Customer Reviews

One A.M. [Explicit]

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am truly thankful to have purchased this album. Diverse is, without a doubt, one of the best MCs in the game (underground and mainstream). For this to be his first album is scary. I haven't heard a debut this potent since the likes of Nas' "Illmatic" and Little Brother's "The Listening". With a nearly perfect flow and lyrics that are flat out outstanding, he almost reminds me of Talib Kweli. The standout tracks on this album are "Uprock","Ain't Right", the introspective "Blindman", the melodic "Leaving", and the perfect song to end a album,"In Accordance". To be perfectly honest this is one of the best albums I have heard in a very long time and the sad part is the majority of Hip-Hop heads will never hear of him. I implore you to change that.

I picked up this album on the backbone of the talented list of producers affiliated with this project. Having had a moon over for Rjd2, Madlib and Prefuse-73 pervious delights, i was definitely curious as to what would bring these three great producers together for a 'single' emcee. Knowing what to expect in musical landscape i eagerly purchsed the album to sit for my 1st listen.

Awe. Strickened through me.

Diverse conversed on a level i have not heard since Common, and although you could claim that they sound alike in delivery i dont think it dents the originality of this man. For what evolves out of it is a beautiful canvas of agian painting rap music and hip hop culture to be admired, when so much of it these days is mediocre at best.

The eclectic sounds laid down for Diverse would seem intimidating to most emcees, but he 'handles with care' as he hugs the beats with his rapid flowing composition. His 'lungs breathe the discretion' making him well aware of his surroundings.

With lyrics like "through the eyes of a blind man, for vision like that i swear to god i'd give my right hand." Show us a glimpse into the messgae portrayed.

Having guest appearance by Vast Aire, Lyrics Born and Jean Grae only heighten the level of this album.

If you are a keen hip hopper then this will defiantly not dissapoint you. Believe the hype Diverse is going to be the next big thing, only then could he have an arsenal of producers behind him on a project like this one.

ironic?

As another reviewer said might happen, this was the CD that turned me into a true hip-hop believer. Diverse posesses mind-bending lyrical and rhythmic talents that must be heard to be believed.

Chicago underground rapper Diverse possesses one of the best flows I've ever heard: quick, buttery, and rolling off the tongue so effortlessly that it makes you wonder if he's ever broken a sweat. His tone is uncommonly musical, moving up and down his register and accentuating syllables in a syncopated fashion. These days, it seems as though precious few rappers pay attention to the sound of what they say; think of Kanye West, whose rhymes have been laid down with meticulous deliberation but come out of the oven stiff and clunky. Poetry is as much about flow and as it is about content, and Diverse clearly gets that. Yet he deftly avoids the trap of "sound-for-sound's-sake" a la Busdriver or Dose One. Make no mistake: These songs mean something.

Diverse leaps from ridiculously confident salvos announcing his arrival ("Certified") to meditations on the music business ("Just Biz") to love songs ("In Accordance") with the same flair for sweet-sounding wordplay. "In Accordance" doesn't contain a single "I love you" or pet name, but "I estimate that our destination is ours to choose, this revelation is ours to lose, I hope we choose to continue our evolution" (spoken within five seconds). Those who have heard Diverse's previous placid collaborations with Mos Def and Caural may be surprised by the brashness of much of One A.M. "Certified" and "Uprock," are loud, uncompromising tracks that still throw Diverse's raps into sharp relief. "Ain't Right" and "Just Biz" find him residing closer to his comfort zone but still outside of it, rapping about the plight of man over backdrops that are simultaneously sparkling, upbeat and chilled-out. Even if Diverse makes One A.M. sound easy, one gets the sense that it represented a challenge for him that he surmounted with honors.

Being from the fraternal music community that is Chicago, Diverse receives contributions from the Midwest's finest, including RJD2, Prefuse 73 and Tortoise members/Chicago jazzbos Rob Mazurek and Jeff Parker. Jazz is indeed a noticeable influence on One A.M., but because jazz-rap had nearly died by 2003, most of the album sidesteps overt displays of it in favor of a funky, jazz-tinged spirit and icy glitch-hop grooves. Nonetheless, this 2003 album can feel like a throwback to 2000, when Talib Kweli's Reflection Eternal wowed listeners with intelligent rhymes and jazz-inflected beauty. It's a wonder how jazz-rap ever fell out of fashion, given the timelessness of jazz itself, but even Reflection Eternal feels a little dated in 2007. Not One A.M.: The music represents the past, present, and future of hip-hop all at once, and Diverse will sound fabulous until people don't listen to music anymore.

What a great album!

