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.

Lunation
The Alchemist Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The silent image of a poetic light the
Crescent moon enhances the
Blackened night my eyes are bound to
The beauty that I see the moon's
Magnetism - it beckons me pores of
My mind rise and fall in lnation lost in
A spell entranced in lunar fixation
Alters the rhythms and the tides of

The oceans eclipsing hemispheres of
My emotions moon enters in its new
Phase-governs both the nights and

The days bathe in its heavenly rays -
Strange allure the one that I praise

Overall Meaning

In "Lunation" by The Alchemist, the lyrics depict a mesmerizing and enchanting experience with the moon. The first verse conveys the captivating power of the crescent moon, which enhances the darkness of the night. The singer's eyes are fixated on the beauty they witness, and they feel an irresistible attraction towards the moon's magnetism. This attraction triggers a deep emotional response, as the moon's influence alters the rhythms and tides of their internal world. The singer becomes entranced in a lunar fixation, completely immersed in the spellbinding spell cast by the celestial body. The moon's presence governs both day and night, impacting not only the physical aspects of the world but also stirring the singer's emotions. The lyrics express a sense of admiration and reverence for the moon, highlighting its heavenly allure and becoming the object of the singer's praise.

Line by Line Meaning

The silent image of a poetic light the
The quiet representation of a beautiful and artistic illumination,

Crescent moon enhances the
The partially illuminated moon improves and enhances the surroundings,

Blackened night my eyes are bound to
The darkened night captivates and holds my attention,

The beauty that I see the moon's
The enchanting beauty that I perceive is due to the moon's presence,

Magnetism - it beckons me pores of
The attractive force of the moon calls me from the depths of my being,

My mind rise and fall in lnation lost in
My thoughts fluctuate and move in a cyclic pattern, immersed in a state of being bewildered,

A spell entranced in lunar fixation
Under a magical influence, captivated by an obsession with the moon,

Alters the rhythms and the tides of
Changes the patterns and movements of both natural rhythms and ocean tides,

The oceans eclipsing hemispheres of
The vast bodies of water overshadowing and overshadowed by the different regions of the world,

My emotions moon enters in its new
My feelings are influenced as the moon goes through its phases and enters a new stage,

Phase-governs both the nights and
The specific phase of the moon rules and governs both the nights and,

The days bathe in its heavenly rays -
The days are immersed in and illuminated by the celestial rays of the moon -

Strange allure the one that I praise
A peculiar and captivating charm that I admire and worship

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ADAM AGIUS, JOHN BRAY, RODNEY HOLDER, ROY TORKINGTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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