Following his surprisingly brilliant debut album At the Speed Of Life, Alvin "Xzibit" Joiner almost immediately began work on a follow up project (although not until he'd caught up on all the episodes of The X-Files he'd missed, of course), and, since his debut had been so successful, he decided that, in order to build off of his already established greatness in the game, he would keep things similar to how they were before. At the Speed Of Life, while making X enough money to support his marijuana addiction (something all late '90s rappers had if we're honest here), didn't quite chart well enough to make X a true force to be reckoned with in the game, and so for the time being he was, much to his displeasure, made to stay around his old friends Tha Alkaholiks and King T, and their circle of producers, in order to put together this project. The album therefore has a reasonably similar sound to the debut, although there is a lot more West Coast influence this time, and is as such widely considered far from what is commonly referred to as the "sophomore slump".
However, the album wasn't entirely made up of Alkaholik beats and guests - as well as the predictable track with his Golden State Warriors buddies Ras Kass and Saafir, X managed to secure a track with two of Def Jam's more prominent artists at the time - Jayo Felony (a name that probably means nothing to casual hip-hop fans) and Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan (a name that should probably mean something to casual hip-hop fans). The latter's contribution isn't so strange, however: remember, both X and the Wu-Tang Clan were signed to Loud Records at the time - I'm surprised X didn't do more Wu-Tang features if I'm honest (although the quality of the Method Man featuring track might have something to do with the lack of subsequent meet ups). Production was provided by a plethora of beatmakers, some of whom - E-Swift and DJ Pen One - were carried over from the last album, but most of whom were new to the world of Alvin Joiner, and we'll discuss more of that later, although I should say now that X did invite some of the most potent producers in '90s West Coast hip-hop, such as Bud'da, Sir Jinx and Soopafly, to the recording studio, so that does show that he was starting to leave the very East Coast sound we found on his debut.
This album is considered by a lot of people to be Xzibit's finest work, but by those that don't see it as such, it is seen as the weakest of his first three albums, so going into this one it's difficult to know what we are going to find. I did love X's debut, but it was a little inconsistent, so maybe X will improve that this time. Let's take a little gander...
1. Intro (The Last Night) (prod. Sir Jinx, co-prod. Xzibit)
Of course proceedings couldn't begin without the obligatory intro skit. This one introduces us to a concept that inevitably will never be discussed again, but the "Paparazzi" beat plays out in the background here, so that makes it a little easier to stomach.
2. Chamber Music (prod. Sir Jinx, co-prod. Xzibit)
Wu-Tang Clan also had a song called "Chamber Music" (the opening song on their third effort, The W), something that surprises me since Xzibit released this song just three years earlier, and on the same record label. Odd, that. This track is bloody phenomenal - the marching band type beat is brilliant to listen to, and Xzibit sounds even more hardcore than he did on a large proportion of the last album. When X says quietly "and we out" towards the end, it just somehow gives me goosebumps, as does the dramatic introduction to the song as well. The line "I think it's funny how motherfuckers think I'm supposed to share/Cher like Sonny" is goofy, but otherwise this is a brilliant opening track.
3. 3 Card Molly (feat. Ras Kass & Saafir) (prod. Bud'da)
4. What U See Is What U Get (prod. Jesse West, co-prod. Xzibit)
5. Handle Your Business (feat. Defari Herut) (prod. DJ Pen One, co-prod. Thayod Ausar)
Oh yeah, Defari is on here. I always forget that dude even exists, and I don't know why. I think I get him mixed up with Devin the Dude, but whatever. His performance on here is good, but X steals the show with some more somber rhymes, and the production from DJ Pen One and the highly underrated Thayod Ausar just seems tailor-made to suit X-to-tha-Z. The melody on this one always reminds me of Common's "Nuthin' To Do" beat, although listening now I realise that was quite the obscure connection to make, since the songs are about as similar as snakes and cheese.
6. Nobody Sound Like Me (feat. Montageone) (prod. A Kid Called Roots)
Apparently Xzibit's first album did enough numbers for Loud Records to give X his own weed carrier, a man known, ridiculously, as Montageone, and one who pops up twice on this record. This track right here samples Ghostface Killah's vocals from Raekwon's classic interlude "Shark Niggas (Biters)", from the Loud release Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., which probably saved quite a bit of money in X's sample clearance budget (since he's also on Loud Records, of course). The sample sounds quite annoying if I'm honest, which is a shame as this beat is wavy and funky as hell, and Xzibit rides it like he does his pet horse on the weekends whilst he's NOT recording a new album. Montageone sounds decent too, if not standing out much. Very good track.
7. Pussy Pop (feat. Jayo Felony & Method Man) (prod. Soopafly)
8. Chronic Keeping 101 (Interlude) (prod. Xzibit & Sir Jinx (even though it says "beat performed by Thayod Ausar" - what is that supposed to mean??))
Can't he just call it a skit? Why is it an "interlude"?? The beat on here is nice, but otherwise this skit is boring and unnecessary, like most skits that last over a minute, come to think of it.
9. Shroomz (prod. Sir Jinx, co-prod. Xzibit)
Bloody excellent. This beat is hilariously goofy, but in a good way, unlike, say, The Meth & Red Show, which is hilariously goofy in a horrible, horrible way. Meanwhile, X finally decides to do a nice bit of storytelling, telling the tale of how he met some white people, who gave him some "shroomz" (I would normally abhor the "z" in the title, but I think it fits the silly nature of the song in this instance), only he stupidly decided to take way too much, trip the fuck out, and finally blame it all on the white boys, and blast them the fuck away. Apart from the fact that X plainly stole this plot line from an unreleased episode of Dora the Explorer, it is pretty compelling, and more hilarious than you would probably expect from the harrowing events. This is a really fun track.
