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Dizzee Rascal’s third album, Maths & English, is the most complete, intense and thrilling British hip-hop record ever made. Bar none. From the Korn-inspired metal guitars of the barnstorming first single “Sirens,” to the vivacious Bugsy Malone-inspired backchat of Lily Allen (on the irresistible “Wannabe”), every track on this album seems to find a new way of grabbing the listener’s attention.

But the amazing thing about Maths & English is the way the huge number of different styles and ideas that it showcases come together as the perfect vehicle for one man’s voice. Whether Dizzee is going mano a mano with American gangsta rap legends Bun B and Pimp C (“Where’s Da G’s”) or paying his dues to his UK heritage by collaborating with drum and bass legend Shy FX; whether he’s sampling Lyn Collins on the straightest hip-hop track he’s ever done (“Pussy’ole”) or going way out there to a Martial Arts film soundtrack of knives being sharpened (“World Outside”), it never takes more than half a bar of his raw, guttural, urgent rhyming to realize you’re in the presence of the Rasket.

The more musical ground he covers, the easier he seems to find it to be true to himself. As if to confirm that sometimes you have to travel a long way to get really close to home, Wiz’ controversial video for “Sirens” (in which Dizzee – the fur trim on his parka marking him out as a true urban fox - is hunted through concrete walkways by redcoats on horseback) was filmed on a Romanian council estate. “They’ve got estates over there that look