One A.M.
Diverse is a rapper you think you've heard before--not because this Chicago MC sounds similar to others, but because his presence is so powerful it seems impossible that this is only his first album. Intelligent without being arrogant, conscious without being corny, Diverse also boasts two of the greatest assets any MC could ask for: an authoritative baritone and a confident flow. These help him keep up with some of the more seasoned rappers who appear on the album, including Vast Aire (formerly ofCannibal Ox),Lyrics Born, andJean Grae. Complementing Diverse's superior lyricism is top-notch production courtesy of a holy trinity of underground favorites:Prefuse 73,Madlib, andRJD2. They push the album from raucously energetic to sinisterly moody to laid-back cool. At a mere 11 songs plus one skit, Diverse's debut accomplishes an unlikely feat in these days of overblown hype and rampaging ego: he leaves you wanting more.--Oliver Wang