Within the past 25 years, one of the most prolific and acclaimed producers has been Cali native-turned New York resident, Alan Maman aka The Alchemist. Originally an emcee known as Mudfoot as half of The Hooliganz in the mid to late nineties, he was a student of another legend, DJ Muggs. After doing work with the likes of Dilated Peoples, The High & Mighty, Defari, and Call O' Da Wild, he got on more radars with his work on Mobb Deep's Murda Muzik, in which he did "Thug Muzik" and one of the album's true highlights, "The Realest" with Kool G. Rap. From there, he started doing more and more work with the likes of Swollen Members, Nas, Terror Squad, Ghostface Killah, Jadakiss, and Capone-N-Noreaga through the next few years. The more quality product he was delivering to the masses, the more his stature was rising. As the thousands went along, he started to put himself more out there as he delivered his debut compilation album, 1st Infantry, and also reminded people he was a spitter as well. As he started to become among the most in demand producers in hip-hop, he was building a strong legacy for himself that even the likes of Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, RZA, and Pete Rock were acknowledging as one of the best around. However, many would sate that his peak years were still in front of him, and once the mid-tens came through, Alchemist hit new levels of sounds that became just incredible and game-changing. The quality of work he was producing for the likes of Blu, Evidence, Boldy James, Curren$y, Roc Marciano, and the Griselda crew was arguably the most top notched production of any producer in hip-hop on a consistent level. His sounds vary from trap 808s to melodic, sampled boom bap to atmospheric and drum-less, and his success record is as legendary as the genre-shifting producers previously mentioned. Today, he's in fact mentioned on many fans and colleagues Mount Rushmore of producers for modern day hip-hop. With that being said, let's dive into twenty of the best Alchemist-produced albums in hip-hop. Let's go!
20. Boldy James & The Alchemist
Bo Jackson
Guests: Freddie Gibbs, Curren$y, Stove God Cook$, Benny The Butcher, Earl Sweatshirt, Roc Marciano
We start off this unbelievable list in the D. Boldy James has collaborated with Uncle Al very frequently since Boldy's first effort, My 1st Chemistry Set, in 2013. Although the project was definitely worth the rotation, they reached even higher ground seven years later with the follow-up, The Price Of Tea In China, which was even better and more polished, as Boldy sounded more focused and more confident. However, it was that next year when he would arguably hear the best version of the celebrated MC/producer duo with Bo Jackson. After a surprise video of the ominous-sounding, yet highly bumping, "First 48 Freestyle", the album would drop the next week, and this was an entire bumper. From the opener alone, the haunting "Double Hockey Sticks", this had the makings of a memorable album by the two, and neither emcee nor producer let their collective foots off the gas. The sounds Alchemist provides Boldy with were more obtuse, yet melodic and even psychedelic at times, but Boldy glides over each production choice with distinction and confidence. Take the soulful samplings of "Turpentine", where Al brings forth light snares with a repeated vocal sample that doesn't take up a ton of room against Boldy's narrative lyrics. Also, the dark, menacing keys of "E.P.M.D." have Boldy spitting verses about revenge and, as the title indicates, enemies plotting his demise, while "Speed Trap" has Boldy has him in his coke rap bag over thick marching drums and psychedelic strings. Other cuts like the eerie and methodical "Flight Risk", the bumping "Steel Wool", the Benny The Butcher-assisted "Brickmille To Montana", and the vocal samplings of "Illegal Search & Seizure" make Boldy in a special lane with Al that only a few can consistently keep going in. Anytime you hear Boldy and Al together, you know that the project is going to be an instant heater, and Bo Jackson solidified their connection as one of the finest duos in hip-hop period.
19. Curren$y & The Alchemist
Covert Coup
Guests: Prodigy, Smoke DZA, Freddie Gibbs, Fiend
This is the first of two big collabs on this list between The Alchemist and New Orleans' own, Curren$y.There's arguably nobody in southern hip-hop that works harder at putting out efforts per year than Curren$y. His discography spans over ONE HUNDRED projects since the early two thousands, and still has no signs of slowing down a whole bunch. One of his most acclaimed projects was with Uncle Al, as they presented Covert Coup in 2011. His laid-back, New Orleans drawl and delivery matched perfectly with Al's slinky and smoothed-out production. Cuts like "Smoke Break", "Ventilation", and the witty titled, "Success Is My Cologne" all exemplify the (ahem) chemistry the artist and producer have over this cloudy, yet soulful, production. The most surprising collab on here goes to him and the late, great Prodigy on the ridiculous "The Type", while he and past and future collaborators, Freddie Gibbs and Smoke DZA show up nicely on the respective tracks, the crazy "Scottie Pippen" and "Life Instructions". This EP-turned-mixtape was fire from the word 'go', and Covert Coup stands to this day as one of Curren$y's meanest projects. This would not be the last time we would see Curren$y and Uncle Al together for a project, as you'll see a few others on this list, and this rocks as hard any other effort Spitta would release.
18. The Alchemist
Chemical Warfare
Guests: Prodigy, Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss, Pusha T, Evidence, Kool G. Rap, KXNG Crooked, Gangrene, Kid Cudi, Three 6 Mafia, Juvenile, Tha Dogg Pound, others
This is the first of a few Alchemist-centered compilation albums on this list, but don't think this is "weak" by any stretch of the imagination. Seen as a sequel of sorts to his debut compilation album, 1st Infantry, Chemical Warfare is a bit more brooding and darker in texture, but is every bit as bumping as 1st Infantry. His production talents are fully exhibited on standouts such as his assistance verbally with legend, Kool G. Rap, "ALC Theme", Eminem's haunting title track, and KRS-one's flammable "Grand Concourd Benches". He goes the drumless route on the guitar-laced posse cut, "Therapy", which has Talib Kweli, Blu, and Step brother teammate, Evidence, delivering tremendous bars, while Kid Cudi presents the hook, in what could be the best overall cut on the album. Meanwhile, what's an Alchemist album without some Mobb on it? Banadana P shows up on the surprisingly quite sexual, yet sonically ferocious, "Keep Your Heels On", while Al gives us some southern influenced bounce on the Three 6 Mafia & Juvenile cut, "That'll Work", and throws some soulful workings in there on the Twista and Maxwell collab, "Smile". Al does come through on his own solo cut, "Take A Look Back", and shows why, even then, he was among the best producers that could spit. Along with cuts like the Snoop/Pusha T/Jadakiss cut "Lose Your Life", "Lights, Camera, Action" by M.O.P.'s Lil Fame, and the cold "On Sight" with Tha Dogg Pound and the underappreciated Lady Of Rage, Chemical Warfare is one of Chemist's dopest compilation efforts, and certainly ranked among the best albums of '08 as a whole.
