Audio/Video: The Alchemist’s Cookbook

Posted on November 26, 2008 by Martín Caballero

Out of all the hip-hop people I’ve had the pleasure (or displeasure) of talking to or hanging out with, Alchemist is one of the realest and most humble and respectable dudes in the industry. Not only did homie treat a fresh-faced 17-year old Martin Caballero like a friend–inviting me to his apartment for a revealing interview and a smoke (naturally)–but with everything he does, he tries to do it in a creative and professional way, whether it’s designing his mix tapes or just the little touches he does for the opening bars of his songs. I think a lot of the mainstream doesn’t equate the work hip-hop artists do with that of other musicians, but ALC proves them wrong. He’s a true professional in every sense of the word.

He’s also been off the scene for a hot minute. The Chemical Warfare album that was supposed to drop this year has been pushed back, but in the meantime he just dropped a six-song EP on iTunes called The Alchemist’s Cookbook (after the infamous book on homemade bomb-making). For $3.99, you get a stash of tracks featuring Prodigy, Snoop Dogg, Blu, Kid Cudi, Jadakiss, Evidence, Styles P and others. Check out the animated video for “Lose Your Life” and my personal favorite from the EP “Calmly Smoke” w/ Styles P and Evidence.

Alchemist- Calmly Smoke f/ Evidence and Styles P