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.
Single Sided
The Alchemist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say what you will,
others have different points of view.
I'm hearing all that you say.
You forgot no one's the same.
This cannot be, you rant and rave.
Open your mind, yourself you'll save.
There comes a time in everyone's life.
In the end it's all the same.
You believe you have certain rights.
It's just a factor of human plight,
You're just one side of the game.
Don't pretend to hear what I say,
And it's not the truth you relay,
But my mind you'll never change.
Different thoughts go on in our heads.
There is truth in all that is said,
We should be careful where we tread.
Seek to find the causes that evade you.
Try to like the people that resent you,
Clear your mind of fog,
So you can see through,
Don't forget that no one is the same.
Seek to find the causes that evade you.
Try to like the people that resent you,
Clear your mind of fog,
So you can see through,
Don't forget that no one is the same.
A coin that's single sided,
Must have the odds unbalanced.
I call for heads,
You call for tails.
Nothing is won, nothing prevails.
A coin that's single sided,
Must have the odds unbalanced.
There are two sides to balance your mind,
Look deep inside it's there that you'll find it,
Spend all your life tying to hide it,
Don't criticize until you have tried it,
You're single sided.
The Alchemist's song "Single Sided" explores the theme of perspective and the importance of considering different viewpoints. The opening lines, "Forced to hear your words, though they might be true. Say what you will, others have different points of view" set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer acknowledges the possibility of their interlocutor being right but insists that there are other perspectives to consider.
Throughout the song, the singer implores the listener to open their mind and be more receptive to different ideas. The verses touch on the fact that we are all different and that one person's truth or perspective is just one side of the coin. The chorus emphasizes the importance of balance - that no one should be single-sided.
The lyrics are ultimately a call for open-mindedness and empathy. The Alchemist, through the use of metaphor, urges listeners to challenge their own biases and embrace the complexity of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Forced to hear your words, though they might be true.
I'm listening to what you say, but keep in mind that there are other perspectives and opinions to consider.
Say what you will, others have different points of view.
Express yourself freely, but acknowledge that others may see things differently.
I'm hearing all that you say.
I'm paying attention to your words.
You forgot no one's the same.
Remember that everyone is unique and has their own experiences and beliefs.
This cannot be, you rant and rave.
Your narrow-mindedness is preventing you from seeing things differently and understanding other perspectives.
Open your mind, yourself you'll save.
By being open-minded, you can grow and learn from others. This benefits you as an individual.
There comes a time in everyone's life.
At some point, we all question our beliefs and assumptions.
Where we choose to question our times,
During these moments of reflection, we question the events and circumstances that shape our lives.
In the end it's all the same.
Despite differences in beliefs and opinions, we are all human and share common experiences.
You believe you have certain rights.
You hold onto specific beliefs or ideas that you feel entitled to.
It's just a factor of human plight,
This is a common aspect of being human, as we all have our own beliefs and desires.
You're just one side of the game.
You only see things from your perspective and fail to consider other viewpoints.
Don't pretend to hear what I say,
Don't act like you are listening to me when you are not actually paying attention.
And it's not the truth you relay,
You're not being honest or truthful in your communication.
But my mind you'll never change.
Regardless of your words, my thoughts and beliefs will remain my own.
Different thoughts go on in our heads.
Everyone has their own unique thoughts and ideas.
There is truth in all that is said,
All perspectives have some element of truth and validity to them.
We should be careful where we tread.
We need to be mindful of how we communicate and approach discussions with other individuals.
Seek to find the causes that evade you.
Try to understand the underlying reasons for certain beliefs or actions that are causing conflict.
Try to like the people that resent you,
Make an effort to show kindness and compassion towards those who dislike you or hold negative feelings towards you.
Clear your mind of fog,
Release yourself from any clouded or biased thinking.
So you can see through,
In doing so, you can gain a clearer and more objective view of things.
Don't forget that no one is the same.
Remember that being open-minded means recognizing that everyone has different experiences and perspectives.
A coin that's single sided,
A one-sided argument is flawed and unbalanced, like a coin that only has one side.
Must have the odds unbalanced.
A one-sided argument lacks balance and fairness.
I call for heads,
I support one side of the argument.
You call for tails.
You support the other side of the argument.
Nothing is won, nothing prevails.
When there is no balanced argument, neither side truly wins or prevails.
There are two sides to balance your mind,
To truly understand a concept or argument, you must consider both sides.
Look deep inside it's there that you'll find it,
The answers you seek are often found through personal reflection and self-awareness.
Spend all your life trying to hide it,
Some individuals may spend their entire life avoiding deep introspection and considering other viewpoints.
Don't criticize until you have tried it,
Do not judge or criticize something until you have fully considered and attempted to understand it.
You're single sided.
By not being open to other perspectives, you limit your ability to grow and learn from others.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pullup Terraine
Super good band, great sound, exciting composing style.
Viktor Heredy
Credit to the alchemist of Venice beach for having me accidentally stumble upon this gold
Raven Feathers
Freakin' amazing song
Promitheas Klaras
Epic
djn48
Swiatek702 You could be right, but I think the song is about being one dimensional (i.e. a plastic person) rather than being one-sided. People who have one-sided beliefs very rarely try to hide those beliefs.
Regardless of the interpretation of the song, only one of the above commenters is a fuckwit, and I'll give you a clue who it is... Most of the people who fought the Nazis were capitalists...
Hos
Iron Pultura