17. Larry June & The Alchemist
The Great Escape
Guests: Slum Village, Boldy James, Evidence, Wiz Khalifa, Jay Worthy, Joey Bada$$, Curren$y, Big Sean, Action Bronson, Ty Dolla $ign
Bay Area rapper, Larry June, has carved out a name for himself over the past several years going back to through mid tens. He and spitter-in-crime, Jay Worthy, often collaborate and have put out efforts with each other. His style of K-Dee's laid-back spitting meeting up with E-40s entrepreneurial wisdom on wax is what has helped give LJ a steady following. In 2023, he got help from The Alchemist to do an entire album, entitled, The Great Escape, which was the follow-up to the enjoyable, eighties-styled, Spaceships On the Blade. Arguably the biggest album he's had up to that point, simply by having an entire album with Uncle Al on boards, and in a couple of cases sharing the mic with him, meant a bigger audience. Al's production, much like his work with Armand Hammer, matched up damn near perfectly with LJ's style of delivery. The production here was breezy, airy, and mostly contain the type of sounds that make you wanna get in your Cadillac and just cruise on a Sunday afternoon. June shines on cuts such as the soulful "Ocean Sounds" and "60 Days", but the guests here help him out on this project, and in some cases, tend to outshine him. Big Sean drops a pretty good verse on the slick "Palisades, CA", whole frequent Al collaborator, Boldy James, stops by on the dumb dope "Art Talk". Boldy isn't the only Detroit representative on this album, as Slum Village slide through on the mellow sounding, "Orange Village", complete with brisk production and sounds perfect for a coffee shop or a Sunday morning house clean. Al picks up the mic for "'89 Earthquake", and does his own track a ton of justice, however, it's LJ getting assistance from his co-conspirator, Jay Worthy, that is the best partnership on "Exito". It's clear The Great Escape is just that: an escape from the violent, sexual, and drug-glorifying material in a lot of hip-hop today. Instead, Larry June lays a blueprint for the common man and woman on how to hustle, be successful, and make time to smell your own roses and reap your own benefits. He just has Alchemist to provide him with arguably the most smooth and fluid soundtrack he could ask for.
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16. The Alchemist
Russian Roulette
Guests: Roc Marciano, Evidence, Big Twins, Meyhem Lauren, Boldy James, Schoolboy Q, Danny Brown, Guilty Simpson, others
Continuing with his compilations, Alchemist came through in 2012 with the somewhat ambitious, Russian Roulette. This album had more of an emphasis on samples and elements from Russian music and scores. This made for some quite intriguing and interesting sounds throughout the album. Several instrumentals were crafted with excerpts from Russian movies, songs, or any other forms of media and/or entertainment. While there are definitely rap cuts that are featured, this was less of a rapper compilation and more of a musical exhibition that blends each track into the next seamlessly and creatively like one long audio cinematic piece. Out of thirty tracks, half the album are just instrumentals inserted with performance or spoken samples in Russian. This flows just excellently after and in between cuts like Action Bronson's "Decisions Over Veal Orloff", Roc Marciano's "Turning Point", and Durag Dynasty's "Fighting Junkyard Scene". In its own way, the album is telling a cohesive musical story, with it serving as more of a score than a compilation. While other cuts like Big Twins' "Moon Probe", Evidence's "Never Grow Up", and Danny Brown & Schoolboy Q's "Flight Confirmation" are definitely added bonuses and are welcomed greatly, Russian Roulette's biggest strength lies within its musical storytelling as a whole. Each track on here in between one and two and a half minutes, thus making this project flow consistently like water. The Alchemist cooked up a damn excellent concept here and showed that he knew how to craft outside out his realms of musical endeavors.
15. Curren$y & The Alchemist
Continuance
Guests: Havoc, Styles P, Wiz Khalifa, Larry June, Boldy James, Babyface Ray
Earlier, we covered Curren$y and Alchemist's first collab offering together, Covert Coup. It was a lean and slick sounding effort that showed an energy between them that screamed for another project from them. Thirteen years after Covert Coup, and six years after the fantastic follow-up, The Carrollton Heist, they dropped Continuance. Very much on sync and in tune with the previous collab albums between the two artists, this album further advances the notion that not a single thing changed between them and their creative process, and that's a great thing. The production is even more sleek, even more layered and sampled, and the results are outstanding. Cuts like the Boldy James-assisted, "No Yeast", "The Tonight Show", and the opening "Half Moon Mornings" are cuts that are custom made for Spitta and his laid-back, weed-toking delivery. What often gets overlooked and underestimated is his penmanship. His open game and his lyricism is the type that makes his usual references of money, weed, hos, and more money sound enjoyable with his wordplay and witty bars. This is evident on tracks like the fantastic, adult lounge-sounding "Kool & The Gang" and the moody "Signature Move", but then he remembers his N'awlins roots with the street-wise gun bucking, "Obsession" and the highly braggadocious "The Final Board". As was said earlier, Continuance falls right in line with their previous works of The Carrollton Heist and Covert Coup, only a level higher with its minimalistic, yet very highly effective, sounds of Uncle Al. Curren$y and Alchemist are one of the best MC/producer duos out there and whenever they get together, it's almost promised there will be magic and a show that will keep the audience coming back for more and more.
