One A.M. Instrumentals

VINYL FORMAT. INSTRUMENTAL VERSION. It's ironic that so many rappers pay lip service to the idea of "flow" -- especially their own -- while settling for a string of unrelated one-line putdowns. Might all this talk about fluidity be masking a sense of helplessness when it comes to rhythm and phrasing? Are flow-obsessed rappers just dried up? Even as I ask, Diverse wipes the smirk off my mouth. Since his sleepy 2001 debut, the "Move" EP, the Chicago-based rapper has made a relentless stream of cameo appearances on albums by Rjd2, Prefuse 73, Mos Def, and others. At some point, his style just came together, built around an easy mastery of micro-timing, emphasis, and pitch. Diverse avoids insults, hype, and one-liners, but doesn't even need to say anything interesting to get your attention -- his gift lies in a rare kind of self-possessed delivery that could move you even without a beat. It's all in his flow.