The Alchemist

Released: July 7, 2009

Featuring: KRS-One

Songwriter: The Alchemist KRS-One

Producer: The Alchemist

[Intro: KRS-One]
KRS…yeah, this is it right here
Let me warm up on this
Knowledge Reigns Supreme

[Chorus: KRS-One]
I’m a teacher to my people, they won’t leave me alone
With The Alchemist producing Kris, yeah, we in the zone
Anytime I’m in the club, it’s like I’m really at home
You my family, so disrespect, well, we’ll let you know

What you sayin’?
“Squeezing this trigger like a silly bully” "Brrrrrrr"

[Verse 1: KRS-One]
You’re going deep with this brother, he don’t speak like no other
He keeps it undercover, only truth he will ever utter
The proof he discover, we use it for many others
That keep another to discover how they keep from not going under
The beat’s like no other, it’s heat like the summer
I was raised in the streets too but I wasn’t bein’ a runner
I wanted them beats that was butter, so I could toast ‘em while I utter
Another club thumper for the summer
I tagged KRS-ONE, uh, with rhymes like thunder
I propelled myself from right under gutter—what, sir?
I’m a wisdom and knowledge lover, a philosophical brother
With Alchemist here, I think we got another

[Chorus: KRS-One]
I’m a teacher to my people, they won’t leave me alone
With The Alchemist producing Kris, yeah, we in the zone
Anytime I’m in the club, it’s like I’m really at home
You my family, so disrespect, well, we’ll let you know

This what you bumpin’ right now
“Squeezing this trigger like a silly bully” "Brrrrrrr"

[Verse 2: KRS-One]
I ain’t grow up in a mansion, I grew up in the street, sir
I wasn’t trying to be handsome, sexy or sweet, sir
I used to hang out ‘round Bleecker
By CBGB’s with the air tings with coke and reefer
I was houseless, looking for beats to
Heat the streets, for eat, money and sneakers
Sitting in West 4th eating a pizza
I visualized my whole life as The Teacher
Hip-hopper, showstopper, Glock cocker
Street philosopher, then I met DJ Scott La Rock, and uh
We formed Boogie Down Productions in ‘85
Hip-hop culture about to become politicized
Yeah, we them guys that see them lies
Like Buju said, ‘Seckle with your 45’
It ain’t no horsey ride, we’ve been in the trenches
I’m from 149th Street, Grand Concourse Benches
You don’t even know what tense is
Until rappers are claiming the top spot that KRS-ONE enters
(Just like…) I start taking ‘em out like dentures
Hittin’ ‘em in their ego, shocking their nerve centers

[Chorus: KRS-One]
I’m a teacher to my people, they won’t leave me alone
With The Alchemist producing Kris, yeah, we in the zone
Anytime I’m in the club, it’s like I’m really at home
You my family, so disrespect, well, we’ll let you know

What you sayin’?
“Squeezing this trigger like a silly bully” "Brrrrrrr"

[Outro: KRS-One]
Knowledge Reigns Supreme

[Outro skit]

The Alchemist is a rapper and DJ on top of being one of the most prolific producers in hip-hop who is known for his eclectic beats. Al’s sample-heavy style has been associated with an East Coast sound even though he reps the West Coast, but he has worked with rappers from every region of America—including Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, and Eminem among others.

At 14 years old, Daniel Alan Maman from Beverly Hills, California entered the rap game as Mudfoot, one-half of The Whooliganz with actor Scott Caan in 1991. He also grew up with Evidence from Dilated Peoples and produced the crew’s debut single “Third Degree” in 1997. Al was mentored by Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs, who taught him production techniques and later introduced him to Mobb Deep. Al’s early productions on Mobb Deep’s Murda Muzik album in 1999 began to grow his profile, which took off after the popularity of his production on the 2001 Jadakiss hit “We Gonna Make It.”

The Alchemist has been involved in many projects over the years. He released two compilations—2004’s 1st Infantry and 2009’s Chemical Warfare—a number of instrumental albums, mixtapes, as well as collaborative albums with Prodigy and Havoc of Mobb Deep, Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, Action Bronson, Oh No (as Gangrene), and Evidence (as Step Brothers) to name a few. Al has served as a DJ for Eminem and Action Bronson shows, and Al has also been a frequent guest on Action Bronson’s Viceland food show Fuck, That’s Delicious. Al used vocal samples from the show throughout his 2020 album The Food Villain.

more tracks from the album

Chemical Warfare

From the album

Chemical Warfare (2009)

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Grand Concourse BenchesThe Alchemist

The Alchemist

Chemical Warfare