka'z most wanted", certified classic by many. "death certificate", certified classic by some. And "lethal injection", certified classic by a few.

Either way his first 3 records with maybe the 4th "the predator" were hot records which I played to death back in the early to mid 90's. However as he started making more and more movies, the quality of his records slipped big time. Lyrically he went from a "get free, fuck the government, make sure you're kids get knowledge and pave the future for the better" to a "shake ya ass girl, i be in the club till the night ends, getting high and drunk". And the result was the poor War & Peace records.

Xzibit, his first 2 records were gigantic as far as hip-hop goes especially on the west. Straight gutter, yet with a class of some real emcee shit on them. "at the speed of life" was just gritty and personal, over rocky production his flow and rhymes hit ya head straight. And on "40 dayz and 40 nightz" he had more space to experiment as an emcee with different flows and tones, rhymes and lyrics. Fans swallowed them up, as they should have.

"restless" though lyrically a backstep had dope production and Xzibit displayed some hot flows, the LP felt like you could jam it in ya ride or at a party and wild out to it. But he still had time to put some heartfelt shit he was known for originally, eg. sorry im away so much. Then Xzibit started catching some media time, a few commercials here and there and lil' spots in indy movies (tha eastsidaz movie) and we got "man vs machine" a subpar piece of work. He eventually got swooped up by MTV and delivered us "weapons of mass destructions", now i won't lie. The LP as a whole had better lyrics and rhymes, flows and deliveries then the last 2 Lp's he released (Man Vs Machine & Restless). But the beats were a major let down. He gave us Judgement Day and Scent Of a Woman which were inspiring to both average joes and the mami's but too much wack production made it offcourse.

It seems both artists got their heads caught up in a commercial/media frenzied whirlwind. Both are dope emcee's which had/have potential, Cube perhaps already lived his and we got glimpses of Xzibit's. And though I find Xzibit the better emcee yet Cube has the better albums, there's a similarity between them.

It's a shame that they hollywood virus hit 'em. Xzibit's still real humble and puts on a great show on stage and Cuba does his thing too. But damn, they should be to the west what KRS/LL (for Cube) and Jigga (for Xzibit) are for the east.

Opinions?

peace.

 

[killahill187um]

Don't get it twisted, Cube and Xzibit in their prime were monsters on the mic. Cube as we know (or should know and acknowledge) dropped 3 banging records from the get-go. "amerikkka'z most wanted", certified classic by many. "death certificate", certified classic by some. And "lethal injection", certified classic by a few.

Either way his first 3 records with maybe the 4th "the predator" were hot records which I played to death back in the early to mid 90's. However as he started making more and more movies, the quality of his records slipped big time. Lyrically he went from a "get free, fuck the government, make sure you're kids get knowledge and pave the future for the better" to a "shake ya ass girl, i be in the club till the night ends, getting high and drunk". And the result was the poor War & Peace records.

Xzibit, his first 2 records were gigantic as far as hip-hop goes especially on the west. Straight gutter, yet with a class of some real emcee shit on them. "at the speed of life" was just gritty and personal, over rocky production his flow and rhymes hit ya head straight. And on "40 dayz and 40 nightz" he had more space to experiment as an emcee with different flows and tones, rhymes and lyrics. Fans swallowed them up, as they should have.

"restless" though lyrically a backstep had dope production and Xzibit displayed some hot flows, the LP felt like you could jam it in ya ride or at a party and wild out to it. But he still had time to put some heartfelt shit he was known for originally, eg. sorry im away so much. Then Xzibit started catching some media time, a few commercials here and there and lil' spots in indy movies (tha eastsidaz movie) and we got "man vs machine" a subpar piece of work. He eventually got swooped up by MTV and delivered us "weapons of mass destructions", now i won't lie. The LP as a whole had better lyrics and rhymes, flows and deliveries then the last 2 Lp's he released (Man Vs Machine & Restless). But the beats were a major let down. He gave us Judgement Day and Scent Of a Woman which were inspiring to both average joes and the mami's but too much wack production made it offcourse.

It seems both artists got their heads caught up in a commercial/media frenzied whirlwind. Both are dope emcee's which had/have potential, Cube perhaps already lived his and we got glimpses of Xzibit's. And though I find Xzibit the better emcee yet Cube has the better albums, there's a similarity between them.

It's a shame that they hollywood virus hit 'em. Xzibit's still real humble and puts on a great show on stage and Cuba does his thing too. But damn, they should be to the west what KRS/LL (for Cube) and Jigga (for Xzibit) are for the east.

Opinions?

peace.

:thumb: good reading

 

[aloivas]

So you're saying their careers are similar because they both fell off and sold out? Dude, you could draw the same similarities between hundreds of rappers...

But damn, they should be to the west what KRS/LL (for Cube) and Jigga (for Xzibit) are for the east.

Both KRS and LL became wack before Cube did, and Cube is greater than both those rappers. I'd say Cube is, or was, the west-coast Chuck D/Scarface.



Also, you say Cube has 3 banging records? Don't forget - he wrote 90% of the most important hip hop album of all time..he has the greatest catalogue in hip hop. 3 albums in the top 15 or so of all time.

 

[7 Syns]

So you're saying their careers are similar because they both fell off and sold out? Dude, you could draw the same similarities between hundreds of rappers...



Both KRS and LL became wack before Cube did, and Cube is greater than both those rappers. I'd say Cube is, or was, the west-coast Chuck D/Scarface.



Also, you say Cube has 3 banging records? Don't forget - he wrote 90% of the most important hip hop album of all time..he has the greatest catalogue in hip hop. 3 albums in the top 15 or so of all time.

