Alan Daniel Maman (born October 25, 1977), better known as The Alchemist, i… Read Full Bio ↴Alan Daniel Maman (born October 25, 1977), better known as The Alchemist, is a hip-hop producer and MC. The Alchemist has been an active producer since 1991. He hails from affluent Beverly Hills, California. After rising to prominence in the late 1990s as a close associate of Dilated Peoples, he went on to produce for many of hip-hop's leading artists in the 2000s.

As a teen, Al began to identify strongly with the rebellious lyrics and urban sounds of hip-hop, and he began writing his own lyrics as a creative outlet. He joined up with other like-minded artists who wrote lyrics and rebelled strongly against their "uptight" suburban surroundings, among whom were Shifty Shellshock of Crazy Town, Evidence of Dilated Peoples and Scott Caan, son of James Caan. They would often hang out in urban areas of Los Angeles and participated in typical teenage rebellious activities like partying, smoking marijuana, and general mischief.

Al and Scott decided to become a duo named The Whooliganz. While rhyming at a party in L.A., they attracted the attention of B-Real of Cypress Hill. He invited the teens to join his crew, The Soul Assassins, which also included the groups House of Pain and Funkdoobiest. In 1993, the Whooliganz released their first single, "Put Your Handz Up." The song received little radio airplay and their record label, Tommy Boy Records, decided to shelve their album. Rejected, Scott focused his creative energy on acting while Al became interested in process of making hip-hop beats.

DJ Muggs took Al under his wing and taught him how to use a sampler and mixing board. After helping to produce a few tracks for Cypress Hill, Al became the main producer for his childhood friend, Evidence and his group Dilated Peoples. When Dilated debuted in 1998, they were an underground sensation creating a huge buzz about the man behind those incredible beats.

In 1999, Muggs introduced Al to his good friends, the popular hip-hop group Mobb Deep. Al produced two songs for their Murda Muzik album. Impressed by his production skills and street smarts, Mobb Deep took him under their wing, using his beats on all their subsequent albums. As Alchemist's profile increased, he went on to produce for many of hip hop's most successful and prominent artists, such as Nas, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Ghostface Killah and Snoop Dogg. He has also remixed songs for bands and artists in other genres such as Linkin Park and Morcheeba. Al stayed loyal to his old friends, continuing to produce for Dilated, Cypress Hill, Everlast (formerly of House of Pain) and Crazy Town. He also enjoys producing for lesser-known underground rappers, often giving them some of his best beats. In 2004, 11 years after his rapping career folded, The Alchemist returned with his long-awaited debut album, "1st Infantry." The album yielded the hit single "Hold You Down" (featuring Prodigy, Illa Ghee, and Nina Sky), which hit number ninety-five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2005.

Alchemist was the official tour DJ for Eminem on his 2005 Anger Management 3 Tour, replacing the recently-ousted DJ Green Lantern. However on July 13, 2005, the tour bus carrying Eminem's entourage (including rapper Stat Quo as well as Alchemist) swerved off the road and turned over. Alchemist was treated for broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

The Alchemist is one of the music producers behind the video game Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars released by Rockstar Games. He was also on Tim Westwood TV, when Eminem, Royce Da 5'9" and Mr. Porter freestyled. During an interview with Worldwide Conspiracy Radio, The Alchemist revealed he would be dropping a 2-part project with fellow West Coast producer Oh No entitled Gangrene, the first to be released in July, the second in November, both on Decon. Alchemist was also the DJ for the Eminem set on the BBC1 chat-show Jonathan Ross on June 4, 2010.

Alchemist is Eminem's official DJ, since DJ Green Lantern departed from Shady Records in 2005 because of a dispute related to the feud of 50 Cent and Jadakiss. In 2006, Eminem released a collaboration album with Shady Records called Eminem Presents: The Re-Up. Since the Alchemist is his official DJ, he produced some of the tracks on the mixtape, as well as compiling the album in a mixtape fashion. On December 18, 2013, he was named the runner-up for Producer of the Year by HipHopDX.

