Diamond is one of those artists we perennially pull for who never seems to get the mainstream toehold they deserve. Charismatic, a little gnarly and pretty excellent at rapping, it simply has not coagulated as it could. But if you're good with listening to a guy rap about his sneakers, you should be good with listening to her rap about her stilettos. Unfortunately the single "American Woman" from her new mixtape The Young Life should not help her find an audience, with its Frank Ocean-lite chorus from Verse Simmonds. But there are gems here! Skip that song and go straight for something tougher, like the minimal "Clap For Me" or the sugary "Like a Stripper," where Keri Hilson plays a great Diamond foil.
Download: Diamond, The Young Life mixtape
