Xzibit

On his third album, Xzibit hooks up with numerous westside all-stars, enlisting the talents of Dre, Snoop, Nate Dogg, DJ Quik, and others. While the production is definitely more mainstream -- more synthetic beats and fewer samples -- it's very catchy and introduced him to a whole new crowd. Includes his hit "X."

A tough guy explains himself ("Best of Things," "Sorry I'm Away So Much," "F****n' You Right"). (Grade - **)