Between the hours of midnight and one a.m., an interesting transition begins to take place. The experiences of yesterday meet the promises of tomorrow, making the present a fresh canvas where anything becomes possible. It’s a blue-collar mentality that’s been the unofficial creed of the Chicago hip-hop scene, and one that Diverse (Kenny Jenkins) religiously practiced while masterminding his aptly titled album, One A.M.

The album, released in 2003 by Chocolate Industries, helped usher in a new era of boundless collaborations. Working outside the control of a major label, Diverse commissioned a phenomenal cast of independent producers, including K-Kruz, RJD2, Prefuse 73, Madlib and Jeff Parker of Tortoise. The combination of intelligently crafted beats and slick lyrical sensibilities provided a fresh sound that contrasted the grittiness that most underground hip-hop fans were accustomed to.
Publications like the Chicago Tribune, Daily Northwestern and Illinois Entertainer quickly took notice, but it was voices outside the local media spectrum (URB, XLR8R and Remix for example) that validated Diverse on a global scale.

In the six years since the critically acclaimed album was released, however, Diverse has been criticized for responding modestly with just two singles (“Escape Earth” and “Big Game/Die Slow” ft. Vast Aire and Juice), and for a seemingly anemic touring schedule. The criticisms, as with most blind judgments, were unjust and vastly misinformed.

“Realizing what I put out with One A.M. – tangible proof that I have the potential to touch people and affect people thorough music – why wouldn’t I delve deeper into that process of inspiring people?” says Diverse in regards to the length of time between releases. And while his touring schedule in the U.S. has been slow, he’s maintained a healthy pace of shows overseas. Diverse has left an indelible mark in the many countries he’s visited, and is even considered a pioneer in places like Australia and Japan.

The give and take between Diverse and the people he’s met over the years has been fruitful, and as I spoke to him during this interview, his growth was evident.
His newest album, Round About, is the culmination of all these experiences, and thanks to the contributions of producers like Madlib, the late J-Dilla, Oh No, and Sa-Ra Creative Partners, it looks to be an inspiring story. “The new album is more intimate, as I’ve formed tangible relationships with the people I’ve collaborated with,” he says. “And for those who have been waiting, I think I have made it worth the wait.”

Well, we have been waiting. But before one of the most anticipated albums of the year drops, we thought it would be a good idea to sit down with Diverse and shed some light on the nature of his newest project.

Many fans haven’t heard from you in a while. How has the success of One A.M. changed things for you?
Well, it afforded me a cost of living which is fortune in terms of the struggle. At this point music has been full-time for me and I?ve been working diligently in the studio, but over the past five years I’ve toured all over the world. I’ve had many opportunities to leave town. Essentially that first album afforded me the opportunity to commit my time and efforts full-time to music.

Did your departure have anything to do with lack of local support or opportunity?
Well you know, as an aspiring artist in the record industry you want to expand. Initially I had aspirations to travel through music, and it’s essential in order to be successful on a larger scale. I don’t perceive music or hip-hop in general as a regional thing either. Granted Chicago is a home base, but I don’t really feel like the music appeals only to individuals from Chicago. So with that being the case, my frame of mind has always been to create music that extends way beyond my borders, and reach out to people on a global scale. I mean the content can relate to people whether they grew up on the streets of Chicago or in Sydney, Australia or Oslo, Norway whatever the case may be. I’m just trying to personify the human experience through music, and I think we can all relate to that.

My push to tour and travel had nothing to do with any level of support here in Chicago. It was mostly my initial ambition to tour and travel through music, and that is directly attributed to my willingness to travel worldwide and push and promote and market myself as an artist.

It seems like so much of who you are now is directly attributed to what’s happened in other countries. Were there any countries that stood out as particularly supportive of your work?
Yeah, yes, I’ve done…there’s a lot. Australia has been a real strong suit for me, I mean there have been others, but that country in particular stands out. I’ve toured there twice, and it’s interesting to just go there. For example, I was touring here in the States and I was touring with Aceyalone and Ugly Duckling – it was a six-week tour – and about a week into it I had an opportunity to travel to Australia. So I left off of that tour for a couple of weeks to tour Australia and it was an interesting A-B type of experience; the contrast in regards to the reaction I was getting from the fan base here in America and picking up and going to Australia. And just seeing the energy and the reception that was being shared and given to me became overwhelming in comparison to what I was getting here, and that’s not to undercut the support here and the shows in Chicago. But Australia in particular seemed to really revere One A.M. and dare I say it, but it’s considered a classic release there.

