Riding the wave of his new album “Kingmaker”, Xzibit is arriving from the American West Coast to the Adriatic to open the summer with a performance at the first festival of the season. The rapper’s discography includes some of the biggest hip-hop hits that defined the sound of the 2000s, racking up tens of millions of streams across digital platforms. Xzibit’s importance in rap culture is further confirmed by his star-studded collaborations and friendships with icons such as Dr. Dre, Eminem and Snoop Dogg, and this May he will bring those hits to the Stella Maris lagoon in Umag, performing on the Tesla Main Stage at the eighth edition of Sea Star Festival.
Although Xzibit also marked the start of the millennium as a television personality – most notably as the host of MTV’s show Pimp My Ride – he is above all one of hip-hop’s most prominent figures, whose lyrics and beats became a symbol of the early 21st century. The golden era of MTV and PlayStation, and according to many the golden era of hip-hop, was defined by the hits and collaborations of the brilliant X-to-the-Z. He was embraced by the biggest stars of the time, including Destiny’s Child, and although his discography includes dozens of tracks that helped redefine hip-hop music, five standout hits and five major collaborations hold a special place in his catalogue.
Exactly 30 years ago, Xzibit introduced himself with the album “At The Speed Of Life”, which featured the standout single “Paparazzi”, still one of the biggest hip-hop hits today. In addition to entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the time, the song’s instrumental was featured in the soundtrack of a cult scene from The Sopranos, in which the most famous mafia family appoints Junior as the new boss. Among Xzibit’s top five hits is also the unavoidable “What U See Is What U Get” from his second album “40 Dayz & 40 Nightz” (1998), accompanied by a cinematic storyline portrayed in its acclaimed music video.
His number one hit, however – with more than 127 million streams on Spotify alone – remains “X”, the single from his third studio album “Restless”. The track was released in 2000 on the first album produced by his longtime mentor and collaborator, the incomparable Dr. Dre. Through this collaboration with the legendary producer and rapper, Xzibit created his own sound and found his formula for success. Another hit from the album is “Get Your Walk On”, released as its third single, delivering unstoppable flow and authentic, raw lyrics depicting the harsh reality of American street culture. The 2004 album “Weapons of Mass Destruction” was released in two versions – Clean and Explicit – and produced the hit “Hey Now (Mean Muggin)”, featuring American R&B singer Keri Hilson. Along with other successful tracks, the song was also included on the compilation “The Greatest”.
Over more than three decades, Xzibit has collaborated with some of hip-hop’s biggest names. Topping the list of his five greatest collaborations is undoubtedly “My Name”, which he wrote and performs together with Eminem and Nate Dogg. His friendship and collaborations with one of the greatest of all time – Eminem – spanned many years, with one of the most beloved results being the hit “Don’t Approach Me”, released on Xzibit’s second studio album. Slim Shady and Mr. X-to-the-Z captured early-2000s hip-hop audiences with their unstoppable flow and powerful lyrics. Snoop Dogg has described working with Xzibit as destined and magical. They joined forces on the track “Bitch Please” from Snoop’s album “No Limit Top Dogg”, as well as “Bitch Please II”, which brought together a powerhouse lineup: Xzibit, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Nate Dogg. The track was released on Eminem’s second album. Another widely popular collaboration is “Multiply”, whose chorus was performed by Nate Dogg, who during his lifetime earned the nickname King of Hooks thanks to his talent and legendary guest appearances.
Xzibit further boosts the star-studded lineup of the eighth edition of Sea Star Festival, which will take place in the magical Stella Maris lagoon in Umag. Joining him in opening the summer is DJ deity Boris Brejcha, while a special artistic performance titled Emergency EXIT will also take place – created in collaboration between EXIT, Boom and the renowned European theatre troupe La Fura dels Baus, known for their role in the Olympic Games opening ceremony. The music for the performance will be composed by the highly respected electronic artist Satori. Also performing on the festival’s Main Stage are New York DJ star Layla Benitez, techno heroines KI/KI and BIIA, and Serbian electronic wunderkind Lanna. The unmissable hip-hop Gang returns to the Lagoon this year as well – Amna, Grše, Hiljson Mandela, Prti Bee Gee, TBF, Blackout Showcase w/ Phat Phillie, Bore Balboa, Macha Ravel, TNG, Bejbe, Noti Limun and Tibor will make sure hard beats and flawless flow fill both the Main Stage and Nautilus Arena. Regional forces have also been announced for the Electric Waves Stage: DJ Labud, Herya, INKA, Kim Ono, Lottie, Marcel, Marin Biočić and Sunny Sun.
The eighth edition of Sea Star Festival will take place from May 28 to 31, 2026, in the Stella Maris lagoon in Umag. As in previous years, the main festival days will be Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30, while Thursday and Sunday will be reserved for the Welcome Day and After Party.
Current ticket prices are valid only until Thursday, March 12!
Festival tickets are currently available at €49, offering a 40% discount compared to the final price. The full ticket selection is available on the festival’s official website.
The eighth Sea Star Festival will be realized with the support of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Istria County, the City of Umag, the Umag Tourist Board, the Istria Tourist Board and Plava Laguna.