10. Focus (prod. D.J. Glove)
Alvin decides to get a bit serious again after that strange (but wonderful) excursion, and record "Focus"over an instrumental that sounds rather intense and dark, in other words the perfect beat for an aggressive MC such as Xzibit. The hook on here is memorable, despite the random and intrusive vocal sample, and the verses work wonders over this excellent beat. X also would later feature on an Erick Sermon song of the same name, and only two years later at that, which I think is worth mentioning.
11. Jason (48 Months Interlude) (prod. Sir Jinx & Xzibit, "beat performed" by E-Swift)
*Insert dope beat covered with unnecessary skit vocals here*. Isn't it odd how X once again separates two solo tracks into the middle of the album by interludes, just like on At the Speed Of Life? I wonder if that was intentional.
12. Deeper (prod. Bud'da)
Aside from the fact that the previous skit appears to have nothing to do with this song, rendering it even more pointless than it otherwise would have been, this song is fantastic. The production, the second and final one from Bud'da, is excellently creepy, with the occasional violin screeches making this almost seem like some kind of horrorcore beat. Xzibit also kicks some of his best rhymes yet. One of the best songs on the album.
13. Los Angeles Times (prod. MelMan)
14. Inside Job (prod. Sir Jinx, co-prod. Xzibit)
A-nother storytelling track? That's pretty exciting, and this song was pretty damned hilarious as well. What happened to Xzibit's sense of humour on his releases after this?! (well, Full Circle had a bit, but you'd have to be tickled non-stop throughout to even crack a smile during Weapons Of Mass Destruction). X's tale of being robbed in his home, shooting at the robbers, and then getting arrested, before finally being released and deciding he's going to sleep at the police station anyhow, just for the hell of it (he may have realised this was a foolish decision when he was given a recently-urinated on blanket, though) is exciting as hell, and there are a lot of funny moments too. The beat on here isn't particularly engaging, but the storyline sure as hell is.
15. Let It Rain (feat. Tha Alkaholiks & King T) (prod. E-Swift)
Of course X wasn't going to be so selfish as to leave out the people that made him famous in the first place! What kind of selfish bastard would do that? This track is very good, if not one of the best on the album, and does stand a little higher than both "Positively Negative" and "Bird's Eye View", the collaborations with these characters from the last album. The bass is intense on here, and very exciting, even if the drums don't work quite as well as they want too. This is still an excellent posse cut, mind you, and I think King T especially destroys his verse.
16. Recycled Assassins (feat. Montageone) (prod. Montageone)
X invites his short-time buddy Montageone back into the studio, and this time lets him have a little go behind the boards as well, a bloody good idea, as the beat on this one is harrowing and haunting, the perfect soundscape for such a track. The hook on here is powerful, but the verses more so, with both rappers recounting the incredibly difficult times they faced whilst growing up in poor neighbourhoods. Xzibit's verse is especially powerful, talking about his older brother, who was shot "in cold blood", before being arrested. The line "but as I marinated thinkin' about the hood, I really can't remember anybody doin' good for long" is also incredibly powerful, a reminder that, even if these places can often be glorified by rappers, they really aren't all that fun. This is easily one of the best tracks on this album, and one of the best X songs I have ever heard, full stop.
17. Outro (prod. Sir Jinx, co-prod. Xzibit)
X's father gives a small speech about him over the "Chamber Music" beat from earlier. And it's under a minute! Take notes, Common, take notes.
The following is a bonus track only included on certain pressings of the album, including mine.
18. Don't Let the Money Make You (feat. Soopafly & King T) (prod. Soopafly)
After a (probably fake) interview clip with Xzibit, the song starts up, and you can already see why it was relegated to bonus track duties - it ain't that good, my friends. As well as the hook being ridiculously contradictory (you can't say "the meaning of life is stack chips", and then seconds later state "don't let this money make you". Practice what you preach, fellas), the beat is honestly quite boring, and King T doesn't even get to kick a verse! The hell?!
Overall, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz, stupid title and all, is actually a rather incredible album. The project improves on the already excellent At the Speed Of Life by being more experimental, and at the same time a hell of a lot more consistent. Xzibit is slightly more improved for the most part on this album as well, and with nothing anywhere nearly as bad as "Hit & Run (Part II)" to be found here, this was bound to be somewhat better. X is thankfully not let down by any (well, almost any) of his collaborators, with every beat being solid at worst ("Pussy Pop", "Inside Job"), and bloody phenomenal at best ("What U See Is What U Get", "Shroomz"), and all rappers not named Jayo Felony provide great verses on their appearances. And the best thing is that this album isn't too feature heavy, either, with over half of these songs being kicked by X alone (7 out of 13 to be precise, not counting skits or the bonus track). This album easily stands as my favourite Xzibit album, as his previous work was too inconsistent (even though its highs surpass anything on here), and his work after this was too polished and/or terrible (we'll cross that bridge when we come to it). So, yes, this IS Xzibit's finest hour, and a classic album at that - it's easily worth a listen, and you don't even have to outright skip anything here either!
Best Tracks: Chamber Music, 3 Card Molly, What U See Is What U Get, Nobody Sound Like Me, Shroomz, Focus, Deeper, Recycled Assassins
Worst Tracks: Pussy Pop (and it ain't even that bad)
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Images for "3 Card Molly", "Pussy Pop" and "Los Angeles Times" taken from Discogs
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