That’s interesting because when I think Australia, hip-hop isn’t the first thing that jumps out at me. Is the hip-hop scene there relatively young?
Yeah it is young. And I’m working with one of my good friends who runs a record label called Earshot. He’s one of the first promoters to start bringing hip-hop acts to Australia. He’s been at it for about 10 years and it’s an evolution. It’s getting really big, over the past couple of years they’re starting to show a lot more support to the local acts. But I think it’s commonplace for most major-label artists or bigger indie-label artists to license their record over to Australia. There’s a heap of touring opportunities and potential to sell records.

So during this time you’ve been touring and spending time overseas has Chocolate Industries been supporting you? I’ve noticed there isn’t much pub going your way. Is the relationship still there?
Uh…ah…that’s a tough question man. That’s a tough question because I’m just not necessarily sure of it. Um, well the label is really good in regards to the support that goes into the production, which entails studio time and guest appearances and things of that nature; you know all the elements compiled to make a record. There is a lack of exposure in terms of promotion, but in today’s world with so many different forms of media and so many different ways for artists to push themselves and market themselves, I can’t put that solely on their shoulders. But I think that Chocolate Industries are just now sort of coming of age in terms of their promotional website and the online store and all of those things. So you know, I’m answering the question diplomatically [laughs].

Tell me about the new album.
Sure – the album is called Round About and the title pertains to the cycles of life we go through, and for me this record is taking it back to a place where I originally started musically, which is a little bit more soulful. I think with One A.M. I appreciated the musical backdrop, but I think some of those tracks were deviations from what I was doing, and what I was very much in love with at the time. And that just came about from `working with different artists and purposely trying to push myself outside of my comfort zone. I think it worked out well in regards to me sitting down and conceptualizing the new record, which I started quite a while ago. I have seen fit to make it very soulful, it’s a very musical album. So I think that I accomplished that.

I got a great cast of characters who contributed to the project: Madlib, Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Jaydee, Chuck Inglish from the Cool Kids and Blu. It’s great ’cause I think that One A.M. secured me with a little respect and appreciation. See One A.M. was forged with the label assisting with premium producers and bringing in guests, but this record was just sort of me having personal relationships with a lot of these artists that I ended up working with, you know. I toured with Madlib in Australia, and that’s how we started working on some of the songs for the record. And a tour with Oh No, his little brother, he contributed to the record as well. It was more of an organic process this time around. But I’m extremely excited about it, I definitely paid attention to detail.

You mention things being more organic. So was One A.M. one of those situations where they sent you a beat via mail and you just rhymed over it?
Yeah with One A.M. that was pretty much the case. Working with RJD2, that came about by the label and working with Prefuse 73 that came about through the label, working with Madlib that came about through the label. I mean it’s true that having worked with them happened through the label, but then subsequent to that, I toured with RJD2, became friends with Prefuse, toured with Madlib, became friends with Jean Grae and toured with Lyrics Born. I did a bunch of tours with Lyrics Born, about three separate tours with Lyrics Born. This time was a little different because most of the artists that contributed to the record I formed some sort of relationship [with].

It seems like two parallel experiences from one album to the next. So how does spending time with an artist like Madlib bring out a different side of you?
I don’t necessarily know if any time spent with them or any articulation of thought or energy in person necessarily pushed me to the point where I felt inspired. More than anything else it was the music. But what it does do, you know sharing the same space with someone, does allow you to get a sense of who they are as a person and I think that when you have a better understanding of who someone is as a person I definitely think that you can contribute to their physical progression. I think that touring with Madlib and getting the opportunity to hang out with him every night gave him a better sense of what kind of beats he wanted to shop for the record. Sharing space with someone, doing a tour with someone and having the opportunity to interact with them on a nightly basis I imagine it would give someone a better understanding of who I am as a person. I personally try to reveal myself through my words as much as possible, but I think that people spending time around me definitely gives them a better impression of my character and what type of person I am and my likes and dislikes. I’m not necessarily saying that played any particular role in the material he sent over to me, I’m just imagining.

Other than Round About, are there any other projects we can look forward to in 2009?
The mix-tape that is sort of the promotional tool, the vehicle we?re using to get people invested. And that comes out with Nick Boogie, a great hip-hop DJ. That’s like 18 songs worth of material; it’s got some exclusives from Madlib on it, and it’s got some exclusives from Oh No. It’s a record and album; I’m as equally proud of this as I am of the actual album.

