The Diverse Band featuring M.S.I, Duke, & King Kontraverse

Full dinner service is available during the show. Seating will begin 30 minutes before the start of the show. Seating is assigned to ensure efficiency of service. Ticket price DOES NOT include food and drink.

From her early days singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” over the school intercom to becoming a professional vocalist, Duke’s journey in music began with a deep-seated passion. Her formative years in high school saw her actively involved in the arts, participating in After School Matters’ productions of Into the Woods as the Baker’s Wife and The Wiz as Glinda the Good Witch. By 2006, she had joined the prestigious All City Choir, showcasing her talent in classical music across Chicago.

Hailing from the Southside (Bronzeville) of Chicago, Duke graduated in the spring of 2013 from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance. Her musical journey took a significant turn in 2009 when she joined the gospel group Redeemed, performing at various churches and events. The group’s acclaim peaked when they won Best Group of the Year at Columbia’s Got Talent event in 2011.

In 2012, Duke formed her own R&B/Blues band, Duke and Shades of Grey, featuring a vocalist, piano player, drummer, and bassist. One of her career highlights was performing at Buddy Guy’s Legends in 2014. That same year, she also played Aunt Lilly in the stage reading of Till, which explored the life of Emmett Till.

Duke’s versatility was further showcased when she joined Green 14, a 10-piece Chicago-based wedding band, in 2015. Performing at various venues from hotels to private homes, Green 14 allowed Duke to broaden her musical horizons. She achieved first place in the Total Positive Productions Talent Show with her original song “You Are Loved” in the fall of 2023.

Currently, Duke is lead singer of Chicago Loud 9 and is working on her debut single, set to release some time in fall 2024.

Born in Chicago, M.S.I is a poet, spoken word artist, and multidisciplinary creator blending performance, literature, and social consciousness. Early roots in African dance, athletics, and Chicago’s spoken word scene shaped his expressive voice and storytelling style. Influenced by literary giants like James Baldwin and Amiri Baraka, his work explores identity, resilience, and the human experience. After a transformative personal rebirth, he emerged as M.S.I—a name representing self-sovereignty, truth, and artistic evolution—continuing to perform and create across the Midwest and beyond.

King Kontraverse is a genre-bending artist, producer, drummer, and bandleader fusing hip-hop, R&B, neo-soul, funk, and live instrumentation into an immersive stage experience. Founder of Diverse Entertainment Music & Media Company and leader of The Diverse Band, he bridges musicianship and modern hip-hop culture through dynamic live performance and emotionally driven production. A seasoned drummer and educator, he brings precision, energy, and versatility to every stage. As a producer and creative director, he collaborates across genres while building platforms that elevate emerging talent and push culture forward without boundaries.