Man vs Machine

by Xzibit

Overview

Four albums deep, Xzibit's presence on the microphone rivals that of the better MCs of the latter day. However, on Man vs Machine, Xzibit seems to have lost some of the edge on his lyrical blade, which once tested in underground fires more than a half-decade before he hit the mainstream in 1999. The man who brought listeners "Paparazzi," "Foundation" (from his 1996 debut, At the Speed of Life), and "What U See Is What U Get" (from the 1998 release 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz) managed to avoid the sophomore slump, but instead found the junior jinx with the disappointing 2000 release of Restless, even with Dr. Dre in his corner. While X is still in cahoots with the good Dre here, unfortunately Man vs Machine is a continuation of his lackluster spiral rather than the masterpiece that X fans thought to be inevitable when he linked up with the likes of Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem in the Y2K. Things start off with dark zest on the cleverly worded and sinisterly composed "Release Date," produced not by Dre, but by East Coaster Rockwilder. Dre chimes in with lyrics for the awkward and clunky "Symphony in X Major" and beats for the delightfully raunchy "Choke Me, Spank Me" and the slightly above-workaday "Losin' Your Mind" featuring Snoop Dogg. Also, taking a somewhat shameful page out of P. Diddy's book, producer Jelly Roll turns to early-'80s Toto ("Africa") for inspiration on the painfully inane "Heart of Man." Things pick up some on the Dre camp's retort to a Jermaine Dupri dis on the Eminem-produced "My Name" (featuring some patented Slim Shady punch lines and a G-hook from Nate Dogg) and the cross-continental banger "BK to LA" featuring Brownsville sluggers M.O.P. The heartfelt ode to his mother ("Missin' U") notwithstanding, after the floss and gloss of this release is peeled away, there's a lot more of Xzibit the MC caught in the machine of the hip-hop industry than there is of Xzibit the gifted man. ~ M.F. DiBella

Product Details

Release Date:	01/27/2023
Label:	DIGGERS FACTORY
UPC:	3760370260257

Tracks

1. Release Date
2. Symphony In X Major
3. Multiply
4. Break Yourself
5. Heart of Man
6. Harder
7. Paul
8. Choke Me, Spank Me (Pull My Hair)
9. Losin' Your Mind
10. BK to LA
11. My Name
12. The Gambler
13. Missin' U
14. Right On
15. B**** A** N*****
16. Enemies
17. My Life My World
18. What a Mess
19. (Hit U) Where It Hurts

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Xzibit   Primary Artist
Anthony Hamilton   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
M.O.P.   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Nate Dogg   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
W.C. Jr.   Primary Artist
Dr. Dre   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Snoop Dogg   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Eddie Griffin   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Traci Nelson   Featured Artist,Vocals
Andre "Dre Boogie" Wilson   Featured Artist
Eminem   Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Golden State Project   Featured Artist
Theron Feemster   Keyboards
Sir Jinx   Vocals
Truth Hurts   Vocals
Barbara Wilson   Vocals
Mike Elizondo   Bass,Keyboards
Conesha Owens   Vocals
Mamie Gunn   Vocals

Technical Credits

A. Wilson   Composer
Bink   Mixing,Producer
Steve King   Engineer,Mixing
Dana Stinson   Composer
Erick Sermon   Producer
Dr. Dre   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Executive Producer
Dexter Simmons   Mixing
D. Drew   Composer
Andre Young   Composer
J.J. Jackson   Composer
Rocklogic   Engineer
Eminem   Producer
Dylan Dresdow   Engineer
Tyrone Fyfee   Producer
Doug Wilson   Engineer
Rockwilder   Producer
Luis Resto   Producer
Denaun Porter   Composer
Richard Huredia   Mixing,Engineer
Rick Rock   Mixing,Producer
Mike Elizondo   Composer
Melvin Bradford   Composer
Jonathan Mannion   Photography
Jason Schweitzer   Mixing,Engineer
Roosevelt Harrell   Composer
J. Beats   Producer
Rahiem Prince Thomas   Composer
Shane Mooney   A&R
Larry Chatman   Project Coordinator
Jason Noto   Package Design
Tracy McNew   Project Coordinator
Marshall Mathers   Composer
T. Nelson   Composer
Justin Bendo   Engineer
Chris Martin   Composer