A few weeks ago, XXLmag.com reported that Alchemist was paid 350k for producing “You Ain’t Got Nuthin” Lil Wayne’s Carter 3. When I caught up with Alchemist last week, he admitted that he was joking in that interview.

Al says:

I can’t front, I was lying. Because the truth is, they really paid me 1.5 mill. 750 was the first half…. I was joking. I guess 350 was believable. No, I don’t get paid 350 grand for a beat.

The Lil Wayne/Travis McCoy collabo for Chemical Warfare that ended up on the cutting room floor leaked earlier today. Listen here. I think this joint should have made the album.

And here’s Al talking about the new electric, up-tempo sound of urban music.

Al says:

“It’s quite electric. It’s like you gotta plug in. CDs come with a plug now. I just wired a special switch now to all my equipment. It’s a swag switch. When you hit that shit, boy, a disco ball comes out… you start doing John Travolta moves.

The Alchemist’s 2nd LP, Chemical Warfare, finally drops next Tuesday, July 7th. Just think, two years ago (two!) Will Johnson and I sat in Alchemist’s living room talking about this very same project for Scratch Magazine. But as the saying goes, timing is everything, and the hands on the clock weren’t aligned properly back then. So here we are. Having gotten an early listen, it’s truly been worth the wait. As hip-hop veers towards electric slide territory, the ALC’s new LP is a healthy dosage of sample-based hardcore hip-hop. Heavy drums, deep bass grooves, and lyricists spitting like they’ve got something to prove.

I’ve got a bunch of interview clips with Alchemist that I shot last week in the Koch E1 Music offices. I’ll be rolling them out over the next week or so, but for now, check out what he had to say about touring with and DJing for Eminem, now that the Detroit rapper’s gone sober on us.

Al says:

“We play a lot of Uno on tour with Em. He enjoys my Uno game. Now that he’s sober, it’s a little bit different these days. Not many tequila parties before the show. It’s more like 80s music and Uno, and we’re ready to rock. Private jets, Uno, pizza, 80s music… Air Supply, “Fast Car” Tracy Chapman, Hall and Oates. That’s basically what we do.”

Then check Alchemist talking about how differently he gets treated as Em’s DJ vs. being The Alchemist.

That’s some truly funny stuff right there.

More to come