Xzibit, one of the most iconic and recognizable figures in hip-hop culture, is set to supercharge the eighth edition of the Sea Star Festival! The multi-talented rapper, known for hits such as “X”, “Paparazzi”, “What U See Is What U Get”, and “Multiply” is returning more fired up than ever. A protégé of the biggest names in hip-hop – including Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg – he’ll bring the globally beloved sound of the U.S. West Coast to the Umag lagoon next summer, backed by a powerful live band.
In addition to hip-hop icon Xzibit, Sea Star – taking place from 28 to 31 May 2026 – will also welcome DJ deity Boris Brejcha. The festival will host a special artistic performance titled Emergency EXIT, a collaboration between EXIT, Boom, and the renowned European troupe La Fura dels Baus, with music composed by celebrated electronic artist Satori. The Main Stage will also feature New York DJ star Layla Benitez and Serbia’s electronic wunderkind Lanna. The first regional names for the Electric Waves Stage have also been revealed: DJ Labud, Herya, INKA, Kim Ono, Lottie, Marcel, Marin Biočić, and Sunny Sun.
Xzibit is undoubtedly one of the most influential West Coast hip-hop figures of the early 2000s. Behind the stage name stands Alvin Nathaniel Joiner, who has also built a strong presence as a television and radio personality. He is best known as the host of MTV’s reality show Pimp My Ride, and has appeared in TV series and films such as Empire and The X Files: I Want To Believe. His debut album “At the Speed of Life” entered the Billboard Top 200, with its standout single “Paparazzi” surpassing 30 million Spotify streams to date. After Dr. Dre – still one of his closest collaborators – took over as producer, Xzibit shifted toward a more commercial sound, achieving major success with the albums “Restless” and “Man vs. Machine”, the latter peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard chart. Throughout the 2000s, he delivered iconic collaborations with close friends Eminem and Snoop Dogg on tracks like “X”, “Don’t Approach Me”, “D.N.A. (Drugs-n-Alkohol)”, “Bitch Please”, “My Name”, and many others. Following the release of his seventh studio album “Napalm” (2012), he took a discographic break and toured with hip-hop supergroup Serial Killers – returning this year more fired up than ever.
The hype surrounding his new album began in 2024 with the release of the single “Play This At My Funeral”, followed by “Been A Long Time Pt. 2”, “Everywhere I Go”, and “Shut Yo Mouth”. His eighth studio album “Kingmaker” arrived in May, released in partnership with Greenback Records, owned by former UFC fighter Conor McGregor. The album features 20 new tracks and includes legendary collaborations with global hip-hop icons such as Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Ty Dolla $ign, and Busta Rhymes. This May, the American rapper will bring the unmistakable West Coast sound to Sea Star – performing with a full live band.
The announcement of Xzibit comes shortly after Sea Star secured a nomination for Best Medium-Sized Festival at the 15th edition of the European Festival Awards, which will be presented on 14 January 2026 in Groningen during the ceremony held as part of the Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) showcase festival.
The eighth edition of Sea Star Festival will take place from 28 to 31 May 2026 in the Stella Maris lagoon in Umag. As in previous years, the main festival days will be Friday 29 May and Saturday 30 May, while Thursday and Sunday are reserved for the Welcome Day and the After Party.
The first batch of tickets for the eighth edition sold out incredibly fast! Early bird tickets, released on Tuesday, 9 December, disappeared in under 20 hours. Fans from 21 countries – from Europe to North America –have already confirmed their trip to Umag. Besides Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy, strong interest is coming from Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Czechia, Hungary, Belgium, and the United Kingdom, with tickets also sold in the USA and Canada.
Festival tickets are available for €49 and can be purchased on the official festival website.
The eighth Sea Star Festival is realized with the support of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Istria County, the City of Umag, the Umag Tourist Board, the Istria County Tourist Board, and Plava Laguna.