As I mentioned before, you’ve been gone for a while and Chicago misses you. What do you miss about Chicago?
I love…you know Chicago’s home, Chicago’s home man. Like I said, I?ve had a great opportunity to do so much traveling, but whenever I’m on that flight heading back to Chicago and we fly over Wrigley, and get the opportunity to see the landscape from above, I always get that giddy feeling. Chicago’s a special place, family’s here; it’s got an amazing creative energy that I tap into. And the people, people with high aspirations and ambitions, but a balance with a sturdy sense of being grounded. So there’s a million and one things I love about Chicago and I’m not at a loss. Regardless of where I might be resting my head, Chicago will always be home.

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When it comes to the local hip-hop scene, it’s safe to say that there is no one definitive style that embodies Chicago. Instead what we have is a diverse selection of tastes that span from one neighborhood to the next, and at any given moment you can hop on the L and sample a different flavor.

In the case of Vertual Vertigo, Ezekiel38 and Cerebral Vortex pull from many different influences, both locally and abroad, and capture a style of hip-hop that blends the nostalgia of the golden era with the progressive sounds of the underground. In the eight-plus years they’ve been performing they?ve released three EPs and two full lengths all of which have maintained a very entertaining tongue-in-cheek style of play. Centerstage caught up with the two to get a more thorough introduction to the budding artists.

You guys met in Germany. What brought you there?
Ezekiel38: yeah we met in the Nuremberg area in like 2000. I was in the military stationed over there, and Vortex was doing some school stuff. It’s really coincidental that we met, and it turned out to be the best friendship and musical collaboration that I’ve ever experienced!

What’s your take on the hip-hop scene there?
E: It’s dope! There’s a lot of things over there that are somewhat extinct over here. The graffiti scene is nuts! The government seems to be less concerned with buffing and locking cats up for graf, they seem to be more level-headed and committed as fans over there too. I mean every time we go back we see our fans growing with us. Not that that doesn’t happen in the states or Canada too, but it just feels like we belong there a bit more. Maybe it’s because we started Vert over there? Who knows?

Cerebral Vortex: Lots of hunger and dedication. The kids are really eager and righteously studying the science of hip-hop.

Tell me a bit about how you first got interested in hip-hop.
E: I was sitting on a bus, going on a field trip from a summer camp that I was in, when I was six or seven. I guess we had the cool bus driver because he was letting kids play tapes on the bus stereo. This one kid busts on LL Cool J’s “Bigger and Deffer” and as soon as I heard that beat and LL like “I take a muscle-bound man and put his face in the sand…” It was over for me, I fell in love that very second. Stayed tuned in ever since.

CV: My uncle was the first rap artist to sign with the punk rock imprint Alternative Tentacles in the early ’90s. Just being around that type of environment as a kid made me want to play a hands-on part in the budding culture. It was interesting to me how all of these equations formulated into one.

Who are some of your influences, both inside and outside the genre?
E: Inside, I mean there’s the obvious ones that you can’t help but be influenced by – Mos, De La, Tribe, Common, Nas, J etc-but then a few of my personal influences are Boogie Monsters, 3rd Bass, and Slum Village. Outside ? I have always drawn inspiration off of Edith Piaf, Shirley Bassey, John Lennon and Dylan, and actually quite a bit of punk rock from the ’90s. I’m a huge NOFX fan!

CV: Eric B and Rakim, Bjork, Cyndi Lauper, Kwame, Prince, Fast Eddie, 3 Times Dope, Portishead, De La Soul, ATQ, Outkast, Gant Man, Kilo Ali, Boogie Monsters, Digable Planets, TV on the Radio, Biz Markie, Pete rock and C.L. Smooth, Zelda, Tracy Chapman and A Gun Called Tension.

You mention a lot of members (of Vertual Vertigo) who have come and gone. What’s kept the core together?
E: Yeah, I mean when we started it was just me and Vortex, back then Cea3 and Medisin, but we had a bunch of different cats join the group for a little while and then leave. I think when it comes down to the Vert, it comes down to the brotherhood that me and Vortex have. It makes a big difference on the road, it can get ugly, and after 2 or 3 weeks touring in a cooped-up minivan, true colors come out of cats. DJ Japandrew is here to stay though! I would do anything for that dude!

CV: What’s kept the core together has been essentially the foundation. We’re brothers by cause, binded by a mutual love for what was, is and will be.

What’s your take on Chicago’s current hip-hop scene?
E: I think the scene in Chicago is always changing, constantly. When I first moved here, it was way underground, and we used to go to jams at ITC, shouts to PYRO, PUKE, WYSE and PEPS, ALL AIR CREW, or Tuesday nights at Sub-T when Bucktown was buck. But now, it’s finally all the way out of its shell. It’s nice to be able to go to shows and not worry about cops or gangs, or BS nowadays. I think it took the city’s most relentless heads to build the scene to what it is today, and now everyone can enjoy it! Big ups!

