Strong Arm Steady

To introduce themselves to the world, the members of Los Angeles-based Strong Arm Steady — Xzibit, Krondon, Phil the Agony, and Mitchy Slick — didn't stick to the usual technique of releasing an album. Instead, in 2004 they issued a DVD of clips from performances, recording sessions, and the band hanging out, though, thanks to their mixtapes, they were already known in the L.A. area. In 2005 their debut, Arms and Hammers, was set to be released on Xzibit's Columbia imprint, Open Bar, but when that fell through, Strong Arm Steady — minus Xzibit, who declined to give his reasons for leaving the group — signed to Talib Kweli's newly formed Blacksmith Music.