Alchemist has just replaced DJ Green Lantern as Eminem's official DJ.
In this exclusive SOHH.com interview, Al speaks on his new gig, inheriting beef and future projects.
Approximately two weeks after Green Lantern left Shady Records, the powerhouse label has recruited producer Alchemist to spin for Slim. Al, who has previously toured with Cypress Hill and served as Mobb Deep's tour DJ, is set to begin his new job on the upcoming Anger Management 3 tour.
The Alchemist Speaks On Becoming New Eminem DJ
"As of now, we're set to do this tour coming up. Basically, the management, Goliath, Neil [Maman] (Al's brother and co-manager) and Paul [Rosenberg] (Al and Em's manager) were just brainstorming and they approached me and asked if I would be interested in doing it. I was like, ‘Yeah, that would be dope,'" Al told SOHH.com. "I respect Em a lot musically. We've been down over the years. We did a couple of things like the Tone Touch back in the day on Tone's album ["Get Back" feat D12 off of Tony Touch's 1997 album The Piecemaker].
Like Green Lantern before him, Al has ties to G-Unit rival, D-Block. To date, the producer has crafted standouts like Jadakiss' "We Gon Make It" and Styles P's current single, "I'm Black." Now a new addition to the Shady/Aftermath/G-Unit family, Al doesn't think he'll get caught up in their feuds.
"To me, I'm an artist and a producer. In the past, I never really jumped in on situations. I don't feel like I'm gonna be inheriting any beef or situations," the sympathetic beat maker explained to SOHH.com. "My job, they called on me to be Em's DJ and I'm gonna do my job to the fullest. I'm excited to be in that circle. So as far as any beef or drama, I feel like it doesn't apply to me."
Though he's shared management with Em for years, Al never took advantage of the situation to give tracks to Slim or any other artist in the camp. Yet, now that he's set to work more closely with the blonde lyricist, he hopes the future holds plenty of collaborations.
"It was always something I looked forward to with my relationship with Paul and my brother being there. It's been like three, four years we've been down with the company," Al revealed. "Em has [Dr.] Dre, first of all, and Em is a producer. So, they don't really need anything in that circle. So, for anybody to get beats off in that circle is a blessing. Just being down that long, I always knew one day we'd be able to collaborate one way or another. If it's the start of it, then that's a beautiful way for it to start."
In the meantime, Al is keeping busy promoting last year's 1st Infantry and staying productive in the lab. While he doesn't have immediate plans to record a sophomore album, he is presently dropping tracks to keep his name buzzing in the streets.
"I'm in the lab everyday, new beats. I don't wanna blow it up because sometimes samples don't clear and issues happen, but I have a lot of stuff now that might end up on albums this year," Al shared with SOHH.com. "I'm hitting the machine hard right now. We been starting to leak joints out instead of holding on to them cause we got so much music that we're starting to leak joints to let cats know. The fans are what it's all about. Even when we're in between deals, we're still dropping for the people."