CV: One thing about Chicago’s hip-hop scene is that it’s deeply rooted, very passionate and soul driven. And on any given day or night you can be walking down the street and come across your fave artist or DJ, past or present and acknowledgement is born. That’s love and respect.

Tell me a little bit about the Good Will Hunting EP.
E: When we sat down and recorded the EP it was cold as hell outside and we were all twice as broke. Japandrew started cooking up beats in my basement on a super-old PC and a dusty ass turntable, it was really minimal, but during the height of the recession it seemed appropriate. At the same time the thrift stores were our only means of new gear and a Link Card was our only means of avoiding starvation. The EP pretty much paints a picture of how much we love hip-hop, and that no matter what we can keep it moving! You can download the whole EP for $5 at vertualvertigo.bandcamp.com. Our new full length LP is on iTunes too, Sparkies Bungalow.

I’ve noticed that the sneakers are always fresh. Any one in particular you’re feeling right now?
E: This year’s drops have been kind of disappointing to be honest, but I’m scoping for a pair of the Vans pea coat Chukkas. My guy Ike showed them to me yesterday and the jelly mode kicked in my stomach instantly. I totally slept when they dropped. Also the Reebok/Bodega pumps that just dropped, those joints look like you rocking tanks on your feet, but I always keep a fresh pair of J’s and Alpha force 2′s in the stash. Barkley had the dopest kicks in my opinion.

CV: Being fresh is part of hip-hop. The one pair I’m feeling in particular right now is the Nike Air Carnivore trainer hybrids. I’m losing sleep at night praying that Nike is going to officially release these and they won’t go out as another pair of dope ass samples that never see the light of day. Other than that I’m burning rubbers in my fives with no laces.

Any favorite spots in Chicago to relax, shop, eat, perform?
E: Shopping: St. Alfred’s, Uprise, Good Will and Salvation Army, Belmont Army, Juggernaut, Gramaphone, Reckless Records, Aurora Outlet Mall. Relax: Lava Lounge, The Crocodile, Sonotheque, NV, Moonshine, Smartbar, and Nick’s Beer Garden after hours is always fun! Eat: Maxwell St Polish, Underdogg, Portillo’s, Logan Square Farmers Market on Saturdays, Jewel Osco and Dominick’s, the Link Card baby! As far as Performing: The best spots for shows are at: Sub T, Abbey Pub, darkroom, and Black Gate Studios.

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The summer seems a distant memory and Christmas is approaching fast. What a year it’s been, the Credit Crunch and MP’s and Bankers with their noses in everyone’s pockets. I’ve been doing my bit by bringing you fantastic music for free!!! And the feedback has been amazing!!! You guys have helped take this podcast past the 1 million subscribers level, and helped generate over 200,000 downloads on average each month! That truly is amazing!!

Next March this podcast will be 5 years old, so a HUGE thank you to everyone who has supported me and a special thanks to everyone who donated, I couldn’t have done it without you! Hope everyone has an amazing Christmas, I’ll be back with a brand new mix in the new year!

Tracklisting:
1. Just a Feeling – Carl Kennedy & Jhonny Gleeson feat B.J. Caruana
2. Whatever – Sandy Rivera and Andy Daniell
3. Fired Up – Arkoss
4. Fantasy – DJ Nano & Dick Ray
5. Polar 2009 – Submission DJs (Alex Guerrero Remix)
6. Reign – The Free Radicals Formation
7. Heartbeat – David Bernardi ft Sophie May (Jeroenski Jorn Remix)
8. I’m Alive – Albert Neve (Submission Remix)
9. Downpipe – D Ramirez, Mark Knight, Underworld
10. London to Paris – Second Left
11. Abhinaya – Jason Rivas (Dani Vars Remix)
12. Naked In The Rain 2009 – Joshua Grey ft Bernie X

If you enjoy this podcast:

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About three months ago I received an email requesting my presence at the Red Bull Big Tune Beat competition, a tour that pits producers in head-to-head beat battles. I’ve been to functions like this before, but I wasn’t sure what to expect considering this one was sponsored by Red Bull, which, as a brand, seems to have its finger on the pulse of the underground hip-hop scene. Walking toward the entrance of the Metro, I noticed a mammoth black SUV with the Red Bull logo splattered on the side. Inside the beast a DJ was spinning and in the trunk was an Xbox 360 available to pretty much anyone wanting to play. It was obvious that a lot of money went into this event. Could these producers measure up?

There were some notable names among the 12 competitors, including last year’s winner, Tall Black Guy. As the competition progressed, though, it was clear some belonged there while others didn’t; it was also clear that the producer who stood head-and-shoulders above the rest was Chicago’s own J-Rell. The ease with which Rell dismantled the competition was noteworthy in itself, but what really impressed me was his humble, matter-of-fact demeanor. It’s clear that regardless of who he’s “competing” against, ultimately he makes beats for himself.

