West Coast rap star Xzibit is mourning the tragic loss of his newborn son Xavier Kingston Joiner, who was born prematurely May 15 and died early Monday after a "difficult week."

"His lungs were not strong enough to handle regular oxygen on his own," the emcee, who rose to fame as a protégé of Dr. Dre and host of MTV's "Pimp My Ride," wrote in an emotional posting on his MySpaceblog.

"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," Xzibit, born Alvin Nathaniel Joiner, wrote. "You can have all the material wealth in the universe but it is NOTHING compared to having your family."

The 33-year-old entertainer, set to appear as an FBI agent in the upcoming "X Files 2: I Want To Believe" movie, did not say how early Xavier was born or identify the baby's mother.

"Brother I am praying for you and Krista," Xzibit's sister Christine Joiner, 35, wrote on his MySpace page. "Stay strong and know that we are a strong family."