One of rap’s most respected producers The Alchemist has finally linked up with one of the underground’s most influential rappers Roc Marciano.
After years of working on singular songs and Roc having a guest verse on songs Al produced, the pair have fully joined forces for their collaborative album, The Elephant Man’s Bones.
The two have worked together numerous times over the years but this is their first full collaborative album together. Roc even mentions that the partnership was long overdue on the track “Zig Zag Zig.” The Alchemist continues his historic producer run and Roc’s dense lyrics sound as luxurious as ever over his soulful, dusty loops. He remains in top form and his chemistry with guests like Action Bronson and Boldy James is undeniable.
Behind the scenes, Al ensures that every track is distinct but manages to make them feel unified through his seamless transitions. Each track easily drifts into the next, creating one cohesive listening experience and a more unified album. From the head-nodding drums on “Daddy Kane” to the nocturnal keys played throughout “Quantum Leap,” he expands Marciano’s beat selection and lets him show off his lyrical expertise time and time again.
On The Elephant Man’s Bones, The Alchemist and Roc Marciano have delivered above its already high expectations. Marciano floats above any sample flip within its hazy atmosphere, as Alchemist’s productions simply elevates their chemistry to the next level.
Listen to ‘The Elephant Man’s Bones’ by Roc Marciano and The Alchemist below!
Roc Marciano, The Alchemist drop new single and visual ‘Deja Vu’
Fresh off of announcing their collab album The Elephant Man’s Bones, Roc Marciano and The Alchemist have delivered the first single and video “Deja Vu.”
The new track is a short tease of what the full collaboration could entail. Barely stretching out over two and a half minutes, the song features many staples of both The Alchemist and Roc’s past work. Like most of Roc’s previous output, the song barely has any drums in it and instead relies solely on the piano-led beat and ghostly samples. Marciano floats over this beautifully crafted production tailor-made for him by the iconic producer. He raps in is trademark monotone flow
Safe to assume that I had a breakthrough
I made reservations for two
Might feed your label to my dog like table food
These n****s the same, they all interchangeable
Roc Marciano – “Deja Vu”
The Alchemist uses samples reminiscent of old-time lounge singers over the delicately played keys, creating an elegant and rich atmosphere. He opens and ends the track with a short skit talking about the beauty of music and digging through old records to make one of his ideas a reality. It’s a perfect pairing that only builds more anticipation for the full album.
The video features Roc going about his day eating at high-end restaurants, driving through the city in luxury cars, and performing to seas of people at one of his shows. With the title of the track being “Deja Vu” it’s apparent that this type of day is common for the lyrical wordsmith. He’s always working whether it be with Alchemist, who appears throughout the video, or by himself in the studio. He’s always driving the fanciest cars and appearing in the most exclusive places. It’s just commonplace for someone at his level.
“Deja Vu” is just the appetizer for what’s to come with The Elephant Man’s Bones. The Alchemist has yet to miss on his collaborative efforts over the years and Roc Marciano remains a top-tier and influential figure in the lyrical underground. Putting those two together could only wield impeccable results when The Elephant Man’s Bones drops on August 26th.
Check out “Deja Vu” by Roc Marciano and The Alchemist below!
Roc Marciano, The Alchemist announce new album ‘The Elephant Man’s Bones’
Amid an already busy summer, The Alchemist and Roc Marciano are locking in for another collaboration album The Elephant Man’s Bones. The 14-track LP will include features from Action Bronson, Boldy James, Ice T, and Knowledge Pirate and is set to drop on Aug. 26.
The title is a reference to the classic story of the elephant man — a man with a rare deformity who was mistreated due to his abnormal appearance. Additionally, its artwork depicts a collection of random items strung together in order to create the man’s profile. In an interview with Complex, the Alchemist first teased this newly-announced project this past January. Throughout his conversation, he explained that he wanted to commit to an entire project with Roc right after he completed Alfredo with Freddie Gibbs.
“I had just come off of ‘Alfredo’ and all the success of that. First, I called Roc Marci, and I told him, ‘There’s nobody I’d rather do a whole album with than you after this.’ And we started work on a record that’s coming soon.”
The Alchemist on working with Roc Marciano
Uncle Al also set some high expectations for the album. Alongside his announcement post, he tweeted out that this new LP was the best thing he and Roc have ever done. The pair have connected on numerous songs throughout the years like “Fabio,” “Flash Gordon” and “Sincerely, Antique” — even working on a collab EP Greneberg along with producer Oh No.
Per Complex, Alchemist also mentioned he has something in store with many other artists like Larry June and Earl Sweatshirt. June just recently appeared on Joey Bada$$‘s long-awaited album 2000 for “One of Us.” Similarly, Earl and Al connected on “Lye” from his latest LP Sick!. Alchemist expects all of these projects to drop this year, ensuring a feast for fans already overfed from his incredible work over these past few years.
While The Elephant Man’s Bones will be Roc’s first project since his 2020 album Mt. Marci, The Alchemist has been all gas no brakes. Leading into the upcoming LP, he dropped off his collaborative tape Continuance with Curren$y. With Alchemist already praising his second outing of the year as some of his best work with Marciano, it could be yet another stellar project by the legendary producer and the underground wordsmith.
Listen to some of Roc Marciano’s past hits below!