In the end, J-Rell edged out J-Mac of North Carolina, and the affluent crowd there knew they had just witnessed an important moment. Since the competition, Rell’s name has been floating around some deep circles and big projects seem to be on the horizon. Centerstage recently caught up with him to see how he got started in producing and how winning the competition changed his life.

What was it about hip-hop that spoke to you?
Two words: no restrictions. To me, hip-hop is a culture that many misinterpreted as a bad culture to be part of. In the world of hip-hop you can turn nothing to something, from something to a much greater height of discovery. I first got into hip-hop around the age of ten. First group I ever heard of was Wu-Tang Clan through a relative. As time flew by I started listening to artists from mainstream to underground to unsigned hype. Overall I just love everything about it from the music, fashion and the creativity behind it.

How did you get interested in production?

I started off DJing at the age of twelve. The mentor who played a huge part in why I do both DJing & producing is Boolumaster. He’s a well respected DJ in the city and I was the lucky kid who received the pair of turntables from him on Christmas day. It was also on his MPC 2000 beat machine where I had my first taste of making beats. I didn’t start getting more into it until I received my first computer on which I downloaded a version of Hip Hop EJ. The program was loop only and you can only use the sounds built in it. As years progressed I was able to buy more equipment and software to help mold my sound.

Who are some of your influences inside and outside of hip-hop?
I’ll have to say inside the genre will be producers such as J.Dilla, Kanye West, Focus, Nottz and Rza. Outside the genre I’ll have to say the veterans such as Gamble & Huff, Quincy Jones and also Daft Punk. Doing your research on producers before you can really help your style in a good way.

As a producer you’re the architect. What’s your philosophy going into it?
Making whatever feels and sounds good to you. A lot of “beat-makers” go out of their way to just make what seems right for the radio or playing it safe. Not realizing that they are just a clone of the original creator of that particular sound at that moment. Hence why a lot of songs out now sound the same. When I approach a beat I go through my checklist. Is it creative but not over the top to where it’ll be hard for the artist to express their creativity over it? Above all else, do I like it? I’m my own worst critic and won’t save a beat unless I feel like I can play it twenty times that day and enjoy it every time.

Do you have a different approach if you’re producing for an MC?
Not really. What normally happens is I’ll know beforehand what that particular artist likes. I’ll play or send a few beats that I can hear he/she over, give them my idea as far as a song subject matter and we’ll build from there.

Are you working with any MCs right now?
Yes. To be honest ever since the Red Bull Beat Battle, the demand has definitely increased. I’m currently working with artists such as Enigma, Prallem, Dave Pracyse, YP, 3tre, Esohel and a list of others. I’m focused on making the best music possible with those that appreciate art.

Tell me about the Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle?
It’s a head-to-head producer battle that was held here in Chicago. Out of around 220 submissions, twelve producers were chosen. Each producer played two beats and the crowd made the ultimate decision on who stayed and who went home. I was blessed to be able to win the crown as Chicago’s ’09 Big Tune Champion and compete in the finals in Atlanta in November.

There was an interesting blend of competitors there; you had your old-school heads, the younger generation and some progressive-minded producers. In what ways is this batch of producers changing hip-hop?
I wouldn’t say it’s changing hip-hop but that it’s what makes hip-hop what it is today. A melting pot of different sub genres and regions that you can go to based on your personal preference. You need variety and without it you’re stuck with an abundance of the same thing. If you get tired of mainstream you can run and find something fresh and new underground and vice versa.

What do you think about the underground’s relationship to mainstream hip-hop?
Unfortunately it has always been segregated. Underground you have more freedom musically but less perks – no huge budget, or extravagant tours – to where mainstream you lose a bit of freedom but you gain much more as far as marketing to get more fans, radio play, and in most cases money. But at the end of the day both influence each other and I would personally like to hear more underground heard on a wider scale, but that’s another interview.

How have things changed since the competition?
For the better! More people have reached out for collaborations, the name J-Rell is ringing a little bit more, and it’s something I can add on to the resume so I can’t complain at all. I’m very humbled by it.

What’s the next step for you in terms of continuing your success?
Not limiting myself to just one thing. From here, I’m working on building my brand not only as a producer but also as a DJ which is my first love, music artist, and artist development for musicians I work with. I feel that’s one piece missing from the industry, which is the molding of an artist past their one hit single and to help bring longevity in their careers. Mark my words, Jeff; it won’t stop here.

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