XL Middleton is an artist who is best explained in three different ways - recording artist, producer, and CEO of his own label, Crown City Entertainment, which is home to himself as well as two other artists who hail from Pasadena, California: Black Daniels & Reality.

As a recording artist, XL brings a fresh perspective to what we think of as traditional West Coast hip hop. Having grown as an artist over the years, XL is ready to make a departure from regional West Coast anthems to create good music with a universal appeal. As a songwriter, he is capable of covering the entire spectrum, from writing lyrics to pull on one's heartstrings to writing a hit record that is perfect for the club. His lyrics are directed at the everyday folks who have to work 9 to 5 jobs during the week, and like to unwind with a few drinks (or maybe several drinks) on the weekends. Just look at the titles of some of his recent efforts, such as 2005's double CD "Music 4 A Drunken Evening" or his forthcoming release, "Barliament Drunkadelic" (coming November 2007). XL goes deep with his intoxicated subject matter; he can talk about the fun you have while partying, the regret of waking up the next morning with a hangover, and every emotion inbetween. Though not fond of the cliche phrase "keeping it real", XL still tells his true life story without the extras. He does it all through a very cynical point of view, meshing this seemingly superficial subject matter with sly social commentary and satire, on songs like "Don't Hate" which takes a critical look at the concept of not hating on anyone who is making money, even if those profits are gained by questionable means, "Beautiful People" about the detrimental obsession with physical appearance, or "Glam Rap", a song whose title pretty much sums up Middleton's views on hip hop music today. It is this outlook on life, unorthodox for hip hop music, which XL hopes will set him apart as a recording artist. On the other hand, songs like "One Drink" and "Meet Me At The Bar" fit in perfectly with the format of today's radio/MTV-friendly generation of hip hop, yet exemplify the longevity that XL Middleton holds over many other upcoming artists in his midst.

As a producer, XL uses a minimum of samples and instead opts for lush keyboard melodies and bouncy basslines, meshing it with the percussion-heavy sound that is popular in hip hop today, thus creating a sound that is smooth and melodic yet accessible to the mainstream. Though his bread and butter is traditionally "West Coast", a la DJ Quik, Dre, or Battlecat, XL can pretty much bring any flavor to the table, since he was trained to play keys at a young age and brings this musical experience to the table when making beats. It's not uncommon to listen to an XL production and hear solos from pianos, guitars, or synths that give the music a "live" feel that so much of today's hip hop music is sorely missing. XL even maintains a page on his website, www.crowncityentertainment.com, where young MC's can listen to and purchase beats for reasonable prices to help put together their demos or albums.

As a CEO, XL has a whole lot on his plate besides just being creative. He handles much of the business aspect of what he does, overseeing graphic designs for his album layouts, website maintenance, and even the shipping of orders and promotional mailings. He has a hand in every aspect of musical creation, execution, and promotion. Aside from XL's material, CCE has released two mixtapes and a full length album from Black Daniels. XL also did a duo album with partner 1stBorn, "The Angry Asians Album", that was a smash hit in Japan.

XL Middleton's music has found popularity among several overseas audiences, particularly in Japan, France, Italy, and Germany. A quick look at XL's Myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/xlmiddleton) reveals comments from multitudes of die-hard fans that have amassed to a cultlike following in the past few years. In 2006, XL went on tour in Japan, playing for sold-out venues in Tokyo, Yokohama, and Gunma. Back home, XL has played at venues all over California from the Bay Area back to LA, as well as Orange County and San Diego. He has even organized events by himself and in conjunction with the heralded Los Angeles-based manager/consultant Jazzy D, which were successful in showcasing the talent of him and his Crown City roster as well as several other up and coming talents from the LA area.

XL has collaborated, through production and guest appearance, with the following artists: Crooked I, Sly Boogy, Dr. Stank, Fingazz, Dirty Birdy, Bo-Rocc of The Doveshack, Foesum, Bad Azz, E-White, Young Hootie, Big Wy of The Relativez, Techniec and Dynamic Certified, The Twinz, Scipio, Bigg Steele, Coolwadda, Big Saccs, Shade Sheist & NUNE, and several others.