Next Big Thing?
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With the release of his first full-length, One A.M., last month, the word on Diverse is spreading far beyond New York and Chicago. Featuring collaborations with an eclectic crew, including MCs Jean Grae and Lyrics Born and producers Prefuse 73, Madlib, and RJD2, the album is one of the year’s finest and most forward-looking hip-hop recordings. It’s earned glowing reviews in dozens of weeklies and music magazines, and more than 20 features on Diverse have either run already or are slated for early next year. And so far it looks like the buzz is translating into sales. According to Jimmy Johnson, owner of Forced Exposure, which manufactures and distributes Chocolate Industries releases, One A.M. has already shipped 11,000 copies to retail and subdistributors–“pretty heavy-duty,” he says, considering it’s a debut that’s been out only since early November. Tower Records, Gramaphone, and Dusty Groove all report that the album has done very well for a local hip-hop recording.
But he has no interest in becoming a poster boy for local hip-hop. “As long as I’m in a scene where there’s music I don’t feel any particular obligation to live anywhere,” Jenkins says. “[Chicago’s] a tough place. The least amount of appreciation I get is when I step onstage in Chicago.” He spent about three months this summer and fall on the road, including two stints with the Bay Area group Lifesavas; he recalls feeling energized by an appreciative crowd at a May show in Indianapolis but losing momentum the next night playing to a small, bored audience at the Empty Bottle. Still, he says, he’s grateful for his supportive core following here.
One A.M. would’ve stood out no matter when it was released. “People ask me if there was a particular sound I was going for, and no, there wasn’t,” Jenkins says. “It was a matter of me hearing music that I liked and doing work over a specific track. It travels all over the place.” The record brings together disparate styles without sounding erratic, and Diverse’s commanding presence is the glue; he sounds a bit like Talib Kweli, but his flow is more musical. He eases into the rubbery low-end slither of “Ain’t Right,” then summons a stuttering fury on “Explosive” (where he’s helped out by a gruff cameo from Lyrics Born). The funky “Certified” is driven by rock riffs, while “In Accordance” is jazzy and spacious, with live playing by Sirota, guitarist Jeff Parker, and cornetist Rob Mazurek.
