Within Temptation: Xzibit had to Google us

Within Temptation have revealed that rapper Xzibit didn't know who they were when he was asked to collaborate with them – and he had to Google them for more information.

He finally agreed to appear on their track And We Run from this year’s album Hydra. But before it happened the band, who today played the main stage at Download, had to battle with their backroom staff.

Guitarist Ruud Jolie tells TeamRock Radio the collaboration was fellow axeman Robert Weterholt’s idea. He says: “Robert is a big rap fan, and when the song was written he thought it would be good to put rap over it.

“We always thought Xzibit is a great artist and a very likeable guy through his TV show. When we asked him he had to Google our name! But we knew he’d done crossovers with his own music, and he was into a more heavy style. We tried – and I think it turned out really great.”

Vocalist Sharon den Adel says: “When we said we wanted to work with Xzibit, the record company were like ,‘Okay, do you want us to contact him?’ But the management were almost dropping off their chairs, like, ‘You’re crazy, you don’t want to work with a rapper – you’ll end your career!’”

The reaction just spurred them on, she adds: “We thought it would be even more interesting to see what people would say.”

And while some fans didn’t like the concept, many of them have come round since Hydra was released. “A lot of people had doubts,” Jolie says. “Some people wrote off the whole album. We’ve talked to numerous people who, at first, didn’t like it much. But it’s evolved into their favourite track on the album.”

Within Temptation featuring Xzibit: And We Run

Within Temptation interview

Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.