I agree with your replies, 1) because I didn't really justify what i said and 2) especially with the Cube/Chuck D comparison. The reason I named KRS and LL rather than Chuck is because they're more universially known then Chuck D is. Thats pretty much it.

And to an extent yes, the similarities do lay in the way they've sold out and fallen off. I don't think as actual artists their much alike, but the way their career's unfolded. I know, how you stated, that they're are many emcee's who had potential then fell off etc. But these two had their chances unlike many. They were put out on reasonably strong labels (at the time anyways) and were fairly promoted and known in a sense especially Cube. Plus we've heard what they could do through both single material and the rest of the record material.

Also, I know Cube was responsible for jotting down some of the greatest works in hip-hop. N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton being the obvious. I also know he had a massive hand in the first Westside Connection LP which is adored by many to date.

But I guess what it comes down to is, from what theyve done on the mic they're still under appreciated or over looked. Especially Cube. He has single handedly banged out more classics and more bangers than Biggie or Jigga put together in my view. And even though i really dig Jigga & Biggie, they get so much more appreciation and over all love than Cube gets.

Xzibit on the other hand I think gets way under rated by many to this day regardless of his success. I thought Weapons of mass Destructions lyrics, rhymes and overall content was ill. Some rhymes he did really stuck to ya mind. But peeps didn't give it a chance.

My bad, once again I put out a post half-assed. I blame the moet lol.

peace.

 

[Silleone]

no, i dont see the simularities, and about Cube holding it down for the west well lets just scrap all that shit, hip hop is way beyond credibility and lyricism these days, its about money, what do u want xzibit and cube to do, rap about the streets, keep it "real", what do u mean by "sold out", so anyone that has business smarts, makes there own movie company, makes millions has sold out, why is it that anyone that makes money, does movies, etc get called a sellout. psssh.

Cube in m opinion hands down is the most complete rapper, hes seriously underrated, he needs a shit load of props, but he aint a sellout, his record lable tried to fuck with him back in the day, forcing him to go there with a bat, the guy has wised up and realised how to play the game and is now rich as fuck, more power to him.

one more thing xzibit is no where near cube lyrically, cube used to rap about real issues.

 

[7 Syns]

why is it that anyone that makes money, does movies, etc get called a sellout. psssh.

Cube isn't a sell out for doing movies or anything like that, but for catering his label demands and changing his entire style up. Eg. first 3 possibly 4 albums he was legit in the sense of content 9talked about real issues that went through the states and world in general at the time) etc.. by the time war & peace came out he was all about the girls, the clubs and whatever else. I mean a couple of tracks per album of that manner is no biggie, but for someone to completely change up like that? I mean he went from relevant subject matter to plain out stupid subject matter within a space of a couple of years.

To me, changing ones persona for bigger sales in which Cube did is a sell out. 50 Cent could be argued but he was always what he is today, Cube on the other hand completely changed after seeing more and more $$.

You can be successfull and at the same time cater with legit issues in this world. One or two club songs isn't a big thing in my opinion, but to change it up completely and stepdown skill wise is.

This thread is going nowhere fast, I acknowledge that my comparison in a sense is faded. In other words, my bad I was wrong.

peace.

 

[D-dot]

Cube never sold out to me, I blame priority records for falling off, and Cube decided not to fall off with them, hence the movies, cube is a hustler homie, he knows how to make his money, listen to the crunk juice album, cube killed any MC dat featured on the track with him, including Nas, Ti, Jadakiss, etc. Cube is still one of the greatest man, but Xzibit fell off big time, its not even a joke,

 

[roaches]

Not really.

Ice Cube: popular rapper, great rapper, came out as the front man of hip-hop's most important group. Went solo, dropped quality shit. Started doing movies. Ran out of things to talk about. Doesn't care, because he's making Hollywood dough.

Xzibit: underground rapper affiliated with an underground crew, began making friends with more popular rappers. Appeared on a hit Snoop Dogg single, then became popular. Dropped an album trying to emulate the new crowd he ran with, riding the coattails of his new affiliations. Tried to do it again - failed. Tried one more time - failed. Lives off of a TV show.

Ice Cube's problem: doesn't have the motivation to say things, and doesn't really have much to say.

Xzibit's problem: he's trying to rap like someone he ain't. Motherfucker, the two cliques you're part of - one of them, you rap with an albino; in the other one you're affiliated with Dilated Peoples. Why're you trying to do albums with Dr. Dre and be a TV crip and make people dance?

 

[Valeoz]

Two streetridden niggas I'm proud of. They "moved on up to the Eastside, in a deluxe apartment", seriously. Who cares if their records are slipping today, I don't think so personally. They were successful and they are still bringing the success. All they are doing is moving and looking up. I congradulate them. If you think they're sell-outs, then you don't know what it means to truly have your own. Especially from the enviornment that they come from.

 

[imported_MAKaveli_10]

I can see how you say its a shame, they aint dropping good records anymore, but they are making more money with 1 movie than they are with 2 or 3 records. They got a long future in hollywood.

 

[idir_aissani]

the war and peace albums didnt totaly sucked
they got a couple of good song you have to admit that
cube is a legend man he doesnt need to prove his skills he just doesnt give a fuck. He is making mad dough.

 

[kman_69]

yeah id agree....to a degree...

id say Xzibit's path to commercialism started when he got with Dre tho....seriously, he's first two albums are so raw, and underground....then he hooked up with Dre...and his whole album sounded commercial as fuck..

 

[HipHopIsDead]

I think they both followed the way rap was going, which was commercial. damn you'd be dumb to sit there talking about real issues when you can get banging hit singles to make more money than your entire album. Fuck i know i'd take the same path.. it all about the benjamins coming in the mail every friday.