Armand Hammer (group)

Armand Hammer is an American hip hop duo from New York City consisting of Billy Woods and Elucid. Since forming around 2013 the two have released a mixtape, an EP, two compilations and seven studio albums, among them Paraffin (2018), Shrines (2020), Haram (2021), We Buy Diabetic Test Strips (2023) and Mercy (2025) which have garnered them a cult following as well as critical success.^[1]

Armand Hammer has released all their projects through Woods' Backwoodz Studioz which he founded in 2002 and has run since together with Anton Schlesinger.^[2] Their music oftentimes revolves around political and psychosocial themes.^[3]

Woods and Elucid met after being introduced to each other by New York rapper Uncommon Nasa. "It was some kinship from the start" said Elucid about that moment in an interview over ten years later.^[2] Early collaborations of the two included two feature verses by Elucid on Woods' History Will Absolve Me (2012). Woods at first was apprehensive about forming a collaborative project due to past negative experiences, but eventually he suggested they give it a try.^[2]

The group is named after American industrialist, oil tycoon and art collector Armand Hammer.^[4]

In September 2013, Armand Hammer released their debut mixtape, Half Measures.^[5] The mixtape was produced by Backwoodz engineer Steel Tipped Dove, as well as Blockhead, Uncommon Nasa, and Small Pro, among others.^[6] On October 22 2013, the duo released their first studio album, Race Music, which was produced by Steel Tipped Dove, Marmaduke, Willie Green, and Blue Sky Black Death.^[7] Stephen Weil of Tiny Mix Tapes called it "a potent record about life, art, sex, drugs, politics, and violence."^[8]

In 2014, the duo released the EP Furtive Movements.^[9] Produced mostly by Messiah Musik and Elucid and entirely recorded at the latter's home, Furtive Movements was initially planned as a remix album of Race Music, but that concept was thrown out in favor of an independent and fully realized follow-up.^[3] The Village Voice included both Race Music and Furtive Movements on their yearly "10 Best New York City Rap Albums" lists.^[10][11] In 2017, the duo released a studio album, Rome.^[12] Stereogum placed it at number 28 on the "40 Best Rap Albums of 2017" list.^[13] In 2018, the duo released a studio album, Paraffin.^[14] PopMatters placed it at number 65 on the "70 Best Albums of 2018" list,^[15] while Stereogum placed it at number 4 on the "10 Best Rap Albums of 2018" list.^[16] It was also included on Pitchfork's "Best Rap Albums of 2018" list,^[17] as well as The A.V. Club's "Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2018" list.^[18]

In 2020, the duo released their fourth studio album, Shrines.^[19] The duo's collaborative studio album with producer the Alchemist, titled Haram, was released in 2021.^[20] In 2023, the duo released their sixth studio album, We Buy Diabetic Test Strips, featuring production from JPEGMAFIA, El-P, Kenny Segal, Messiah Musik, Child Actor, PUDGE, and DJ Haram, among others.

After releasing the single "Super Nintendo" on October 14, the group released their second collaborative album with the Alchemist, Mercy, on November 7 2025.^[21] The album has been reviewed favorably by critics.^[22][23]

• Billy Woods – vocals
• Elucid – vocals, production

• Armand Hammer at Backwoodz Studioz
• Armand Hammer discography at Discogs