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.

Unfocused
The Alchemist Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All my thoughts are unfocused.
Help me focus the distorted - my
Conscious span is spun all my thoughts
Unfocused - a collage of thoughts in my
Mind help me focus the distorted -
Conscious span is spun protruding
Exertion of concentration - perception
Corruption is my frustration unbearably

Undecided - undefined and uttered.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Alchemist's song "Unfocused" capture the struggle of a scattered and overwhelmed mind. The repetition of the phrase "unfocused" emphasizes the lack of clarity and direction in the singer's thoughts. They express a desire for someone or something to help them bring their distorted consciousness into focus.

The lyrics paint a picture of a chaotic mental landscape, described as a collage of thoughts. The singer is desperately seeking assistance in navigating through this jumble of ideas and finding a sense of purpose. They highlight the frustration caused by their inability to make decisions or understand their own thoughts clearly.

The term "conscious span" suggests that these unfocused thoughts and the struggle to concentrate are affecting the singer's perception of reality. The constant spinning and protruding exertion of concentration indicate the intensity of their mental strain. The lyrics convey a sense of vulnerability and confusion, as the singer feels both overwhelmed and unsure of themselves.

Overall, "Unfocused" is an introspective song that explores the challenges of a scattered mind and the longing for clarity and focus in an increasingly overwhelming world.

Line by Line Meaning

All my thoughts are unfocused.
The thoughts in my mind lack clarity and direction.

Help me focus the distorted - my
Assist me in bringing clarity to the distorted thoughts in my mind.

Conscious span is spun all my thoughts
My conscious mind is overwhelmed, and all my thoughts are scattered.

Unfocused - a collage of thoughts in my
My thoughts are disjointed, forming a chaotic collage within my mind.

Mind help me focus the distorted -
Please aid me in sharpening my thoughts that have been distorted.

Conscious span is spun protruding
My conscious awareness is in disarray, protruding and causing confusion.

Exertion of concentration - perception
An effort is required to concentrate and improve my perception.

Corruption is my frustration unbearably
My frustration is overwhelming, caused by the corruption of my thoughts.

Undecided - undefined and uttered.
My thoughts are uncertain, lacking definition, and expressed without clarity.

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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