New Alchemist Interview

[Smurf]

No flash, no bling, no mess, Alchemist is about beats. For the better part of six years Alchemist has been one of the more reclusively successful producers in Hip Hop, producing grimy banger after grimy banger. In those six years, producers have risen to levels where their personalities and commercial draw equal, if not eclipse that of the emcees they work with.

Talented enough to have taken the “look-at-me” producer route, Alchemist decided to lurk in virtual anonymity, with only the dopeness of his beats giving him face. Alchemist has purposefully crafted beats, and a persona, that puts emphasis on the MC’s lyrics, while encapsulating them in score-esque music that is emotional, sinister, and beautifully trancing all at once.

Now, with his debut album, 1st Infantry, Alchemist steps from behind his lyricists, and puts his talents front and center. Alchemist took a second to speak with AllHipHop about his transition from beats-smith to artist while also speaking on the practice of jacking samples, why he desired to escape the opulent existence of his youth, and the use of the word, n**ga by people of non-color.

AllHipHop.com: What’s the theme and purpose behind the album?

Alchemist: It’s basically an album based on production. It’s not like I rhyme on every song, I actually on rap on two songs. It focuses on the beats which is how I made my name over the years. It’s got a lot of my friends on it, I didn’t reach out to people I didn’t know. It’s got my family on it, I got Cypress on it, Dilated Peoples is on there, of course Mobb Deep is on there, all the Lox is on there, M.O.P. is on there, this new artist Stat Quo, and Devin the Dude. It just feels so good to have my own joint, instead of being in the credits mad little, cause not everybody reads the inserts on the albums.

AllHipHop.com: No Nas?

Alchemist: Yeah Nas is on the album, also Game. I knew I was forgetting some people.

AllHipHop.com: Is the sound classic Alchemist or did you try some new things production wise?

Alchemist: I kept it classic cause I felt like I haven’t had a chance to assert my sound within the scope of my own album. The producers I was raised off of like Diamond D, Large [Professor], Premier, Muggs, they all did albums with their groups first. Then those producers would go out and do music for other people. For me, it was the opposite. So that’s why I don’t go too far away from my formula, you’re not going to be too shocked by anything on the album. It’s just that good music

AllHipHop.com: What are your thoughts on producers being the main attraction on some songs, with the artist being a secondary attraction?

Alchemist: I learned over the years that the artist is the star of the song. Ya know you can make your beat roll over and play dead, and do tricks, and breakdown and all type of s**t for the fans of beats. But at the end of the day, the world is listening to the message.

AllHipHop.com: Do you feel there is a difference between a producer and a beat maker?

Alchemist: I think in order to be a producer you have to be a beat maker, but I you can be a beat maker and not necessarily be a producer. It’s like Karate, the beat maker is a white belt, a beginner. The producer is a black belt. A producer collaborates with artist more than a beat maker. You can’t just give a beat to an artist and say okay I produced it. Yeah, but there are a few artist that you can do that with, like my man Buckwild told me he would just give B.I.G. a beat and he was so skilled that you would just come back later and the song would be done. Esco’s the same way, I don’t have to be there with Nas. But Nas actually likes the input, he appreciates input. I remember when we did “No Ideas Original,” I brought him this break and we talked a little bit about it and I came back two days later and it was done exactly how we spoke about it.

AllHipHop.com: A lot of producers seem to be pretty relegated to either the underground or commercial circles, but you seem to bounce back a forth as you please. Why do you think the industry affords you that luxury?

Alchemist: Maybe cause I built a foundation, but I don’t know, cause I think if I did something out of my league people would definitely come at me. I don’t know if I’ve gone too far into the commercial world yet. The new Mobb Deep single is probably the furthest I’ve gone commercially. I’m careful to keep what I’ve built special.

AllHipHop.com: Jaheim’s new joint, produced by KayGee is a little too close to yours. Is there any code of the streets for producers with that?

Alchemist: Nah man, you can tell by how Trackmasters did the Beatnuts with that J. Lo s**t, they didn’t call up the Beatnuts or nothing. Amongst certain heads who I got respect for and who have a mutual respect for me, yeah sure there’s a code. I would never do something like that, because I think back to that era when biting was completely not tolerated. Nowadays, the word biting doesn’t exist anymore. Back in the day you had to be original, having your own style is what made you special. So as far as using other peoples loops and stuff, I try to steer away from it, or if I’m gona use it I’m gona twist it up and flip it into something they wouldn’t have thought of so even the originator would respect it.

AllHipHop.com: So you weren’t even a little bit pissed when you heard the Jaheim song?

Alchemist: Nah, it was just funny cause in the song he’s like “When worst comes to worst you gotta put your women first.” That makes me think they definitely had to hear my track.

AllHipHop.com: Look at you being all humble, like they couldn’t have heard that song.

Alchemist: It’s all good. It’s kind of funny cause Jaheim has a new artist and they just called up me and P (Prodigy) because they’re using “Keep it Thoro.” Now I’m starting to think, damn KayGee call me up. But it’s all love, we get our residuals and it’s all good.

AllHipHop.com: Are there any artists that you’ve deeply wanted to work with that you haven’t?

Alchemist: Probably Jay. Ya know, we talked, I seen him recently too, so it might happen.

AllHipHop.com: Are we gona hear an Alchemist beat on Street’s Disciple?

