Les Izmore is a busy man. In addition to fronting the wildly successful Afro-beat ensemble Hearts of Darkness, he formed the rock/jazz/hip-hop hybrid Beardcrazy with Hermon Mehari.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that it has taken Izmore three years to follow up his previous solo release, “Vital.” The MC has invested his time wisely in the interim. Izmore has established himself among the top tier of Kansas City’s rappers, but he has a tendency to let his energy get the best of him.

The first words out of Izmore’s mouth on the opening song are “it’s effortless,” and he’s as good as his word. Across a laid-back, funky loop courtesy of producer D/Will, Izmore lays back, letting the music dictate his flow instead of trying to push the rhythm. Where words used to appear in frantic bursts of syllables, Izmore is now content to leave plenty of space between his words. What was very good to begin with just got a lot better.

At 40 minutes, “The Granny Smith Theorem” is stripped of any fat, with Izmore and D/Will making the most of every track. Opening song “The Line” sets the mood, but other high points include the introspective “Pianopressure” and good times jam “Smile.”

Placed in the center of the album, “Eyes on the Sky (premeditated)” is the high point. The political song closes with a speech from the Occupy Wall Street movement, rendered even more powerful with the call-and-response technique used to disseminate information at the camps.

The chorus from Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” gets recycled for Izmore’s double-entendre tribute to his favorite variety of fruit. “Tweeny One” is a track that originally popped up on Stik Figa’s album “Crown and Coke” last summer. One of the best moments on that album, which was also produced by D/Will, is no less fun in its new context. Figa and Izmore are joined on the cut by Ces Cru’s Ubi, Richard Wright, Dominque Larue and Lou Rip.

Izmore likes to stay busy, and it seems like he’s willing to give any musical opportunity a chance at least one time. That will lead him down some unexpected paths, and it also is synthesized into his art. Izmore’s albums are like signposts, capturing where he was at that time. It may be awhile before we get another proper solo release, but it is always interesting following where the journey takes him.