Dean Martin Steaks
The Alchemist Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Woo) yeah, uh, yeah, uh, yeah
Yes, turn that shit up overall for me Al
This chemical peels
Yo (uh), uh, yo, check it

Dope gang, gold chain, camouflage suits
Black Range, Jag' pink, Carolina blue
Masked up, flash bucks, marijuana coof

Play the booth, display a Dr. Malachi book
The pie cook, your eyes get the wide look
Provide kush, galvanize troops, advertise crooks
The beef got tied up by the hoof, swing on a hook
You're horsing on a hook, you're being cooked
Proceed and push, off in that plush European truck
I'm peeing in your cup, my G is seasoned in the dub
I popped up, your feathers got plucked, your peacock jumped
And get a cheap diamond G-shock up
Then marvel at what's under the Starter cap, part of rap
Bitch stay in pocket like a quarterback
Thoughts of a stack before the snap
I got the bomb like I caught the pass and I enjoy a hot oil bath
(I fuck with it, yeah)

Round of applause
I do what I fucking do
Yo, they got s-
They get eggs with hanging steak

Two fried eggs
Two for the crew (chubby, chubby)

Overall Meaning

The Alchemist feat. Roc Marciano's song Dean Martin Steaks is a rap song that talks about the lifestyle of drug dealers. The opening verse talks about how dope gangs dress to impress with their gold chains and camouflage suits. They also drive fancy cars like the Black Range and pink Jaguar, which they paint in colors like Carolina blue to stand out. The drug dealers wear masks and flash money as they sell marijuana. They also display Dr. Malachi York's books, who is known for his controversial views on religion and alien conspiracy theories.

The song talks about how the drug dealers cook their product and make sure that their clients get high-quality marijuana. They use words like "provide kush" and "galvanize troops" to describe their distribution process. The beef or competition between drug dealers is also evident in the song. They use violent metaphors like "swing on a hook" and "horse on a hook" to show how they handle their rivals.

The verses also talk about the luxurious lifestyle that the drug dealers enjoy. They drive European trucks and wear expensive watches like the diamond G-shock. The song talks about how Roc Marciano is a seasoned drug dealer who knows how to operate in the business. He thinks of stacks of money even before the snap of the ball, just like a quarterback in football. The song ends with a casual and humorous tone, where they order eggs with hanging steak, which they share with their crew.

Line by Line Meaning

(Woo) yeah, uh, yeah, uh, yeah
Excited introduction to the song

Yes, turn that shit up overall for me Al
Request for the song to be turned up

This chemical peels
Reference to the production of the song

Yo (uh), uh, yo, check it
Preparation for the lyrics to follow

Dope gang, gold chain, camouflage suits
Describing a flashy lifestyle involving drugs and jewelry

Black Range, Jag' pink, Carolina blue
Further description of vehicles and colors associated with wealth

Masked up, flash bucks, marijuana coof
Combination of criminal activity and drug use

Play the booth, display a Dr. Malachi book
Reference to conscious rap and messages of self-improvement

The pie cook, your eyes get the wide look
Implication of drugs being sold, with customers' eyes wide from the effects

Provide kush, galvanize troops, advertise crooks
Description of involvement in drug dealing and criminal activity

The beef got tied up by the hoof, swing on a hook
Suggesting the killing of a cow and the carcass being hung up in a butcher shop

You're horsing on a hook, you're being cooked
Continuation of the butcher shop imagery, with the implication of being violently killed and cooked

Proceed and push, off in that plush European truck
Reference to wealth and luxury vehicles

I'm peeing in your cup, my G is seasoned in the dub
Boasting about drug use and being skilled at it

I popped up, your feathers got plucked, your peacock jumped
Imagery of someone being humiliated and debased

And get a cheap diamond G-shock up
Reference to purchasing cheap and tacky jewelry

Then marvel at what's under the Starter cap, part of rap
Boasting about wealth and status symbols

Bitch stay in pocket like a quarterback
Using a football metaphor to describe being successful and in control

Thoughts of a stack before the snap
Planning to make money before taking action

I got the bomb like I caught the pass and I enjoy a hot oil bath
Boasting about being successful and wealthy, with a reference to self-care

(I fuck with it, yeah)
Positive reaction to the song and lyrics

Round of applause
Acknowledgement of success

I do what I fucking do
Boasting about being skillful and successful

Yo, they got s-
Interrupted sentence

They get eggs with hanging steak
Reference to a specific meal, possibly indicating wealth or prestige

Two fried eggs
Further description of the meal

Two for the crew (chubby, chubby)
Serving the meal to two people, possibly with the nickname 'chubby'

Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: Daniel Alan Maman, Rahkeim Calief Meyer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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