A two-man crew from the Bay Area, Nate Krooks is the work of MC Kazwell and fast-rising producer deedot, two artists with an ear towards the past and an eye on the future. Still True is their first full-length, released at a time when the local Hyphy music scene was at its apex. But the telltale 808s, Triton synths, and stunna shades are nowhere to be found here. Instead, their sound is more the Roots than the Pack, all about jazz-drenched samples, mid-tempo drums, and mellow, sung hooks from vocalists like Audio Angel and Mike Dayao. Kaz' rhyme style is unassuming but still sharp, as he sounds off about girls with low self-esteem ("Beautiful"), rappers falling off ("Lament"), and high-roller ‘hood kids ("C.O.M."). Definitely on the positive tip, but not obnoxious about it, the songs here are ideal for those unimpressed by the increasingly vapid state of modern rap music. Other gems include the sax-propelled "Don't Front" and dramatic vibe of "All I Got."