Since the mid-90s, Alchemist has been lacing tracks from NYC legends like Pharoahe Monch and Mobb Deep to Southern superstars like Lil Wayne, even finding time to send something over to Linkin Park in the process. Why has Alan Maman found success producing in just about every sub-genre Hip Hop has to offer (seemingly finding himself equally at home with mean-mugging Queensbridge denizens as he is with the backpackers)? Simple: the man knows how to do his job, and he does it well. More to the point, he knows he does his job well – which is why he now offers the second installment in his Rapper’s Best Friend series.
“Ten Dollars” is the name of the beat that Capone-N-Noreaga rocked over for Channel 10’s “Follow the Dollar.” The beat cannot be described as anything other than monster. Equal parts sinister and eerie, it’s easy for any Hip Hop head to imagine anyone from Big L to Lil Wayne rocking over this one and sounding like the meanest sonofabitch in the Rap game. “Perfection,” which eventually became Rick Ross and Meek Mill’s “Perfectionist,” illustrates Alchemist’s range. When he isn’t sifting through the grime, Alc can lace silky smooth soundbeds that are perfect for the most luxurious subject matter. Swirling keys, timely horns and a touch of guitar practically evoke the image of Ross and his MMG crew. “Gangster Shit Pt. 1” and “Pt. 2” are an interesting pairing, as both tracks are heavy and immersive, and utilize the same vocal sample, but evoke slightly different moods.
The inclusion of “Microphone,” which was a Slaughterhouse track until Eminem brutally murdered the cut on a freestyle (forever stamping his mark on it), is particularly special as it illustrates what really makes Alchemist a rapper’s best friend. The boom bap loop is simple enough for any emcee to go over, but it’s the breakdown that occurs when the synth comes in that screams for the rapper to switch flows and deliver his or her most devastating bars. Similarly moody is “Pain,” another selection from CNN that makes use of moody keys to set the tone from Infamous-era rhymes.
The selections on Rapper’s Best Friend 2 aren’t all stellar. Listening to “Wet Wipes” in instrumental form, for example, really shows that the cut’s success had much more to do with Cam’ron than it did with the somewhat ho-hum loop that stutters at the end. But there isn’t too much to complain about here. Some may look at this project as a money grab, but there’s great value to be had here. Fans will get a kick out of listening to these instrumentals and putting themselves in their favorite emcees’ shoes, wondering how they decided to attack the track and what went through their minds when the first heard the beats. And while aspiring rappers will try to see if they can slay the beat better than the emcees before them, up-and-coming rappers will get a deeper insight into what makes Alchemist one of the most sought-after and well-respected producers today.
