Happy Birthday, Xzibit!

Today (Sept. 18) is X to the Z's special day. Xzibit, born Alvin Nathaniel Joiner, turns 41 years old.

Xzibit is one of the West Coast's most recognizable rhymers thanks, in part, to his gravely voice. He collaborated with hip-hop's elite through the '90s and early '00s: Marshall Mathers LP era Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube. The rapper's solo works haven't really achieved that much acclaim, though. However, Restless, Man Vs. Machine and Weapons of Mass Destruction all reached at least gold status. Also, "Paparazzi," Xzibit's debut track, was used in one of The Sopranos' most famous scenes.

Of course, Xzibit's profile reached a higher level thanks to his work as a host on MTV's Pimp My Ride. In retrospect, the show had a pretty absurd premise: a schlub has a middling life until Xzibit shows up to improve his or her car with rims, stereo systems and a new paint job. The altruistic mission was also an easy source of parody years later.

Xzibit has kept a low profile since his days of ride pimping and rapping. He recently made a surprise appearance on Dr. Dre's Compton album, where he was featured on the song "Loose Cannons."

Watch Xzibit's "Multiply" Video

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