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The Alchemist has been one of the most successful producers of hip-hop music in recent years. However, fans of hard-hitting hip-hop are amazed when they find out that one of the top producers of this genre of music is a Caucasian Jew from the affluent suburb of Beverly Hills, California.
Al's family was fairly well-off but was considered poor compared to the billionaire families in the neighborhood. Al wanted no part of the snobby rich-kid scene and threw himself into his schoolwork, in which he excelled. He preferred to be around people who were down-to-earth and creative. 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. As a teen, he hooked up with other like-minded kids who wrote lyrics and rebelled strongly against their uptight suburban surroundings, among whom were Seth 'Shifty Shellshock' Binzer and Scott Caan, son of James Caan. They would often hang out in urban areas of Los Angeles and participated in typical teen-aged 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 LA, they attracted the attention of DJ Muggs, aka DJ Muggs of the wildly popular hip-hop group Cypress Hill. Muggs invited the teens to join his crew, "The Soul Assassins", which also included the group "House of Pain". In 1993, "The Whooliganz" released their first single, "Put Your Handz Up". The song received little radio airplay and their record label, Tommy Boy, decided to shelve their album. Dejected, Scott focused his creative energy on acting while Al became interested in process of making hip-hop beats.
Muggs took Al under his wing and taught him how to use a sampler and mixing board. After helping to produce some of Cypress Hill's albums, Al moved to New York City. There, he hooked up with friends of Muggs's, the popular hip-hop group "Mobb Deep". Impressed by Al's producing skills and street smarts, the African-Americans from Queensbridge accepted the Caucasian from Beverly Hills as a member of their crew. He has since worked for artists as diverse as Snoop Dogg, Linkin Park, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and Nas. He also enjoys producing for lesser-known artists and for his old friends Cypress Hill, Everlast (Erik Schrody), and Crazy Town. In 2004, 11 years after his MCing career folded, The Alchemist returned with his long-awaited debut album, "1st Infantry".
