Curren$y & The Alchemist Talk Enjoying the Second Run of Their Career With ‘Continuance’ (2024)

Curren$y and The Alchemist dropping their third collaborative project during NBA All-Star Weekend is a beautiful coincidence. The highly respected producer/rapper duo have been putting up All-Pro numbers for years.

Spitta says that he and Alchemist recorded most of their first collaborative effort upon their first meeting. “He thought I was looking for records for Pilot Talk, and I told him no, I am rapping on everything you play. I am not leaving until we have a tracklisting,” exclaims the Jet Life CEO.

Alchemist mentions that this is one of the first times he did an entire project with just one artist. “I give Spitta a lot of credit, because the second run [of my career] came from [2011 teamup] Covert Coup. I didn’t hold back; I just gave him all the best beats I had, and I am forever thankful for that,” he says with a massive smile.

Over ten years later, Curren$y and The Alchemist are looking to prove that the third time is indeed the charm. The highly anticipated 13-song project starts with a soft bang on “Half Moon Mornings,” a silky smooth cinematic instrumental that pairs well with the New Orleans MC’s signature tone. Spitta raps, “I can tell, this project will be perceived well” on the intro, which sets the tone for the duo’s first release of 2022.

Throughout the 37 minute-long project, Spitta & Alchemist bring their absolute A-game. Continuance successfully bridges the gap between the OGs and the new school. Moreover, the project features the usual suspects like Havoc, Wiz Khalifa, and Styles P, while subsequently boasting impressive guest verses from Larry June, Boldy James, and Billboard’sFebruary R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of The Month Babyface Ray. As always, Spitta keeps his fans fed with his generous offering of consistently great music.

During both interviews Billboard conducted with the Continuance collaborators, it was apparent that there was a large amount of respect between them. Alchemist took time away from his NYC pop-up shop to rave about the new tape, while Spitta also stepped away from playing toy trucks with his son Cruz to highlight his excitement about the forthcoming release.

The album, released Friday (Feb. 18) via Jet Life Records/ALC/EMPIRE, is poised to be one of their most successful commercial drops. Regardless of the numbers, these two legendary Hip-Hop figures are proud of their effort into Continuance — as they discuss below.

What can we expect from Continuance?

The Alchemist: Man, Curren$y showed his ass! I am not going to lie. He kind of beat me down. I asked him why he had to go so hard on this one. I am not trying to understate the production, of course, but he just went crazy. He’s one of my favorite rappers, so I know what he is capable of — but this time was just different.

Curren$y: Al believes in the project so much. I had to go against my usual MO of not listening to my music. He told me to listen to the mixes, and I cannot lie, I am excited. I know it is co*cky — and I have never said this — but I cannot wait for people to tell me how dope this project is. This project is the first time I finished the music early and helped with the full rollout. Instead of having the jitters like usual, I know that this is one of the ones, so I want everyone to hear it. I see how people are talking about it, and I feel like I am back from the future betting on sports. I already know we are about to win on this tape!

Although 2016’s The Carrolton Heist is the second installment between you two, this project seems like the true sequel. Do you all agree?

The Alchemist: It just feels like the timing is right on this one. When you listen to this project, it feels much more like Covert Coup than Carrolton Heist. This one is cinematic. We were just out in the Bay chilling by the water, and it just flowed. We had the usual suspects on there, but new additions like Babyface Ray were dope, and I am excited about it.

Curren$y: It is bruh listen! I didn’t want it to live under pressure the same way my Pilot Talk projects do. Pilot Talk II was slept on, and it would have been way better received if I named it anything else. Every project with Alchemist is like a time capsule. It is reflective of what is going on around you. His beats make you tap into yourself and pull out things that you did not even know that you cared about. We had everything set up perfectly. The weather was great, we had a lot of bud, and we caught an excellent nice groove.

Al, you have always said that you associate music with times of the day or colors. How would you describe Continuance?

It would be like the dawn or the dusk. This feels like the perfect time of day when you cannot tell whether it is 6 AM or 6 PM. It feels like that purplish light that you see in the morning before it turns too blue.

Can you paint a picture of what the studio sessions were like during the recording of the new project?

The Alchemist: There was some beautiful weather, and you know Spitta will have some good smoke with him. It was flawless in how he spoke what was on his mind, and it still sounded funky. He did the outro track in one take, and it was just amazing. It’s almost competitive this time around. He was rapping like he wanted a particular spot, and even my peers that I played it for could hear the hunger.

Curren$y: It’s crazy, because it is almost like he’s so humble that he forgets that he is Alchemist. He gives me so much time and patience and could be working with anybody else. I know he could give these beats to anyone in his phone with more eyes on them than me and get even more residuals. It’s dope, because he makes heavily respected people tap into my work and start respecting me. After this drops and wakes a couple of people up, I will put Carrolton Heist on streaming platforms for fans to revisit.

Which feature are you all most excited for people to hear?

The Alchemist: All the usual suspects did their thing, but Babyface Ray was new, so I was hype about that. He is dope, and I feel like people will enjoy hearing him on there.

Curren$y: That Babyface Ray verse is special. I predict he and Alchemist will do a whole project, and I want some special credit on that one. I want them to write my government name somewhere so I can have the connection to whatever they do in the future!

Spitta, your son Cruz is special to you. Do you have him in mind when you are making music?

CurrenSy: Man, I think about him all the time. I am not even good about people asking me about him. When people bring him up, it just makes me want to be with him. I am bummed when he is at school because I want to spend time with him. It’s like an out-of-body experience. I am so happy to know what fatherhood is. I find it hard to wrap my mind around the idea of someone not wanting to be close with their child. This is the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. Every laugh is like a million dollars. It’s the only thing I want to do. When he goes to sleep, I am lost. I am like, “I guess I have to make music or something.”

On “Half Moon Mornings,” Spitta rapped that he can tell this project will be received well. Why is that?

The Alchemist: Even this conversation lets me know that we are in a different territory. Every underground act still wants some light on them — and Billboard is unfamiliar territory, so this is appreciated. The anticipation is high, and the timing is just perfect.

Curren$y: The timing fits perfectly. Sonically, it fits into where music is right now. There’s a missing piece in the chain of hip-hop, and this is like a breath of fresh air. Many people let their sound be compromised because they are chasing a bag. I can only stay true to myself. This is precisely how I felt before Covert Coup came out.