Customer Reviews

1st Infantry

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Alchemist's debut album is "1st Infantry" (2004). A lot of people have been looking forward to this album, Alchemist has over the years established himself as one of Rap's talented producers. Does this live up to the hype? - Yes and No. Alchemist's delivers some standout production, but the MC's that are featured on this don't always deliver lyrically. The intro briefly showcases some excellent beats Alchemist has delivered in the past. Game and Prodigy rhyme over a repetitive banging beat on the grimey "Dead Bodies" while the Lox make a decent appearance on "The Essence". The single "Hold You Down" feat. Prodigy, Nina Sky & Illa Gee is the first real standout track to me, Prodigy rhymes well and Alchemists beat is sick. Not feeling Stat Quo on "Stop the Show" would of liked to see more of MOP. Next Havoc, Noyd, Jae Hood and Styles hook up for the hardcore "D-Block to QB. Lloyd Banks makes a solid appearance on "Bangers", feeling Alchemists beat, first heard this off a mixtape. One of two Southern Artists on this is Devin the Dude who makes an appearance on "Where can we go", to me the beat seems to strong for the laidback Devin. Over the years Alchemist has laced Mobb Deep with some memorable beats, "It's A Craze" though is rather average. Alchemist gives Chinky a chance to shine solo on "Strength Of Pain", she delivers some real lyrics and sings well over a distinct beat. Another real standout for me is "Tick Tock", its good to see Nas and Prodigy on a track together again, both rhyme well while Alchemist provides another good beat. Alchemist saves the best for last, my favourite track is "Different Worlds" where Alchemist and Twin rhyme back and forth about coming up from completly different backgrounds. This is the first track where Alchemist stands out as an MC to me, while Twin of Infamous Mobb grabs the listeners attention with his unique flow. My favourite tracks are: "Hold You Down", "Tick Tock" and "Different Worlds". On reflection I feel like Alchemist stayed true to his formula, making music for the streets, and while this one probably be skipped over by most mainstream audiences, underground heads will be feeling it.

Whenever you hear about The Alchemist the first thing that you think about is a tight beat or a nice track. He is best known for the track that he originally gave to Ras Kass entitled "Home Sweet Home" that later came to be known as Jadakiss' "We Gonna Make It". He is also known for working with Mobb Deep and providing tracks for other artists like Dilated Peoples and Snoop & The Eastsidaz. When I first heard that The Alchemist was going to release a CD of his own, I became interested because I knew that the compilation of songs would have tight beats on them.

"1st Infantry" will definitely remind you of a mixtape when you first hear the CD. The only difference is that all of the songs are produced by The Alchemist. When DJ Whoo Kid, Kay Slay, Big Mike or DJ Clue come out with something there is a combination of exclusive songs with popular artists but none of these DJs can say that they create a mixtape of songs that are actually produced by themselves. The 1st single is "Hold You Down" which features The Alchemist on the mic, Prodigy, Nina Sky and Illa Ghee. The song is definitely on point and I never knew that Alchemist even rapped. However, the song was a nice pick for the first single and Nina Sky does well on the chorus. Alchemist definitely has some potential "mixtape bangers" on this CD. "Dead Bodies" featuring Game of G Unit and Prodigy of Mobb Deep is just "off the hook". Prodigy is starting to get his old swagger back as he does on "Amerikaz Nightmare" and Game is just creating even more anticipation for his solo CD that is expected to come out by the end of the year. "The Essence" has The LOX bringing us some of the "We Are The Streets" heat and Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch take advantage of the Alchemist track by providing tight lyrics. "D Block To QB" features Havoc of Mobb Deep, Big Noyd, Styles P and Jae Hood. The Alchemist has cooked up another banger with this track as well. All of the tracks are produced to top notch by The Alchemist and the rappers give top notch performances as well. Lloyd Banks shows up on "Bangers" and continues on his braggodocio ways just as he did on "The Hunger For More". This could have easily been on Lloyd Banks' CD. "It's A Craze" features Mobb Deep and I am sure that this track has reached mixtapes already. Mobb Deep shows why they weren't "Free Agents" for long. The Alchemist blazes Mobb Deep with this track just like he did on "Got It Twisted" and "Win Or Lose" on "Amerikaz Nightmare". "Boost The Crime Rate" fetaures Sheek Louch and Jae Hood. This demonstrates why there needs to be a D-Block compilation CD or another LOX CD as soon as all of the members release their solo CDs. "Tick Tock" features Nas & Prodigy, which seems kind of odd but they must have patched things up amognst each other. Mobb Deep & Nas haven't been the best of friends lately. Alchemist gives them a track with an old school feel to it and both rappers give quality performances. Dilated Peoples state what they think "For The Record" and this track could have easily been on their slept on "Neighborhood Watch" CD.