14. The Alchemist
1st Infantry
Guests: Mobb Deep, The Lox, The Game, Nas, Dilated Peoples, M.O.P., Big Twins, Big Noyd, P$C, B-Real, Lloyd Banks, Devin The Dude, others
There weren't too many producers in '04 that were on the level of Alan "The Alchemist" Maman. With production credits under the umbrellas of Mobb Deep, Royce Da 5'9", Infamous Mobb, Big Noyd, Dilated Peoples, Fat Joe, and others, the time had come for Uncle Al to present his own compilation entitled, 1st Infantry. This album was everything you would expect from him at this time, and this turned out very damn dope. From the first single, "Hold U Down" with Prodigy, Illa Ghee, and Latina singing sisters, Nina Sky, heads were ready to hear how dope the rest of the album would be, and it met expectations head on. The album starts thumping and dark on the cut "Dead Bodies" with Prodigy and The Game. The sinister sounds continue on cuts like "D Block To QB" by Havoc, Big Noyd, Styles P, and former D-Block affiliate, J-Hood, and "Boost the Crime Rate" by Sheek Louch and J-Hood. However, he also gets the streets and clubs alike thumping with cuts like Mobb Deep's neck-cramping "It's A Craze", T.I. and his P$C click on "Pimp Squad", and the knocking "Bangers" by Lloyd Banks. We were also treated to a rare collab between P and Nas for "Tic Toc". It should come as no surprise that Alchemist's first attempt at a compilation album was a success. Listening to 1st Infantry showcased how ready Alchemist was to be amongst the elite of producers (not to mention Al can of course be an effective emcee as well). This was the first of many tremendous examples of the talent Alchemist possessed.
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13. Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, & The Alchemist
Fetti
Guests: N/A
When Freddie Gibbs and Curren$y first got together on the outstanding cut from Covert Coup, "Scottie Pippen" and then again on the track "Tell A Friend," from Gibbs' dumb dope Baby Face Killa album, there was something there that had the Gary, In and New Orleans further collaborate and pout out more music. There was certainly a booth connection. When it was announced that, not only would these two put out an EP together, but that The Alchemist would be manning the boards, the heads were fiending. We knew this would be an excellent piece of music with two of the most talented emcees in the game coming together. The EP, entitled Fetti, had a lure of a mafioso, drugs, and riches type of vibe throughout the project. Along with the minimalistic eighties-esque production provided by Uncle Al, this was a hell of a project. All one has to do is peep "Saturday Night Special" and "Bundy & Sincere" to hear the Scarface-like aura of the project, as these tracks could easily fit in with the aforementioned movie, as well as Superfly or Truck Turner. Noth emcees also have solo cuts on the effort as well. Gibbs rips apart the laid-back sounds of "Willie Lloyd" and the vintage-sounding "Now & Later Gators", while Curren$y handles his business on "No Window Tents", which could easily belong on any of the previous Curren$y/Alchemist projects. With "Location Remote", "The Blow", and "New Thangs", these two show that same chemistry that made "Scottie Pippen" such a hit for these two. Easily among the top efforts of 2018, Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, and The Alchemist presented us with an effort in Fetti that could've slid right in with the seventies era.
12. Action Bronson & The Alchemist
Rare Chandeliers
Guests: Sean Price, Big Twins, Meyhem Lauren, Schoolboy Q, Roc Marciano, Evidence, Styles P, others
Queens' Bam Bam himself, Action Bronson, got up with the almighty Alchemist in 2012 to present the super dope mixtape, Rare Chandeliers. Fresh off the underground acclaim of 2011's dual projects, Dr. Lecter, and the Statik Selektah-collaborated, Well Done, he and Alan the Chemist presented a very formidable effort that had Chemist go in his bag to bring out a variety of sounds that range from dark, drumless, and murky to raw boom-bap with ridiculously crafted samples. Action sounds completely comfortable and in his good space over some Chemistry production. Peep tracks such as the Big Twins and the late, great Sean Price-assisted, "Blood of The Lamb", "Eggs on the Third Floor", and the Evidence-assisted "Bitch I Deserve You" for examples of how great he flows over Al's varied styles of piano keys, chords, horn samples, and steady percussion. Bronson's witty bars and straight up comic relief themes make him just as much of a funny emcee as he is a great writer and spitter. When he's with the likes of the aforementioned, as well as Roc Marci ("Modern Day Revelations"), Meyhem Lauren ("Sylvester Lundgren"), Schoolboy Q ("Demolition man"), and Styles P (the very highly impressive beat split crime score of "Gateway to Wizardry"), he steps his game up and goes more for the jugular more consistently. Bronson and Uncle Al seem to have a connection that is quite notable, as we would see with later cuts they would do together, but Rare Chandeliers was where we really saw how excellent they could be doing a whole project together, and this is certainly a fire one.
11. Conway The Machine & The Alchemist
LULU
Guests: Schoolboy Q, Cormega
Throughout the past decade, Griselda Records has been arguably the biggest success story as an underground label going more into the mainstream. The core crew of Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and Conway The Machine are the heart and soul of Griselda, and these Buffalo natives made the game sit up and take notice with numerous monsters underneath their umbrella. One of the more fantastic outings came from Conway's collaborative effort with Uncle Al, LULU. Conway's discography is already among the most impressive and consistent, and coming off the heels of the success and acclaim of Griselda's debut full length album under Shady Records, WWCD, and his own Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 3 mixtape, Conway enlisted Alchemist, who had worked with him on Look What I Became and G.O.A.T. What Alchemist cooked up for him was a smorgasbord of menacing, yet highly engaging, board work starting off with the knocking "14 KIs", and from there it only gets better with "The Contract" and the Schoolboy Q-assisted "Shooting Sideways". The Machine has never shied away from his brutal street talk and gritty narratives, in fact it's what got him his acclaim. He keeps this up on the vivid "Calvin" and the Paid In Full (movie) ode, Cormega-assisted "They Got Sonny". As we come to the closer, the murky "Gold BBSs", it's clear Conway is dumb nice over Alchemist production. He fits in just as comfortable as he does over Griselda's residential go-to, Daringer, and over the span of these seven tracks, LULU is a thrilling EP displays Conway's no BS approach to his style and lyricism, and Uncle Al provided quite the fantastic score for this effort.
