The Alchemist (record producer)

The Alchemist
The Alchemist performing in March 2014
Background information
Birth name	Daniel Alan Maman
Also known as	Mudfoot, Alchemist, Pigpen
Born	(1977-10-25) October 25, 1977 (age 39) Beverly Hills, California, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Record producer, DJ, Rapper
Years active	1993–present
Labels	ALC, Decon
Associated acts	The Whooliganz, Gangrene, Nas, Jadakiss, Styles P, Prodigy, Fashawn, Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt, Curren$y, Dilated Peoples, Domo Genesis, Durag Dynasty, Eminem, G-Unit, Mobb Deep, Evidence, Oh No, Roc Marciano, Willie the Kid, Westside Gunn, Joey Fatts

Daniel Alan Maman (born October 25, 1977), professionally known as The Alchemist (or simply Alchemist), is an American record producer, disc jockey (DJ) and rapper from Beverly Hills, California. He began his music career in 1991 in the hip hop duo The Whooliganz under the moniker Mudfoot, along with now-actor Scott Caan (whose moniker was "Mad Skillz"). After rising to prominence in the late 1990s, as a close associate of Dilated Peoples and Mobb Deep, he went on to produce for many of hip hop's leading artists in the 2000s, and has been hailed as one of the genre's leading producers. He is currently working as a DJ with Action Bronson. He produces for many artists, most of his recent production is for a close group of frequent collaborative rappers. He focuses on producing entire albums for rappers and Instrumental projects of his own.

Together with his long time collaborator Oh No (that together they form the group Gangrene), Woody Jackson and Tangerine Dream, he composed the official score to the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V.

As a teenager, Maman began to identify strongly with the rebellious lyrics and urban sounds of hip-hop, and he began writing his own lyrics. He joined up with other like-minded artists who wrote lyrics and rebelled against their suburban surroundings. These included Shifty Shellshock of Crazy Town, Evidence and Scott Caan, son of James Caan. In 1991, a 14-year-old Maman and Scott Caan decided to become a duo named The Whooliganz. While rhyming at a party in L.A., they attracted the attention of B-Real of Cypress Hill. He invited the teens to join his crew, The Soul Assassins, which also included the groups House of Pain and Funkdoobiest. In 1993, the Whooliganz released their first single, "Put Your Handz Up." The song received little radio airplay and their record label, Tommy Boy Records, decided to shelve their album. Rejected, Scott focused his creative energy on acting while Al became interested in process of making hip-hop beats.