Q (6/00, p.132) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Thoughtful lyrics, muscular beats and a finely honed sense of melody. It peaks on the wonderful, string-laden, pathos-ridden 'Paparazzi' which...could have been the 'Gangsta's Paradise' of its day."
Muzik (11/96, p.141) - 3.5 out of 5 - "...somewhere between out-and-out Keep It Realism and a true belief in the inherent merits of hip hop. The beats are harsh and melancholic...and like his mentors, he sounds about as East Coast as you can get while still talking about the West..."
The Source (9/96, p.150) - 3 Mics (out of 5) - "...an energetic West coaster displaying battle flows and make-sense lyrics from a fed-up mc's perspective....a definite must have if you appreciate the fat beats-n-solid rhymes scenario of the bold school..."
AT THE SPEED OF LIFE is an Enhanced audio CD which contains regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel includes: Xzibit, King Tee, Saafir, Ras Kass, J-Ro, Tash, Hurricane Gee (rap vocals); Catashtraphe, Ron Hightower.
Recorded at Tha Concentration Camp and The Compound, Los Angeles, California; Ameraycan, North Hollywood, California.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Xzibit defies all the stereotypes associated with West Coast hip-hop. Neither a "G" nor a "pimp," Xzibit's lyrics focus on the things that matter: family and life. AT THE SPEED OF LIFE, his debut, comes across as his personal gospel, with powerful messages conveyed through skilled rhyme.
With producers like Diamond D and Tha Alkaholiks' E-Swift at the helm, the tracks are unique, offering glimpses of real creativity. AT THE SPEED OF LIFE breaks new ground in hip-hop: Xzibit incorporates classical music in the single "Paparazzi," while the emotion-filled "Foundation," an open letter to the Xzibit's son, features the actual cries of the rapper's baby.