Genius

Kansas City rapper Krizz Kaliko lacks nothing in the confidence department, and while GENIUS (his title declaration on his 2009 sophomore effort) may be a bit strong, he's not far behind true hip-hop minds like Cee-Lo or Andre 3000 when it comes to deconstructing the rap blueprint and building something that hasn't been heard before. Like Cee-Lo, Krizz is prone to soulfully sweep up the microphone and croon, then rap his way through the jungle that is his fevered mind, as he does brilliantly on the single "Misunderstood." While Kaliko's insanity can lead to unevenness or overkill, for the most part GENIUS is a fascinating wild ride