Diverse comes off as a hip-hop veteran, but I've never heard of him before! He's gotta have some clout, though, because you can't just pull together the Holy Trinity of Underground Hip-Hop Production (Madlib, RJD2 and Prefuse-73) without somethin' to back it up.

Even the relative unknowns provide nice beats for Diverse's commanding flow. From the organ-driven "Uprock" to the lush, rough-edged jazz loops in "Leaving" and "In Accordance," there is little to disappoint on "One A.M."

Diverse is, as his moniker implies, versed in a wide range of flows, going from speedy and monotone ("Explosive," feat. Lyrics Born) to laid-back ("Leaving") effortlessly.

Really, I can't think of a bad thing to say about this excellent debut, except that there ISN'T ENOUGH OF IT! Amazon's reviewer is right, this definitely leaves you wanting more, and that's a good thing.

I was browsing around this site one day and came across this CD and all I can say is that I am very glad I came across it. All I saw was positive reviews. However, I couldn't find any of Diverse's music anywhere so I decided to take a shot in the dark and order the CD without having ever heard a track of his. I was hopeful I wouldn't regret it and I am so glad I did it. From the first track to the last this album is a great listen. Diverse gets some dope production, especially from RJD2, and he complements the beats with ill lyrics. Diverse keeps the guest spots to a minimum on this eleven track (plus one interlude) album. However, all three guests (Jean Grae, Vast Aire, Lyrics Born) all add nicely to the album. If you want an album of straight hip hop then you need to buy this album. The Chicago MC isn't very well known, but if he keeps putting out material like he did on this album, his debut, then he will without a doubt build up a big following in the underground.

My Three Favorite Tracks:

Certified

Big Game ft. Vast Aire

Blindman

I mean this CHicago native is definately on the move. From the introduction you can feel that some relevant material is about to be exposed. And sure enough ......the collabo's with vaste aire, jean grae, with the exceptional word play and lyrical science and consciousness, Diverse's world. The tracks have a new found old school favor. I admit I had misplaced this joint but found it happily. Oh and "the eyes of a blind mind", is just a phenomenal track. It speaks volumes, hope you all are listening.

I'm not even sure where I heard of Diverse, but boy am I glad that I discovered "One A.M."; an album that I'm loving more and more after every rotation. His flow is what makes this album so addictive. He possesses tongue twisting rhymes that could sustain the album's rhythm on their own. His flow is kind of like a see-saw, in a way that it sways back and forth gracefully in his delivery. It's easy to see his intellect upon first listen. His vocabulary is one of many, many words. It's actually possible to enjoy this album without paying attention to his mind-bending lyrics. But when they sink in, it's quite a treat. That adjustment period of "getting into" the album is much more pleasant than most complex hip-hop albums, mostly due to the variety in production and collaborative efforts.

There just isn't a wasted moment in the album's 41 minutes in length. The production is very different, and very accessible from most hip-hop albums. It's variety of trumpets, saxophones, keyboards, and guitar makes the album very appealing. The first cut, "Certified" serves as a great intro for his dense flow, which also features a funky guitar and bass line, accompanied by a sweet 70s style keyboard. "Uprock" is equally enjoyable. Then we get to "Big Game", a great collaboration with Vast Aire (Cannibal Ox). This is my first exposure to Lyrics Born ("Explosive"), he adds to the album nicely. But the album's best guest appearance is Jean Grae, on "Under The Hammer". That chick can flow with the best of them. The collaborative efforts on the album are very well done in comparison to some albums. They don't just get a chorus, they get a few verses, which is nice. A couple of my other favorites are "Blindman" and the sweet avant-garde jazz on "In Accordance".

Overall, I'm really digging the style that Diverse brings to the table. It's nothing that I've ever really heard before. Slowly but surely, Diverse's contribution is helping to put Chicago on the hip-hop map. I can't wait to hear his sophomore release, because this debut is absolutely stunning.

One of the best debuts ever, great lyrics and excellent production from the likes of RJD2, Madlib, and Prefuse 73. Diverse has the vocabulary of a veteran english professor and flows like the nile.

Theirs really nothig left to say but...

COP THIS!!!!

yeah...the cut with mos def isnt on the album, for whatever reason I dont know...even without, this cd is very solid...diverse is a real nice cd...something along the lines of kweli back in 98-99...at 12 tracks, you could assume there would be little filler...which is the case, except for a couple that I skip past every time (aint right and blindman)...honestly there are few complaints...except I wish the album would have ended on something more upbeat...all in all, this is a great release and should be part of everyones collection...the jam with lyrics born is dope dope dope. peace.