Xzibit Says He Was Paid Just $5K Per Episode on “Pimp My Ride” in “Bulls**t A** Deal” [Video]

Xzibit says his “Pimp My Ride” stint wasn’t exactly a get-rich-quick deal.

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Before he was the face of wild car makeovers, Xzibit was already a respected rapper and West Coast heavyweight. He emerged from the ’90s underground scene, and by the early 2000s, he was known for hits like “X” and “Multiply.” So when MTV tapped him to host “Pimp My Ride” in 2004, many assumed it would launch Xzibit into a whole new tax bracket. The show became a cultural phenomenon, turning beat-up cars into flashy dream machines. But behind the scenes, the paycheck didn’t match the spotlight.

In a new interview with “Sway In the Morning,” Xzibit broke down just how little he made from the show that defined an era.

“$5,000 an episode,” he said, noting that fans’ perception of success didn’t reflect the reality. “The agents I was with signed some bulls**t a** deal and we didn’t know it was going to be what it was.”

He also thought MTV would help boost his music by playing his videos. That never happened. As the series’ popularity soared, so did Xzibit’s frustrations.

“I wasn’t happy because I’m not able to tour and go do other things,” he explained. Xzibit also claimed Viacom cut his pay even further. “They knew they were paying me s**t,” he said, adding he was promised 15% of merchandise sales, until fine print excluded items without his likeness.

“First season, you look at the box, my face is on it. Every season after that, it’s just a car,” he added.

And when the show went into syndication, they stripped out his music to dodge more payments.

Despite the disappointments, Xzibit walked away on his terms. After six seasons, he declined to renew the contract.