Alchemist also works with some folks that you wouldn't expect him to. One of my favorite Down South rappers, Devin The Dude shows up on "Where Can We Go" and makes one of his trademark songs. This song should have been on Devin's latest CD, "To The X-Treme". Although that CD isn't as good as his first two, "The Dude" and "Just Trying To Live", his latest CD should still be in your collection if you follow the Down South muisc scene. TI and PSC show up on "Pimp Squad" as TI is at his best and is still talking junk as he is stating that he is better than Shyne. I am not sure about that but the track is still tight as The PSC hold their own against the self proclaimed "King Of The South".

The only negative thing that I can say about this CD is that there are too may interludes on this CD inbetween the tracks. By the end of the CD you will definitely be tired of the "Our Boy AL" skit. Overall, "Ist Infantry" should let people know that The Alchemist definitely has production skills. He raps on only two songs, the single, "Hold You Down" and on the last track "Two Different Worlds" with Twin. If you are into the mixtape scene and tracks by The Alchemist in general, then you should add this CD to your collection.

James' Top 5

1) Dead Bodies w/The Game from G Unit & Prodigy of Mobb Deep
2) It's A Craze w/Mobb Deep
3) The Essence w/The LOX
4) Where Can We Go w/Devin The Dude
5) Hold You Down w/Prodigy, Nina Sky & Illa Ghee

The Alchemist is well known on the underground scene, but wasn't well known by the average Joe 'til this album came out. The only single off the album, "Hold You Down" with Prodigy of Mobb Deep did decent. This opened up people to the ALC. This album is a good example of why folks should've paid respect to The Alchemist much earlier. Of course, the album has it's flaws though. There are a number of artists that appear on the album, but a lot of them just get repetitive. I like Prodigy and Sheek Louch's music, but I felt like there was no need to put them on more than one track, considering it was a mixtape of sorts. I also felt like there could've been some different styles of production. However, this album is still great. I enjoyed what the artists brought to the album, and 'Our boy Al' did a good job on production. You won't be dissappointed with spending your money on this album. Best tracks are:
1)"The Essence"-The LOX
2 "Tick Tock"-NaS, and Prodigy
3 "Bangers"-Lloyd Banks

yep, Alchemist picked up where Havoc left off, recreated the mobb sound, got QB on fire with street anthems all year long, so he had to make it official with one of the best release of 2004.
"Hold you down", the single for the album is reminiscent of Primo circa early nineties, with the soulfoul sample, scratched shoot outs and the strings playing in the back, it all blends together, without taking over the lyrics, only in NY.
There's so much goodies on this one, and the collabos with the Mobb and D-Block on "D-Block to QB", B Real on "Bang Out", Nas on "Tick Tock", and that unadulterated wailing on "It's a craze", it's a lot of heat, not one filler, if you're familiar with QB artists, Mobb Deep, Cormega, AZ, Nas, matter of fact, if you're familiar with the NY sound, you will love it.
Alchemist is the white son Primo never had. Let the Neptunes and Kanye West rule MTV, The Alchemist rules NY streets.

It been almost a year since Alchemist's debut album/compilation was released but I still listen to it like its brand new!! Alchemist has been one of my favorite producers since I 1st heard his music on Mobb Deeps Murda Muzik album back in 1999. He has produced at least 1 song on Mobb Deeps albums since then as well as tracks for M.O.P., Pharoahe Monch, Dilated Peoples, Cypress Hill, Defari, Jadakiss, Nas, Cormega, CNN, Ras Kass, Royce Da 5'9'', Styles, D12 Snoop Dogg and others. This album is great and is everything I expected. 1st off, the lead single "hold you down" samples the same song as Jay-Z's "soon you'll understand", to me its not a rip off. It happens in rap all the time, 2 people sample the same song. To me a rip off is when Puff Daddy jacks "i got 5 on it" for some gay song he made with r.kelly. Anyways back to ALC, some of the guests suprised me like Devin the dude and TI. The songs with them came out with good results. Mobb Deep, Lox and Dilated Peoples I expected, they should be a given when it comes to ALC. Overall this cd is banging and the best song on here is "Different Worlds" w/ Twin of Infamous Mobb. ALC and Twin go back and forth about coming up from different lives to come together and make music. ALc isnt that bad on the mic but hes only on 2 songs, "hold you down" and "different worlds". Mobb Deep, TheLox, and their respective crews are plastered all over this album. Other guests include Game, B-Real, Lloyd Banks, & Stat Quo.