10. Prodigy & The Alchemist
Return Of the Mac
Guests: Un Pachino, Majesty
It wouldn't be an Alchemist list of his best without the Mobb attached to it somewhere. Frequent collaborators since Mobb Deep's outstanding effort of '99, Murda Muzik, in which Al did "Thug Muzik" and the searing collab with Kool G. Rap, "The Realest". Since that time, there had been numerous cuts Al and the Mobb have had together, including the likes of "Backwards", "Havoc's Theme", "When You Hear The", "Win or Lose", and of course the bananas "Keep It Thoro". After Mobb Deep left G-Unit Records in '07, the late, great Prodigy decided to work on the sequel to his gold-selling burner, H.N.I.C. However, before he was to drop that, he decided to work on a project before then, and he enlisted the help of Uncle Al, and it was entitled, Return of the Mac. Relying mostly on seventies blaxploitation samples, the vibe of the album is certainly Mobb-like only based in an era where Superfly, Truck Turner, Huggy Bear, and Shaft would be the ones running the scene. This is evident on cuts like "Mac 10 Handles", the guitar-laced "Rotten Apple", and "Take It to The Top", in which Bandana P is in his full gangsta shit. One of the most vivid emcees to ever touch a microphone, Banana Clip P was in a league very few emcees could stand up with, and his gun talk was second to none. He continues the momentum on cuts like the Scarface-sounding "7th Heaven", the simply excellent "Legends", and "Bang On 'Em", and P sounds focused but also very matter of fact in his delivery. While he may be the best to ever do it over a Havoc beat, it's possible he may be the best to do it over some Uncle Al production too and Return of The Mac is one very prime example of this. We would hear this combo again six years later on Albert Einstein, but this project was among the start of the discussion of the best new MC/producer duos in the game. Alchemist's soulful seventies production was the perfect companion to P's Bumpy Johnson appeal, and the result was outstanding.
9. Havoc & The Alchemist
The Silent Partner
Guests: Cormega, Method Man, Prodigy
Meanwhile, the other half of the Infamous ones, Havoc, did his own thing with Alchemist as well with The Silent Partner. The sad irony about this album is that this album was released a year before the shocking and unfortunate passing of his longtime partner-in-rhyme. Besides this tragic stat, Hav was out to show everybody he was just as much Mobb music as P, and definitely showed and proved. Al provided Hav (a legendary producer in his own right) with sinister, occasionally atmospheric, production that matches the whole aura of the Mobb. Cuts like the eerie "Seize Power", the Mobb Deep reunion, "The Gun Holds a Drum", and the murky split-beat "Just Being Me" are as exemplary of Al's production as you could get, while Havoc was spitting with an understated ferocity on these cuts. Many had said Hav was the more underrated of the two, and for good reason as P was among the most lethal emcees with a pen in all of hip-hop, but on here, he showed he had a wicked pen game of his own. The ominous piano chords of "Throw in The Towel" has Hav going full Murda Muzik on this one, while the atmospheric collaboration with Method Man, "Buck 50s & Bullet Wounds" sound like it would fit perfectly on Mobb's Hell On Earth with its vocal wailing sample and the lo-fi sounding bassline. It's typically hard to not have Mr. M-E-F outshine you on your record, but Hav doesn't do a bad job next to another legendary emcee. The album closes with the Cormega-assisted "Hear Me Now", which has the two QB emcees handling their business over a very sinister piano and flute sample. Aside from Havoc doing a damn good job on the mic, Alchemist presented him with some of Al's best overall work since probably Infamous Mobb's CRAZY Special Edition album of '02. From drumless to very effective sampling, Al brought dark and unsettling production to The Silent Partner, and with Hav, that's arguably what it's supposed to be, as he wouldn't have it any other way.
8. MIKE, Wiki, & The Alchemist
Faith Is a Rock
Guests: N/A
Two of Brooklyn most notable within the underground, MIKE and Wiki (formerly of ratking), got together for the first time for a three-track EP with The Alchemist near the end of 2022 entitled One More. The three track EP showed the two very talented emcees gelling together nicely, even with their styles being quite different from each other. Wiki has a flow and delivery very similar to a slightly higher pitched Evidence, while MIKE's is closer to the likes of Earl Sweatshirt or MAVI in which he has a lethargic, almost high as hell, delivery, yet clear enough to understand what he's spitting. Picture these two together for a whole project. The EP was dope enough, as the cuts "Odd Ways", "Be Realistic" and the title track were damn good cuts that were worthy of a more full-length project between the three. Heads wanted it, they got it. Just after the beginning of 2023, Al stated that the three of them were doing an entire album together entitled, Faith Is a Rock, and the results were as scintillating as you'd imagine the effort to be. One thing that MIKE and Wiki have in common is the fact that they're both very honest and provide lots of introspection. This is evident on cuts like the eerie "Stargate", "Odd Ways", and "Be Realistic". If Uncle Al has a talent within his production, it's that he knows how to set a mood based upon either the story that's trying to get told or based upon the style, imagery, and candidness within the emcee(s) delivery/deliveries. Albums like HARAM, Return of The Mac, and VOIR DIRE are stellar examples of this. He does the same here with Faith Is a Rock, as MIKE is known to be comfortable over certain types of sounds based on mood, as does Wiki. The production, for the most part, is sample-heavy with percussion that ranges from minimal to thick, and cuts like "Thug Anthem" and the aforementioned "Stargate" are incredible standouts due to this from Mr. Maman. The themes and material of the cuts are in perfect balance with Alchemist's musical selections. The sublime "Scribble Jam" is a track where MIKE and Wiki handle business reminiscing about growing up struggling and the vulnerabilities that resulted, while the understated vocal sample of "Pray For Him" has these two reminiscing on their upward journey in the hip-hop game and how their ambitions are being displayed. All three are pronounced weedheads, therefore a weed cut is needed here, and it appears with the sax-heavy "Memory Loss", only this cut shows its highs and lows, and the lows aren't fun. They keep being autobiographical on cuts like "Mayor's A Cop" and "Bledsoe", and with their willingness to be open and mind-bearing, Faith Is a Rock is a dazzling sonic collection of some of Al's ambitious, yet also highly familiar, musical endeavors. These three artists are special, and if we get another collab with all three, it'll be as big of a treat as this, or bigger. Hard to get bigger than this though.
7. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
Alfredo
Guests: Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, Rick Ross, Tyler The Creator
Earlier, we reviewed Gangsta Gibbs' collab with Curren$y, Fetti, as one of the best projects Alchemist has done behind the boards. However, that album would not be the last time we would hear Freddie over some Uncle Al for a whole project. Seemingly out of the blue, Gibbs and Alchemist would drop their collaborative effort, Alfredo, right during the rise of COVID in 2020. Gibbs' non-stop, occasionally breathless, delivery, was right on time over Alchemist's varied slick production. Seen as one of the most talented emcees of the past decade and a half, the Gary, IN native brought arguably his finest mic performance to date, which especially shines on sick cuts like "God Is Perfect", the incredibly soulful "Look At Me", and the bumping "Baby Shit", in which he just effortlessly glides his ass off over ominous, cold production. On "Something To Rap About", he meets up with Tyler The Creator in which Al splits the beat between a minimalist percussion beat with a warm acoustic loop and more jazzed up, pitch-adjusted version of the prior and both emcees deliver quality lyricism. Meanwhile, two-thirds of the Griselda three headed monster, Benny The Butcher and Conway The Machine, come through in standout fashion on the haunting "Frank Lucas" and the soulful, smooth "Fools & Babies". The album's closer, "All Glass", has him a little more aggressive in his delivery over Al's sinister, yet highly engaging, production, but make no mistake about it, Freddie gave a career-shifting performance on this album. While it can be argued that his work with Madlib for Pinata and Bandana are his measuring sticks, Alfredo is certainly a high benchmark in itself, as this was so cold, both men earned a Grammy nomination for this epic.
6. Prodigy & The Alchemist
Albert Einstein
Guests: Roc Marciano, Action Bronson, Havoc, Raekwon, Domo Genesis
Earlier, we reviewed P & Al's Return of The Mac and how there was a theme of the seventies' gangers mixed with the blaxploitation era. They reunited for '13's Albert Einstein, and this was more along the lines of what one would expect from the two by this time. Sounding damn near as hungry as he did in the late nineties-early thousands, P delivered his signature vivid street narratives and chilling threats while over more varied Al production. Cuts like the murky, piano-sampled, "Stay Dope", the raw-sounding "Curb Ya Dog", and the gritty storytelling of "Confessions" are reminders of just what can happen when P and Al get together and create murda music glory. One thing that made H.N.I.C. a prominent album was how we saw glimpses of vulnerability and personal insights. None of that here. This is that gangsta, Mobb shit you came to know and love about P, and he provides in abundance. He keeps his momentum in the forward direction with the split beat of "Raw Forever", in which he's more about legacy than anything else. Likewise, on other tracks like the super dope Roc Marciano-assisted, "Death Sentence", "Dough Pildin'", and the old school breakbeat sounding Mobb Deep reunion with Raekwon, "R.I.P.", are Banana Clip P at his most focused. With other cuts like the haunting "Bear Meet" and "Breeze", P & Al are as undefeated of an MC/producer combo as there ever was. Al seems to bring out the animal in P much like he was zoned in around the late nineties with Hav, and Albert Einstein was another reason why, with the right the person behind him on the boards, Prodigy would deliver all-star performances that people would never forget.
5. Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, & The Alchemist
Hall & Nash 2: The OG Version
Guests: Schoolboy Q
Back in 2016, Griselda OGs, Westside Gunn and his half-brother, Conway The Machine, delivered a Griselda classic in Hall & Nash, named after the WWE Hall Of Famers, Kevin Nash and the late Scott Hall. With Griselda's in-house production monster, Daringer, providing them the appropriate soundscape, it was an underground favorite. Fast forwarding to 2023, Alchemist stated on social media that there was a sequel to Hall & Nash that he had done and that there was a third one coming with him and Daringer exclusively behind the boards. Heads were clamoring to find anything they could on H&N2, but little to no luck. However, just after Christmas, the "original version" of Hall & Nash 2 dropped as a post-Christmas treat and dear God were we treated. Recorded not long before the signing to Shady Records in 2019, it got shelved upon their signing with various cuts being released on other projects, with a few cuts never being heard to the general public. The nine-track album was an animal from the opening intro cut, as we hear Conway at the hungriest we've heard him in some years. Meanwhile, Uncle Al delivered epic production that ranged from drumless and ethereal to murky, atmospheric, and haunting boom-bap. Case in point is the unbelievably sinister, "94 Ghost Shit", in which Conway pulls off an MVP performance that took him back to his Reject days, while "Michaelangelo" has these two spitting over an elegant drumless beat. Although the cuts of the aforementioned "94 Ghost Shit", "Rey Mysterio", the Schoolboy Q-assisted, "Fork in The Pot", "Judas", and "Fuck & Get High" had all been previously released, they still sound nuts on this album as a collective on here. The guitar-sampled and looped "Pete vs. Andre" is an epic beat with no percussion, just West and Con tagging in and tagging out to do damage to the listener in Hall & Nash fashion, while on the title track, these two are coming through over another stellar beat from Alan Maman that caps off a musical massacre called Hall & Nash 2: The OG Edition. If this was an indication of what the rest of the album was slated to be, it gives one chills. This was the best West and Con had sounded together in a long time and being that it was recorded around 2018 or so, it's no reason Conway was in his bag here, and West was still sounding hungry himself. The redone version (which supposedly is being called Hall & Nash 3) has a hell of a high benchmark to measure up to, as this could very easily be among the true Griselda classics to ever be presented for our ears.
