Northern State (band)

Northern State is an American female hip-hop/indie rock group from New York.^[1] The group consists of members Julie "Hesta Prynn" Potash, Correne "Spero" (previously "Guinea Love", due to her Italian heritage) Spero, and Robyn "Sprout" Goodmark.^[2][3] The group is named after the Northern State Parkway, one of the highways on Long Island.

Northern State
Origin	Long Island, New York, U.S.
Genres	Alternative hip hop, Indie rock[1]
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Wichita Recordings Ipecac Recordings Columbia/SME Records
Members	Spero, Sprout, Hesta Prynn
Website	NorthernState.net

Biography

Sprout, Spero and Hesta Prynn attended Half Hollow Hills High School West and graduated in the 1990s.^[1] The group was first formed as a joke; Spero stated in 2003, "It was hilarious. Could you imagine three white girls from Long Island opening up their mouths and acting like they could rap?"^[3]

In 2002, the group released Hip Hop You Haven't Heard, a four-song collection, the songs from which ended up in remixed form on the 2003 EP Dying in Stereo, which was given a scathing review by Michael Idov in Pitchfork magazine.^[4] 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 thereafter.^[2]

Northern State collaborated with producer Chuck Brody of Shitake Monkey (Wu-Tang Clan, Yoko Ono, etc.) and Adrock from the Beastie Boys, among others, on their most recent album, Can I Keep This Pen?, which was released on Ipecac Recordings on August 28, 2007.^[2]

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.^[2] 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 fifth episode of the show Damages.^[5]

The band appeared on an episode of Washington-based television show Pancake Mountain alongside Tegan and Sara.

Northern State covered "No Surprises" for Stereogum Presents... OKX: A Tribute to OK Computer, a tribute album to OK Computer by Radiohead.

Discography

Albums

• Dying in Stereo (2002) Star Time/Wichita
• All City (2004) Columbia/SME Records
• Can I Keep This Pen? (2007) Ipecac

EPs

• Hip Hop You Haven't Heard (2002, self-released)
• At the Party (2005, Wichita)
• Better Already (2007, Kanine)

Singles