Alchemist: I don’t think so man. I just spoke to them, and the joints we did, I don’t think they made it. They will probably be on Lost Tapes II, I think that’s what they were talking about doing.

AllHipHop.com: You grew up in the Hills, right?

Alchemist: Yeah, I went to school in Beverly Hills. On a general level my folks are paid, but compared to the people I grew up around, I mean I grew up around billionaires and all the actors and actresses kids. It was a trip, but it always made me want to get away from there, I didn’t like it. I just felt like it was wack.

AllHipHop.com: What do your folks think about your job? Do they even know much about what you do?

Alchemist: Uhhhh, ya know they always wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer, cause I was always good in school. But now they see that I’m successful and they’re just happy to see me excel.

AllHipHop.com: Lately there seems to be an emerging set of producers who are unquestionably talented and also happen to be Jewish. Is there a connection with Jewish people and Hip Hop?

Alchemist: I think it’s always been a connection between Jewish people and Hip Hop. They were some of the people who really gave it [a] start back in the day. I can’t really explain what it is, but it’s always been a lot of Jewish cats in the music industry and in the Rap game.

AllHipHop.com: You are talking to me now from the office of Shady Records, what’s your relationship with Shady Records?

Alchemist: Well you know that Goliath Management is also apart of Shady. My brother works for Paul Rosenberg, and Paul really loves my brother. He is a big part of their management office. So about a year or two ago, when it was time to do this project, I stepped to Paul and asked to join the company. Also Paul was my Lawyer before Em blew up, so we had a previous relationship. When Em blew up, Paul stopped being a lawyer and focused on management. My brother pretty much handles everything related to me, but Paul shows us a lot of love whenever my brother hits a wall with not enough power, or something like that. I really wanted to just prove myself first and show Paul that I’m not a leech or nothing. Ya know I didn’t want to be like, “Yo, now that I’m down with you let me do beats for Em and 50.” Although, I would’ve loved to have them on the album. I want to build my own wing to this company with ALC.

AHH: Do you still keep in contact with artist you worked with when you were virtually unknown, like Buck 50 and Freddie Foxx?

Alchemist: Hell yeah, as much as I can I try to keep in touch with everybody, see what they’re up to and try and support them. I just spoke to Freddie recently and I got to get him some new s**t for his project. Buck, that’s my family. Ya know he’s in and out of jail and always in some crazy s**t, but anything he needs from me he knows I’m one call away.

AHH: I have some white friends who have openly admitted to having casually referred to themselves and their other white friends as n**ga on a consistent basis throughout their youth, what are your thoughts on that?

Alchemist: Yeah, I think that’s a neighborhood thing. Like there’s a lot of white kids in New York who get away with it. But in places like Compton and other parts of the country, it really rubs people the wrong way. I’ve been through my issues with that, like it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it—but truth is, it is what you say sometimes too. People just get offended by certain speech and I respect that. So I would never put that in my rhymes or just speak on it like that. Everyone feels different ways about different words and things, so I just try to stay clear of that and make it all about the music. I know how I would feel as a Jewish person if someone said something derogatory that I thought was offensive.

According to Koch Records, 1st Infantry is slated for September 21st.


allhiphop

[jeromechickenbone]

thanks for posting that, it was a great read.  I'm really looking forward to his album - its gonna be incredible.  Too bad none of his beats made it on Street's Disciple, but he's talking about Lost Tapes II so I'll take it. Alchemist sounds like a real ass dude.

[CRAFTY]

Good interview...seems like he's a very down-to-earth kinda guy.
Thanks for posting it.

[Don Seer]

tight.. no mention of the ras kass situation though..

[Don Seer]

btw never realised he was from the west till reading this..

[Jome]

btw never realised he was from the west till reading this..

I don't think quite Alchemist realizes this either.. 
I always post threads about Alc in Outbound, 85% of the stuff he does is on the East..

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

btw never realised he was from the west till reading this..

WTF? How come everyone thinks Alchemist is from the East...

And Jome...95% of the stuff Game does is on the East...Does that mean I can post Game news in Outbound?

[Jome]

And Jome...95% of the stuff Game does is on the East...Does that mean I can post Game news in Outbound?

At least Game is on the tracks himself, Alchemist just produce..
Game does shit with Lil Eazy, BWS members Life, Billboard, etc., Snoop, Quik, W.C., MC Eiht, Fredwreck, Relativez, Eazy, JT, Sean T, and more..
That's more than a lot of Westcoast rappers work with their own..

[CRAFTY]

^^^^Game worked with W.C.?
Where can I find that song?

[Leggy Hendrix]

dope interview, i kinda forgot he was from the west...

[Throwback]

dope interview, i kinda forgot he was from the west...

[UKnowWhatItIs: welcome to my traps....game over]

cool interview,thx

[dexter]

He is a sellout like Dre
Working with the East
He doesnt get as much Hate
Wonder why?

[UKnowWhatItIs: welcome to my traps....game over]

Since when is working wit people from other coasts considered selling out?Thats some of the dumbest shit Ive ever heard.

[On The Edge of Insanity]

He is a sellout like Dre
Working with the East
He doesnt get as much Hate
Wonder why?

Because he (for the most part) doesn't work with wack artists, he has always worked with artists from everywhere, and he isn't driven by chart success.