Northern State (rap group)
Encyclopedia
Northern State is a female hip-hop
/indie rock
group from New York
, United States
. The group consists of members Julie "Hesta Prynn
" Potash, Correne "Spero" (previously "Guinea Love," due to her Italian heritage) Spero, and Robyn "Sprout" Goodmark. The group is named after the Northern State Parkway
, one of the highways on Long Island
, New York State.
and graduated in the 1990s. The group was first formed as a joke, Spero stating in 2003 "It was hilarious. Could you imagine three white girls from Long Island opening up their mouths and acting like they could rap?"
In 2002, the group released Hip Hop You Haven't Heard, a four-song collection that was given a scathing review by Michael Idov in Pitchfork magazine, and the songs from which ended up in remixed form on the 2003 EP
Dying in Stereo. For their second album, All City, the group worked with Pete Rock
, Questlove from the Roots
, Har Mar Superstar
, and DJ Muggs
of Cypress Hill
. It was released on Columbia
/SME Records, but because of disagreements, the group left the label.
Northern State released their most recent album, Can I Keep This Pen?, on Ipecac Recordings
on August 28, 2007. They collaborated with producer Chuck Brody of Shitake Monkey (Wu-Tang Clan
, Yoko Ono
, etc.) and Adrock from the Beastie Boys
to make the new album.
They have shared the stage in North America and Europe with The Roots
, Le Tigre
, Talib Kweli
, De La Soul
, The Gossip
, Gym Class Heroes
, Tegan and Sara
, and Cake
. Their songs "Better Already" and "Iluvitwhenya" were featured in season 4 episodes of the hit show Grey's Anatomy
. Their song "Good Distance" was featured in the episode 5 season 1 of the show Damages
.
The band appeared on an episode of Washington-based television show Pancake Mountain
alongside Tegan and Sara
.
Northern State covered "No Surprises" for OKX, a tribute album to Radiohead's OK Computer.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
/indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
group from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The group consists of members Julie "Hesta Prynn
Hesta Prynn
Julie Potash also known as Hesta Prynn , is an American musician, singer/rapper from Long Island, New York. She began her career in music as one-third of the all-female hip-hop group Northern State. After the band broke up she started focusing on solo material and, in July 2010, released an EP,...
" Potash, Correne "Spero" (previously "Guinea Love," due to her Italian heritage) Spero, and Robyn "Sprout" Goodmark. The group is named after the Northern State Parkway
Northern State Parkway
The Northern State Parkway is a long limited-access state parkway on Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. The western terminus is at the Queens-Nassau County line, where the parkway continues westward into New York City as the Grand Central Parkway...
, one of the highways on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York State.
Biography
Sprout, Spero and Hesta Prynn attended Half Hollow Hills High School WestHalf Hollow Hills Central School District
Half Hollow Hills Central School District is located in Dix Hills and Melville, New York. The district includes parts of both Huntington and Babylon townships. The school district contains eleven schools . The current superintendent of schools is Mrs...
and graduated in the 1990s. The group was first formed as a joke, Spero stating in 2003 "It was hilarious. Could you imagine three white girls from Long Island opening up their mouths and acting like they could rap?"
In 2002, the group released Hip Hop You Haven't Heard, a four-song collection that was given a scathing review by Michael Idov in Pitchfork magazine, and the songs from which ended up in remixed form on the 2003 EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Dying in Stereo. For their second album, All City, the group worked with Pete Rock
Pete Rock
Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
, Questlove from the Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, Har Mar Superstar
Har Mar Superstar
Sean Matthew Tillmann , better known by his stage names of Har Mar Superstar and Sean Na Na, is an American singer.-Life and career:...
, and DJ Muggs
DJ Muggs
Lawrence Muggerud , better known as DJ Muggs, is Cypress Hill's DJ and producer. He also produced tracks for Funkdoobiest on the albums Which Doobie U B? and Brothas Doobie.-Cypress Hill :...
of Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino hip-hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide...
. It was released on Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/SME Records, but because of disagreements, the group left the label.
Northern State released their most recent album, Can I Keep This Pen?, on Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...
on August 28, 2007. They collaborated with producer Chuck Brody of Shitake Monkey (Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
, etc.) and Adrock from the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
to make the new album.
They have shared the stage in North America and Europe with The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, Le Tigre
Le Tigre
Le Tigre is an American electroclash band, formed by Kathleen Hanna and Johanna Fateman in 1998. It also featured Sadie Benning from 1998 until 2001, and JD Samson for the rest of the group's run...
, Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
, The Gossip
The Gossip
Gossip is a three-piece American indie rock band formed in 1999. The band consists of singer Beth Ditto, guitarist Brace Paine and drummer Hannah Blilie. After releasing several recordings, the band broke through with their 2006 studio album, Standing in the Way of Control . A follow-up, Music for...
, Gym Class Heroes
Gym Class Heroes
Gym Class Heroes is an American hip hop rock band from Geneva, New York. They have collaborated with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump on numerous occasions, notably for providing backing vocals on the song "Cupid's Chokehold." Stump also produced the majority of their album The Quilt.The group formed...
, Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie band composed of identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin . Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write songs.-History:...
, and Cake
Cake (band)
Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
. Their songs "Better Already" and "Iluvitwhenya" were featured in season 4 episodes of the hit show Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
. Their song "Good Distance" was featured in the episode 5 season 1 of the show Damages
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory damages :...
.
The band appeared on an episode of Washington-based television show Pancake Mountain
Pancake mountain
Pancake Mountain is a children's television show based in Washington, D.C. Created by filmmaker Scott Stuckey , it is notable for featuring many indie rock bands, such as Tegan and Sara, Bright Eyes, Deerhoof, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Shonen Knife, Weird War, The Fiery Furnaces, Thievery...
alongside Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie band composed of identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin . Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write songs.-History:...
.
Northern State covered "No Surprises" for OKX, a tribute album to Radiohead's OK Computer.
Albums
- Dying in Stereo (2002) Star Time/WichitaWichita RecordingsWichita Recordings is an independent record label located in London, founded in 2000 by Mark Bowen and Dick Green. Its most notable signees are Bloc Party, The Cribs, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Her Space Holiday, Los Campesinos! and Peter Bjorn and John...
- All City (2004) ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/SME RecordsSony Music EntertainmentSony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation.... - Can I Keep This Pen?Can I Keep This Pen?Can I Keep This Pen? is the third album from New York-based rap trio Northern State.-Track listing:#"Mic Tester" – 1:47#"Better Already" – 2:57#"Oooh Girl" – 2:57#"Mother May I?" – 3:15#"Away Away" – 3:35...
(2007) IpecacIpecac RecordingsIpecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...
EPs
- Hip Hop You Haven't Heard (2002)
- At the Party (2005, WichitaWichita RecordingsWichita Recordings is an independent record label located in London, founded in 2000 by Mark Bowen and Dick Green. Its most notable signees are Bloc Party, The Cribs, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Her Space Holiday, Los Campesinos! and Peter Bjorn and John...
) - Better Already (2007, KanineKanine RecordsKanine Records is an independent record label based in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York started at the end of 2002 by Lio and Kay Kanine. Their first release, NY: The Next Wave, was a 20 track compilation featuring mostly unsigned and emerging acts from the area...
)