Rap lifer the Alchemist has been making beats at a high level for, what, 30 years now? Since he was a little kid in the Whooliganz, his kiddie-rap duo with Scott Caan.These days, Alchemist is still at the top of his game, making woozy stoner-rap beats for an all-star clientele.
A$AP Rocky and J.Cole’s new collab “Ruby Rosary,” for instance, gets much of its power from its floating Alchemist beat.
About a year ago, Alchemist released his own guest-heavy EP Flying High Part Two, and now he’s followed it with the new album The Genuine Articulate.As with most Alchemist solo endeavors, The Genuine Articulate is a relatively low-stakes release that features some of the man’s headiest beats, as well as appearances from some of his most trusted collaborators.
We’ve already heard the album’s lead single, the ScHoolboy Q collab “Ferraris In The Rain,” and there’s a lot more to it than that.Action Bronson pops up on the violently funky “Minnesota Fats,” and his voluble hypeman Big Body Bes also drops a rare verse that mostly stays on-beat.
Conway The Machine and Larry June also make appearances, and so does Havoc, the surviving half of Alc’s old collaborators Mobb Deep.Given how tight Alchemist was with Havoc’s late partner Prodigy, it’s very cool to hear those two on a song together.
Alchemist’s layered, sample-heavy production remains beautiful, and his guests bring their A-games.Alchemist also does a whole lot of his own rapping on The Genuine Articulate, and it’s a nice reminder that he’s really good at that when he wants to be.
I like the bit where Alchemist and Conway trade off lines, Run-DMC style, and the bit where Alchemist calls himself “everybody’s favorite uncle.” It’s a short album, just eight songs in 22 minutes, and you can stream it below.The Genuine Articulate is self-released, and it’s out now.
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