Diverse
One A.M.

Finding a rap album that reaches at least decent levels in such lean times as the current one seems like an impossible task. But when you least expect it, a miracle happens. In 2003, under the independent label Chocolate Industries, One A.M. by the promising Diverse emerges quietly. This Chicago rapper had already made a name for himself with an EP released in 2001 (Move) and for collaborating with the eclectic Prefuse 73, one of Warp's greatest promises (listen to his albums Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives and One Word Extinguisher).

Though little acclaimed, the album in question is actually a small gem, consisting of 12 perfect tracks (although I own a Japanese version with a wonderful bonus track, "Build" :D), with well-blended sounds that are enjoyable to listen to, thanks to Diverse's smooth and musical flow, always spot-on in his delivery. Thus, we encounter excellent tracks like the opening "Certified" and "Uprock", where our artist rides on two super-funky beats by RJD2, the beautiful "Jus Biz" and "Living", produced by the crazy Scott Herren aka Prefuse 73, moving through "Explosive", which registers a great performance at the mic by the increasingly ingenious Lyrics Born from the Quannum roster, to "In Accordance", an atypical and evocative piece where Diverse's rhymes are complemented by the beautiful soundscape created by Jeff Parker, guitarist of the post-rock group Tortoise, and avant-garde jazz musicians Rob Mazurek and Ted Sirota, for a truly amazing result.

In short, Diverse does nothing but confirm the good premises of the previous EP, releasing a surprising album, which undoubtedly ranks among the best rap releases of the newly begun millennium. Let's hope he hasn't exhausted all his cartridges and can still gift us with great works like this "One A.M." in the future. Rating: 4.5/5