The Alchemist established himself as one of the top producers in the game with dope beats for artists such as Mobb Deep. He comes hard with this album doing what he does best.... making great beats and giving us that grimey New York feel to his music.

This album definetly lives up to the hype. Every song on the album is produced well and all the artists do a good job at rapping over the hot beats. If you are a fan of The Alchemist's work or if you are a fan of East Coast rap then I suggest you pick up this album next time you are in the store.

Great tracks from The Game, Prodigy, Havoc, (Mobb Deep) D-Block and The Lox, Stat Quo, MOP, Lloyd Banks, Devin the Dude, Dilated Peoples, Nas, T.I. and some others.... the alchemist does a great job rapping on some of these tracks also.

My Favorite tracks:

2-Dead Bodies- The Game and Prodigy
4-Essence- The Lox
5-Hold You Down- (first single)
9-Bangers- Lloyd Banks
11-Its a Craze- Mobb Deep
17-Tick Tock- Nas and Prodigy
19-Different Worlds- Twin and The Alchemist

Every track, with the exception of 14- Strength of Pain- Chinky, is a good track..... no fillers, great album!!!

To the dude that said alchemist jacked Jayz beat Alchemist is also a producer just incase you didn't know HE MADE THAT BEAT FOR JAY back in the day and he produced for ALOT of classic tracks! Do ya home work and this CD is tight - I give it 5 stars because it is better than most cds that droped since gangster and gentlemen -

I can't even explain how good this album is

Every Song Is 5/5

Alchemist is one of my favorite producers in the game right now, from Dilated to D-Block, he almost always will give you some standout production. On this album he actually raps on 2 tracks ('Hold You Down' & 'Different Worlds'), and overall got very good guest apperances on this album.

1.Intro
2.Dead Bodies-The Game & Prodigy-5/5-Great production, and an overall hot song, but Game says "I just wanna f*** Trina, cuz Dre says sex sells". I'm almost positive he said the same thing about Mya in another song....(Game=the most repetitive rapper in the game)
3.Your Boy Al
4.The Essence-The LOX-5/5-You can tell Alchemist really chose his best beats for this album, great lyrics/flow from Jada, Styles & Sheek
5.Hold You Down-Prodigy, Nina Sky, Alchemist & Illa Ghee-5/5-1st single, after i heard this, i knew I had to check this album out, hot song
6.Industry Rule 4080
7.Stop The Show-Stat Quo & M.O.P.-4/5-I really don't like Stat Quo, but Lil Fame, Billy Danze & the beat save the song
8.D Block To QB-Havoc, Big Noyd, Styles & J-Hood-4/5-Great beat and flow, but sub-par lyrics make this song just very good, instead of great
9.Bangers-Lloyd Banks-5/5-One of the best tracks on the CD, Banks is my favorite G-Unit MC, and he's a punchline MC, which I love. Great production and Banks goes perfectly with it
10.Where Can We Go-Devin The Dude-4/5-Very good song with Devin The Dude. Sort of changes up the album with a more melodic-no gangsta rap song
11.It's A Craze-Mobb Deep-4.5/5-Great song, more hot alc production, and both Havoc and Prodigy have great flows
12.For The Record-Dilated Peoples-5/5-My 2nd favorite song on the CD, and probably the best production on the CD, hot verses by Rakkaa & Evidence, too
13.Boost The Crime Rate-Sheek & J-Hood-4.5/5-Another hot D-Block song, I don't really like J-Hood too much, but he's actually good on this song
14.Stregnth Of Pain-Chinky-1.5/5-Annoying Pop/R&B song. Skip It.
15.A Soul Assasins Tale
16.Bang Out-B-Real-4/5-This is a very good song, but B-Real doesn't really go to well with this beat
17.Tick Tock-Nas & Prodigy-5/5-My favorite track on the album, featuring one of my favorite rappers (nas), hot beat (perfect for Nas & prodigy), and both rappers are great lyrically
18.Pimp Squad-T.I. & The P$C-3/5-Good song, but not great lyrically
19.Different Worlds-Alchemist & Twin-5/5-Great song, one of the best on the CD. Its nice to see someone in hip hop not bragging about being gangsta, and doing things that they havent done. I highly respect Alchemist.

One of the best CDs of 2004

This record is somewhere between a 3 and a 4 rating. The beats made by Al are outstanding, and on other albums would make superb hits, however some of the artists featured here destroy them. Lyrically, this album is average at best. The beats make this album what it is and are far better than almost any other hip-hop album around, yet they are almost damaged by the lyricists featured.

top tracks:
1-dead bodies (f. game & prodigy)
2-the essence (f. the l.o.x.)
3-it's a craze (f. mobb deep)
4-for the record
5-hold u down (f. nina sky, prodigy & illa ghee)