The Alchemist is a California native producer/rapper who has been responsible for some of the best hip-hop collaborations in the past 20 years.

Producing for Evidence, a childhood friend, helped The Alchemist gain recognition with other West Coast artists in the ’90s. Before he knew it, Al was producing tracks for Evidence’s group, Dilated Peoples, and the infamous Queensbridge duo, Mobb Deep.

After bringing The Alchemist on to the Anger Management Tour in 2005, Eminem signed Al to Shady Records on March 6, 2011, as his official DJ.

The Alchemist’s beats are usually heavily sampled, giving off a gritty and raw feeling unlike most other producers’ work.

Always paired with some of the best rhymers alive today, there is no question why the Alchemist’s discography can go pound for pound with any other producer.

The Alchemist released an album, “Russian Roulette,” this summer that consisted of tracks coming only from samples from Russian songs.

The concept album featured heavy-hitting emcees like Action Bronson, Fashawn, Evidence, Roc Marciano, Boldy James and Schoolboy Q, among others.

The Alchemist plans to keep his 2012 pace up like Dec. 21 will mark the end of time.
The collaboration frenzy begins with the release of, “Rare Chandeliers.” The project is a free mixtape with Action Bronson slated for release this Thursday, Nov. 15.

The highly-anticipated “Step Brothers” project with Al’s long-time friend Evidence is also said to be finished and ready for a 2012 release date.

Other projects with Freddie Gibbs and Boldy James have been mentioned by the Alchemist, but not much information about what to expect and when to expect them has materialized.

The Alchemist is a modest, down-to-earth type of guy. You will never catch him trying to take more credit than he deserves, only passing all the praise on to the emcee. In other words, the complete opposite of DJ Khaled.