Xzibit – Restless

With his outstanding performances over the past few years
expectations have run high for Xzibit‘s
third album. Unfortunately, for an album that was supposed to run away with
many of this year’s top rap honors Restless
for the most part staggers its way through sixteen tracks.

The Kenny Parker Show 2001 features KRS-One and a mediocre beat, but since
when does KRS only do an intro for a
track instead of dropping a rhyme? Snoop
Dogg joins Xzibit in the
lackluster D.N.A. (Drugs-N-Alkahol),
in which they both sound truly uninspired. The
Rockwilder‘s avant-garde production techniques fall short in Front 2 Back, and the only good thing
about Been a Long Time is the
inclusion of Nate Dogg for the hook.
However, Restless does have a few
shining moments; most notably the Dre
produced U Know.

The bass heavy joints Sorry I’m Away So
Much and Best of Things are each
able to elevate Xzibit to his most
prolific. Erick Sermon makes some
worthwhile contributions behind the boards on two cuts: the Lik‘s assisted Alkaholik, and Double Time.

Eminem appears on the excellent Don’t Approach Me, in which the two
prestigious emcee’s strike back against those who’ve started beef with them in
the past.

Restless is not a bad album, in fact
it’s much better than most other releases as of late, but it’s still far from
being representative of Xzibit‘s
potential.

Peace