THE ALCHEMIST - 1ST INFANTRY

Look up “Alchemist” in the dictionary, and it becomes a relevant metaphor for what Alchemist, the producer, does: makes the extraordinary out of the ordinary. For the last decade-plus, he’s given hip-hop an East Coast injection as tough and funky as the sounds that made legends like Hank Shocklee and Dr. Dre famous. He’s worked with underground favorites like Dilated Peoples and Swollen Members, and made a name for himself with big names like Mobb Deep, Nas, and Royce da 5’9”.

Now he has a solo album called 1st Infantry that refuses to leave my stereo. And for good reasons. Here’s a few of them:

1. The “Intro” - Alchemist is the musical Hulk Hogan, preaching musical Hulkamania, and “Intro” proves it. Those horns start blasting, and you feel like sonic royalty just entered the building.

2. The first single - I dare you to deny “Hold You Down”. That shit is catchier than the clap at a video ho casting call. Nina Sky’s voice makes me wanna melt into my sneakers, and Prodigy and Illa Ghee give language to the beat.

3. The ability to not get shown up by some seriously noteworthy MCs - Is that Nas on “Tick Tock”? The LOX on “The Essence”? Dilated on “For The Record”? Yes, yes, and yes. And despite the typically spotlight-stealing powers these MCs possess, Alchemist balances their remarkable lyrical prowess with equally remarkable production.

4. “Pimp Squad” and “Bang Out” - Though all 19 tracks qualify, these two solidify my theory that Alchemist makes soul music. “Pimp Squad” sounds like a lost contribution to a score from Black Cinema’s ‘70s hey day, and “Bang Out” is musical alchemy at its finest-- basic production elements like hand claps and sped-up vocals turn into hot coals for B-Real (yes, B-Real) to summon some real fire over.

You know the drill: get your wallets ready. 1st Infantry’s worth the purchase.