4. Curren$y & The Alchemist
The Carrollton Heist
Guests: Lil Wayne, Styles P, Action Bronson
You've by now seen two efforts by Curren$y on here with Alchemist behind the boards bringing him some of his best work in the forms of Covert Coup and Continuance. A few years before Continuance, Spitta had a mixtape for our asses with Uncle Al called The Carrollton Heist, and this was arguably a level above at least Covert Coup, and that's a high bar in itself. Conceptually, this plays out like the real-life armored truck holdup in which three masked men got away with nearly three hundred thousand dollars. The moment the mixtape starts, Curren$y is heard saying "Let me out the car", thus having Curren$y enjoying the spoils of the successful heist. With Alchemist providing him with the very appropriate soundscape, this mixtape goes in and has Spitta enjoying the high life at this time. Metaphorically, he saw himself as someone who "held up" the game, being an underground southern emcee that got seemingly forgotten about when he was released from Cash Money in the early two thousands and got his notoriety and has yet to get "caught". Curren$y is fully up on his status of being that dude with self-glorifying cuts like the horn-laced sampled "Vibrations", "Black Rally Stripes", and "The Mack Book". He's never ashamed to promote his lavish lifestyle and hustling mind set, but sometimes he goes into mob boss mode, and this is prevalent on "500 Pounds Of Gas", in which it's less about Tony Montana in a violent mode, but more so having the aura of high caliber respect that walks along the line of some healthy fear. Of course, the greenery is never out of reach, and cuts like the dazzling "Cartridge" and "Smoking in The Rain", in which the ultra-smoothness of this cut is perfect for the beach or even just for 4/20 day. He goes cinematic for the somewhat psychedelic-sounding collab with Action Bronson, "Inspiration", while showing his he's never far from bringing that drama on the Lil' Wayne-assisted, "Fat Albert". It's hard not to put The Carrollton Heist at the top of the Curren$y & Alchemist collaborations, as this comes off more as an audio movie with Alchemist providing the perfect score for this "movie", in which Curren$y is the lead actor. Although not nearly as violent as the movie, Scarface, The Carrollton Heist has glimpses of it in terms of the never-ending quest for the riches, the power, and the respect that comes with both, even if it comes at the price of someone's life. Basically, there's no such thing as a Curren$y/Alchemist loss.
3. Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist
VOIR DIRE
Guests: MIKE
In 2023, Alchemist, being the ever witty and trolling social media user that he is, stated to a follower that there was a "hidden album" that could be found online with enough searching. The hip-hop online community was up in arms trying to find this mysterious project that would've caused fire alarms to go off in the game. The thought of an entire project by Earl and Al made the rumor go nuts. However, all of the sudden we see cryptic messages on Earl's website, which redirected the user to Gala Music's site, showing a new puzzle per day, with one stating Alchemist was a snitch. After enough cryptic messages and tweets, Alchemist posted a tracklist next to a title called "Speak The Truth" (which is the English translation for the Latin statement, "voir dire"). That evening, a video for the MIKE-assisted "Sentry" premiered. Three days later, VOIR DIRE was released through Gala Music and the response was TREMENDOUS. We weren't completely sure if this was in fact THE album Alchemist stated was hidden, but in any case, we were ecstatic that we got music from Earl & Al together. The streaming tracklist was different from the actual album's tracklist, as there were two cuts that were left off the streaming version and a couple that were renamed, but regardless, we had an effort, and it was outstanding. The video for the knocking, yet musically haunting, Vince Staples-assisted, "The Caliphate" debuted and we were off and running. Not a single track from this thirteen-track opus was wasted. Not a single one. The album begins with the hypnotic strings of "100 High Street" and Earl goes in early. One thing you'll notice is how tremendously fitting Earl sounds over this incredible Alchemist production. Past collaborative cuts they've had such as Sick!'s "Old Friend" and his excellent guest verse on Armand Hammer's "Falling Out The Sky" show how great Earl is over his production, and as is the case with cuts such as the eighties-synths and drums of "Heat Check", "the gospel choir-sampled "Mancala", and the psychedelic feel of "27 Braids". The airy feel of "Sirius Black" lays the foundation for Earl to poetically go off, while Earl goes in on the excellent sounding, beautifully sampled, "Mac Deuce", as he uses both boxing and gun references within this cut while highlighting the plights of trying to become big in the game yet trying to overcome personal issues and setbacks. The most somber track on the album may be "Free The Ruler", as this was an ode to fallen fellow west coast underground notable, Drakeo The Ruler, but also on "Dead Zone", his meticulous flow is matched with the methodical pace of Al's organ-looped sample as Earl is an unorthodox method of self-awareness. Clearly, Earl has struggled with his depression and his other mental health issues openly, and this album is no exception, but only someone like Earl can makes dark things sound so artistic and abstract that he walks the lines of genius each time we hear him. Earl's knack for emotive-filled, left-brained rhymes mixed with Al's ability to provide the appropriate soundscape based upon the emotion and gravitas of the moment makes VOIR DIRE among the most exceptional albums either artist has ever delivered. Have we heard better from both? Yes, however, when you have an emcee as complex yet brilliant as Earl, it takes a mad scientist to concoct the right music and atmosphere for such a talent. They push the boundaries of what the other is capable of in several moments of VOIR DIRE, and there's no getting around it: these two are geniuses.
