Xzibit is in mourning.
In a heart-wrenching post on his MySpace blog, the hip-hop star announced that his newborn son, Xavier Kingston Joiner, who arrived prematurely on May 15, died early this morning from lung failure.
"This week was extremely difficult for him because his lungs were not strong enough to handle regular oxygen on his own," the rapper writes. "Xavier passed away this morning at 3:30 a.m. and I must tell you this, it is unnatural [sic] for a parent to bury a child. I am telling you this because of the same reason I tell you when I'm having great times, life is too short to be fake.
"Hold on to your kids if you have them, protect them and show them you love them everyday you wake up and see them, don't take a second you get to hug them, teach them and care for them for granted. You can have all the material wealth in the universe but it is NOTHING compared to having your family."
The 33-year-old rapper, whose real name is Alvin Nathaniel Joiner, then thanks fans for all their love and support and adds that he's taking time off to grieve over his loss.
Aside from his platinum-selling musical endeavors, Xzibit is best known for hosting MTV's Pimp My Ride. The Detroit native's next big-screen appearance will be as an FBI agent in this summer's The X-Files: I Want to Believe, hitting theaters July 25.