In today’s era of Mix tape MC’s carelessly spitting verses over worn-out tracks, Crookit is a breath of fresh air. The group, made up of James “Jimmy Deuce” Horvath and Nick “Phi” Dota, delivers a remarkable amount of polish on everything they create. The group hails from the farthest corner of America’s dilapidated rust belt. However they’re passion cuts through the grit and grime of their city of Youngstown. In the fall of 2001, Deuce was in a high-speed car accident. He miraculously walked away unscathed, but developed the “live now” mentality, having come face to face with his own mortality. This incident is the reason for the unmistakable honesty that is present in most of their songs. Their mix of story telling, lyricism, rhyming, and the ever-present personal politics, are accompanied by the musical moods of Phi’s production. Every one of his tracks has a definitive sound, and that soundscape molds the feeling of each piece. Masterful execution of flow and voice give each song a level of depth that is so uncommon in today’s music. The group has been together working their craft for nine years, waiting until their sound had it’s own essence. Deuce, rapping since the young age of eleven, and Phi, being a huge hip-hop fan, met in high school. They formed a bond over music, which the test of time has deemed unbreakable. Their debut, Out of the Blue, is Crookit’s first glimpse into their style. A true vision of humanity and raw feeling, Crookit steers away from clichéd gimmicks, while still giving listeners a full project. Angst, love, anger, desire, confidence, and insecurity are all covered as they weave their stories over the full spectrum of human emotion.