2. Roc Marciano & The Alchemist
The Elephant Man's Bones
Guests: Boldy James, Ice-T, Action Bronson, Knowledge The Pirate
Many give credit to Hempstead, Long Island native, Roc Marciano, for bringing back the raw, uncut grimy sound of New York's underground when he dropped his scorching solo debut of 2010, Marcberg, and followed that up with an even better effort in Reloaded. Since then, Marci has crafted one of hip-hop's most incomparable discographies, as efforts such as the DJ Muggs-collaborative album, KAOS, Marci Beaucoup, Rosebudd's Revenge, RR2: The Bitter Dose, and Mt. Marci have all achieved massive critical acclaim over the years. However, it was in the summer of 2022 when it was announced that Roc Marci was collaborating with Uncle Al for an entire project and the streets went nuts. Marci's conversational, yet straight-forward, delivery mixed with the sheer excellence of Alchemist's production was imagined to be one of the greatest albums of many years, and when The Elephant Man's Bones dropped, we got just that. These two are far from strangers to each other, as Alchemist provided musical magic with Marci with outstanding cuts like Reloaded's "Flash Gordon", the stellar, yet very bleak-sounding EP with Gangrene, Greneberg, "Drink Up" from Gangrene's Vodka & Ayahuasca album, "Death Sentence" from Prodigy's Albert Einstein effort, "Harry O" from Alchemist's Yacht Rock 2, and "Photographic Memories" on Boldy James' Bo Jackson album, along with Earl Sweatshirt. It was only right for these two to eventually made an effort together, and boy did they bring scorched Earth with them. Alchemist provided the best form of production Marci could've gotten that didn't come from himself. Marci's Superfly-meets-Nino Brown-and Huggy Bear style has a custom-made soundtrack from Mr. Maman. This is evident in cuts like the slick keys and slim snares of "Quantum Leap", in which he states that "he makes murder look sexy", but also on the dark, piano-laced "Deja Vu", Marci pulls no punches letting the listener know how he sees he peers in the game, stating that they must be "off that Barbara Streisand." The psychedelic strings and thin crusted snares of "Liquid Coke" is very similar in the tough thug talk with the imaginary cigar in the mouth. The majority of this album has a vintage jazz lounge feel with moments of grim NYC noir, and Marci does such an illustrative job finessing these joints. While cuts like "Zig Zag Zig", "Stigmata", and the murky opener, "Rubber Hand Grip" are fire examples of this, it's the wonderful title track that exemplifies the jazz sounds-meets-street hop appeal, in which Al's beautiful piano-loop, fitting vocal sample and minimal snare provides the perfect backdrop to Marci's shit talking narratives and his beyond confident lyrical swag. It's rare that you find two artists that just have IT together, in terms of fluidity and cohesive chemistry, but Alchemist and Roc Marci do have IT. A magical combo if there ever was one, Roc Marci and Alchemist provided us with a modern classic in The Elephant Man's Bones, and easily ranks as the top or second-best album in Marci's discography, which by no means is a small statement.
1. Armand Hammer & The Alchemist
HARAM
Guests: Earl Sweatshirt, Quelle Chris, Curly Castro, others
The NY duo of ELUCID and billy woods as Armand Hammer is among the true faces of modern abstract hip-hop with a purpose. The Backwoodz Studioz figureheads are to 2020s hip-hop in the underground as Run The Jewels were seen in the 2010s: different, raw, sonically left field, yet impactful enough to bring out some of the game's mightiest efforts. Killer Mike & El-P delivered four straight all-timers within the 2010s (five if you count KM's R.A.P. Music which was produced by El-P), but those have been more or less undisputed across the board. As for woods & ELUCID, although their discography has been fairly excellent, they haven't had a universal classic to their name. Albums like Paraffin, Shrines, and Rome have been tremendously acclaimed and treasured amongst their following and fanbase, none of these have had the marks of hip-hop monuments and groundbreaking moments for them. This likely changed in 2021, as The Alchemist collaborated with Armand Hammer to deliver, HARAM, a fourteen-cut masterclass in modern-day abstract, experimental hip-hop. The cover alone with two decapitated heads of dead pigs was enough to garner controversy and notoriety for the album. Once you pushed play, you were in for a crazy ride. Per typical Al, he put together a soundtrack and score for these two brilliant writers, and the results were custom built for the style, aura, and imagery Armand Hammer has been known for: psychedelic, murky, experimental, and certainly an obtuse noir feel with appropriate samples and chords. Armand Hammer are primarily known for their views on oppression, society's bleak outlook, governmental conspiracies, and the decaying of the world in general, mixed in with spiritual conflicts. From the opening cut of "Sir Benni Miles", you can tell these emcees are going to present complex and heady lyrics that are both for the intelligent and the uninformed. Over a voice sample and a grim, atmospheric beat, woods has a pessimistic view of life, while ELUCID has more of an intrinsic vision of the world. On the horn-laced, "Black Sunlight", these two present themselves as commentators of opposite lenses. ELUCID's is more tongue-in-cheek, whole woods is more apprehensive and lacking faith. We get a little darker in texture with the drum-less, flute -sampled title track, in which they go into their African descent history and paints morose pictures of taboos and self examinations. Trust, this doesn't get happier or brighter. In fact, the more the album goes along, it gets even more moody and more vitriolic, This may be the most apparent on the Rapture-themed, "God's Feet", in which ELUCID sings that "The dead are coming home" over one of the darkest, and most psychedelic, piano keys we've ever heard from Alchemist, and it also serves as the most fitting. This, on the other hand, is followed up by the equally grim "Peppertree", in which we hear warped horns and a reverse-played recording that serves as an acid trip on wax. ELUCID and woods are describing a funeral procession while likely zoned off the finest "trees" of their own. They challenge withered minds and the status quo on the methodically paced Quelle Chris-assisted "Chicharonnes", while on "Squeegee", woods delivers a somewhat disturbing, yet no less intriguing story of a young man who's weed was seemingly laced with PCP which led to an unfortunate end over the type of production we would likely hear on any of Ka's projects only a little more cinematic in undertone, but certainly the haunting aura of it is astounding. Perhaps the most surprising sounding cut is the Earl Sweatshirt-featured, "Falling Out The Sky", which features a hypnotic Jamaican reggae rhythm. Don't get it twisted. This summertime feel is actually a mask for the serious tone of Earl reminiscing and reflecting over his father's death, while woods talks about his residency in LA and ELUCID's time at a camp when he was a little boy. Other stellar cuts such as "Wishing Bad", the thoroughly hypnotic, "Indian Summer", the tremendous "Robert Moses", and the left-field closer, "Stonefruit", complete with ELUCID's husky crooning, are more examples of the level of exceptional imagery through lyrics and the mood-fitting production that Alchemist conjures up for them. They may not be Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po, but Armand Hammer frequently delivers their own brand of organized confusion, and Alchemist put the elements all in place for HARAM. As evidenced with the cover of the severed heads of the pigs, along with guns and cigarettes, they wanted to touch on societal taboos in their own darkly poetic ways. One thing is for sure: HARAM is Armand Hammer's magnum opus and is the best introduction anyone could have that has never peeped Armand Hammer before. Sonically, Alchemist has never been more brilliant and abstract, as the production is reflective of some of their aforementioned efforts, only a little more accessible. Accessible isn't a dirty word here. It's more of a polished look into instability and chaos, which Armand Hammer demonstrated incredibly well here.
