There's something essentially noble about being a mailman, however dreary it may be - especially when you’re writing spitfire rhymes on the side. It's even more righteous to recognize both the dignity of running the mail and one’s artistic drive. “I don’t want to make any distinction between me and the common man,” says 27 year-old MC Kenny Jenkins, a.k.a. Diverse, who modestly delivered mail while attending classes at the local university when he was first coming up, “because I am that common man. I’m blessed with the creative impulse to express what I see. But I see a correlation between all our lives, and I do all I can to connect with people on a humanistic level.”

A Chicago native, Diverse is an eloquent, upcoming rapper on indie label Chocolate Industries, which will release his first LP, “One A.M.,” in November among the obscure throng of the underground rap game. You might not be seeing him on MTV, but his unorthodox rhyme skills could possibly put glit-hop MCs like 50 Cent to shame. Diverse, who grew up listening to pioneer groups like A Tribe Called Quest and Del tha Funky Homosapienl contended in high school battles and freestyles before attending several universities from which he never graduated. Although his mother, who works at Northwestern University stressed the importance of education, he decided to take a much-needed break and cultivate his love of music first, after facing crude realities when he left home in his late teens.

“Where I grew up wasn't ideal by any means, though I didn't have to dodge bullets or anything,” he explains, “but it really hit me when I was out on my own after I was 18, when I first started working in the mailroom. I wasn't getting any financial assistance and was perpetually broke, falling back on my bills. I got evicted from my first apartment, and it opened my eyes: I didn't know how harsh it could be when you move away from home.”

In 1994-1995, Diverse was set to pursue music and a mutual friend hooked him up with Seven, founder of Chocolate Industries. Subsequently, he created his first EP, “Move,” and showcased his skills on the label’s electro/hip hop compilation, “Urban Renewal Program.” Word spread about his talents and thanks to Seven's connections, he was able to cut tracks with such prominent indie producers as RJD2, Madlib and Prefuse 73 for his fuII-length, “One A.M.”

“It’s called “One A.M.” because I worked like a night owl,” he says. “ I was working in a basement studio, and my most creative hours were between one and five a.m.” After pausing to reflect on what induces his artistic spirit, he then adds: “I don't want to sound cliché, but what's really important to me is interacting with people. Some rappers will get on stage and isolate themselves, but you're gonna see me in the crowd, mingling with everyone. I had a best friend who got shot and killed recently, and it put things into perspective for me. Just being here another day is inspiration.”

Critics constantly rummaging for terms to identify music or other art forms may designate Diverse's sound as “conscious rap,” but he shirks such absurd generalizations. “I feel like everyone's conscious,” he clarifies. “I just speak about what I see, whether it's about the media and the way they depict our world or other social issues, but I don’t want to be too overwhelming and force my opinions. I want to enforce my awareness.”

No doubt, this record is a fresh hip hop storybook, fusing Diverse's cognizant understanding of his urban backdrop with beats ranging from rock riffs to electro-smooth sampling. Although comparisons here are meager, this first album could, in some ways, be likened to Mos Def's “Black on Both Sides,” with Diverse's steady, balanced flow and poetic delivery. Check his sentient attitude toward faux-MCs on “Uprock,” an RJD2-produced track with a nostalgic organ melody, as he spits, “I crabwalk the rhythm without a leash / animated like Saturday mornings / exchanging jabs like we're going 12 rounds / Delve down, tuck your ice wear,” followed later on by, “This world is like a battlefield and rap’s my only defense / to which I breathe sense from current events and urban street shit / No pretense.”

Other highlights on “One A.M.” include cameos by Jean Grae on “Under the Hammer” and Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox on “Big Game.” Madlib's soulful beat on “Ain't Right,” decked with a swooning bass line, silky jingling bells and staccato piano notes, perfectly complements Diverse’s reeling poetry. Same goes for the lucid impression left by producer K-Kruz and the MC venting his lines about prejudgments and the general ignorance of the masses on “Blindman.”

Despite being overshadowed by L.A. and New York, who hold the top crown for prevalently publicized archetypes of rap history, the Chicago hip hop scene is vast and building (Diverse gives a shout out to All Natural and Longshot, among others), but there isn't much support for MCs until they get national recognition. Although Common Sense is from Chicago, the mainstream became acquainted with him only after he linked up with Erykah Badu and released “Like Water for Chocolate” in 2000 after four previous albums.

Going back to Diverse, it must be said that something stands out on this record besides the ill beats and mind-splitting rhymes - perhaps an authentic aura of candor that's much needed in a world of hip hop gone mad. Moreover, Diverse expresses his concern about the culture he has always loved with depth. “One A.M.” is about an urban culture that I feel is very misguided right now,” he says solemnly. “I love hip hop, its essence, the bravado and the battles because it has so much to do with its history, but it seems like everyone is too immersed in it. Everyone wants to talk about being the dopest. I meant you'll hear me doing some braggadocios shit, but I don't use my music to say how dope I am. It's like every MC’s gotta have this rugged façade, but sometimes I forget these guys are even human.”