Xzibit Reveals He Only Made $5K Per Episode Hosting MTV’s Pimp My Ride

Before he was surprising unsuspecting car owners with outrageous makeovers on MTV’s Pimp My Ride, Xzibit was already a force in the rap game. A staple of the late ’90s West Coast hip-hop scene, he built a reputation off raw lyricism and hits like “X” and “Multiply.” But when he became the face of one of MTV’s most iconic shows in 2004, fans assumed the rapper was cashing in big. According to Xzibit, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

In a new interview on Sway In the Morning, the rapper-turned-host opened up about how little he actually made during his six-season run on Pimp My Ride — and just how misleading the glitz and glam of reality TV can be.

“$5,000 an episode,” Xzibit revealed bluntly. “The agents I was with signed some bullst a deal, and we didn’t know it was going to be what it was.”

While the show became a pop culture phenomenon, launching catchphrases and viral car transformations, the pay remained stagnant — and underwhelming. At the time, Xzibit assumed MTV would cross-promote his music as part of the deal, giving him a new platform to push his career even further. That never happened.

“They never played my videos. I thought I was going to get some synergy out of the situation. Didn’t work like that,” he said.

As the series’ popularity skyrocketed, Xzibit found himself creatively and financially boxed in. Touring became nearly impossible due to the shooting schedule, and when it came to merchandise, he was promised a cut — but only if his face was on the product.

“First season, you look at the box, my face is on it. Every season after that, it’s just a car,” he said, suggesting MTV and its parent company, Viacom, deliberately found ways to minimize his share of profits. “They knew they were paying me s**t,” he added, calling out what he saw as intentional exclusion tactics in the fine print of his contract.

Even when the show went into syndication, his music was stripped from the episodes — a move Xzibit believes was done to avoid paying licensing fees.

Despite the frustrations, Xzibit didn’t let the network control his fate. After six seasons, he turned down a contract renewal, choosing to walk away rather than continue being underpaid and undervalued.

“I wasn’t happy because I’m not able to tour and go do other things,” he said, reflecting on the toll the show took on his broader career.

While Pimp My Ride cemented Xzibit as a household name, it’s clear the ride wasn’t all chrome rims and candy paint behind the scenes. His story serves as a cautionary tale about entertainment contracts and the fine line between visibility and exploitation.