Honorable Mentions
The Alchemist- Insomnia
The Alchemist- Cutting Room Floor Vol. 1
The Alchemist- Cutting Room Floor Vol. 2
Domo Genesis & The Alchemist- No Idols
Fashawn & The Alchemist- The Antidote
Fashawn- Fashionably Late EP
Action Bronson & The Alchemist- Lamb Over Rice EP
The Alchemist- The Chemistry Files
Willie The Kid & The Alchemist- Masterpiece Theater
The Alchemist- Flying High
The Alchemist- Flying High 2
The Alchemist- This Thing Of Ours
The Alchemist- This Thing Of Ours 2
Durag Dynasty- 360 Waves
Boldy James & The Alchemist- The Price Of Tea In China
Boldy James & The Alchemist- Super Techmo Bo
Boldy James & The Alchemist- My 1st Chemistry Set
Boldy james & The Alchemist- BoFace EP
After seeing this list, it's clear that the producer affectionately known as "Uncle Al" is among the true giants in the game much like the ones that help influence him such as Dre, Preemo, Marley, RZA, and Pete Rock. Arguably in the peak of his production career, he delivers an average of four to five exclusively produced projects per year, and all are stellar. He still has projects coming in 2024 that he's either exclusively doing or assisting with such as the 3rd edition of his collaborative effort with fellow producer, Budgie, with The Good Book Vol. 3, the final Mobb Deep album, a new Boldy album, and rumored albums with Kid Cudi, Quelle Chris, Yasiin Bey, Rome Streetz, and another Larry June project. As CRAZY as his schedule has been with all these projects, one would best believe that he's not stopping no time soon. Alan Maman stays in the lab, and the game is all the better for it. Until next time!
Check out this list of tracks that display his level of greatness:
Infamous Mobb (Big Twins) "B.I.G.T.W.I.N.S."
Mobb Deep feat. Kool G. Rap "The Realest"
Armand Hammer "God's Feet"
DJ Muggs feat. Evidence & Sick Jacken "Classical"
Roc Marciano & The Alchemist "The Elephant Man's Bones"
Gangrene feat. Planet Asia "Get Into Some Gangsta Shit"
Raekwon "Wallys & Pringles"
Rakaa Iriscience feat. Fashawn, Evidence, Defari "Aces High"
Armand Hammer "Indian Summer"
Nas "Book Of Rhymes"
Curren$y & The Alchemist feat. Action Bronson "Inspiration"
Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist feat. Vince Staples "The Caliphate"
Boldy James & The Alchemist "Summer Nights"
Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist "Mack Deuce"
Benny The Butcher "TMVTL"
Ghostface Killah feat. Raekwon "The Forest"
Boldy James & The Alchemist "First 48 Freestyle"
Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist "100 High Street"
MIKE, Wiki, & The Alchemist "Stargate"
Benny The Butcher "Billy Joe"
MIKE, Wiki, & The Alchemist "Pray For Him"
Roc Marciano "Flash Gordon"
The Alchemist feat. Prodigy "P Broke The Switch"
Prodigy & The Alchemist feat. Roc Marciano "Death Sentence"
Curren$y & The Alchemist "Black Rally Stripes"
Conway The Machine & The Alchemist "14 KIs"
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist "Baby Shit"
Havoc & The Alchemist feat. Cormega "Hear Me Now"
Conway The Machine "22 May Block"
Havoc & The Alchemist "Seize Power"
Prodigy & The Alchemist "Rotten Apple"
Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, & The Alchemist "Michaelangelo"
Prodigy & The Alchemist "Legends"
The Alchemist feat. Big Twins "Live at The Ampitheater"
Prodigy "Keep It Thoro"
Action Bronson & The Alchemist feat. Evidence "Bitch I Deserve You"
The Alchemist feat. Nas, Prodigy "Tic Toc"
Westside Gunn & MF DOOM "2Stings"
Blu feat. Durag Dynasty "d o o w h o p"
The Alchemist feat. Mobb Deep "It's A Craze"
The Alchemist feat. Mobb Deep "Carved In Stone"
Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, & The Alchemist "Bundy & Sincere"
Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, & The Alchemist "94 Ghost Shit"
Curren$y & The Alchemist feat. Freddie Gibbs "Scottie Pippen"
Evidence feat. Rapsody, Styles P, Khrysis "Love Is a Funny Thing"
The Alchemist feat. Mobb Deep "Tight"
Curren$y & The Alchemist "Kool & The Gang"
Ras Kass "Home Sweet Home"/Jadakiss feat. Styles P "We Gonna Make It"
Step Brothers feat. Roc Marciano "See the Rich Man Play"
Curren$y & The Alchemist "Half Moon Mornings"
The Alchemist feat. Evidence, Blu, Talib Kweli, Kid Cudi "Therapy"
The Alchemist feat. Evidence "Never Grow Up"
Dilated Peoples "The Platform"
Defari feat. Evidence "Focused Daily"
Mobb Deep "Win Or Lose"
Kendrick Lamar "FEAR"
Mobb Deep "When You Hear The"
Greneberg "Papercuts"
Conway the Machine "Piano Love"
Roc Marciano "Fabio"
Greneberg "Hoard 90"
Big Shug feat. Fat Joe, M.O.P. "Hardbody"
Dilated Peoples "Worst Comes to Worst"
Domo Genesis & The Alchemist feat. Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples "Elimination Chamber"
Larry June & The Alchemist "Ocean Sounds"
Roc Marciano feat. Larry June "Bad Juju"
Larry June & The Alchemist feat. Slum Village "Orange Village"
Durang Dynasty "Funyons"
Evidence "Chase the Clouds Away"
Sean Price "Genesis of The Omega"
Gangrene "Muffler Lung"
The Alchemist feat. Styles P, Benny The Butcher "Massacre"
Sean Price "STFU Pt. 2"
Benny The Butcher "Broken Bottles"
Big Shug feat. Gangstarr "Counter Punch"
Conway The Machine "God Don't Make Mistakes"
Westside Gunn "Elizabeth"
Boldy James & The Alchemist "Moochie"
Prodigy "Mystic"
Kendrick Lamar "Meet The Grahams"
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