Customer Reviews

Can I Keep This Pen?

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Musically, I liked NS right away but it took awhile for me to aclimate myself to their style of rapping. Eventually the music won me over and I bought the cd. I know they hate being compared to the Beastie Boys, but I'd say they sound like a cross between them and the Go-Go's.

These three women are probably the most talented hip hop artists out there right now. Their lyrics are incredible, and they write all their own stuff. The drum beats are really tight. They do everything on their own: set up their own stage, sell their own merch, get their own gigs. I am totally impressed by these talented women. Buy this CD, if you like women's group, and or hip hop music, you will not be disappointed at all. They are very underrated.

Nancy Nickle
Catz Go Round Records, LLC

"Can I Borrow This Pen?" is the third album from Long Island-based hip hop trio Northern State. Spero, Hesta Prynn and Sprout kick rhymes with a throwback 1980's style cadence, about the standard subjects of dissing sucker MCs who come their way, but they also kick game about romance and touch on social commentary from a woman's point of view.

The group is largely self-produced, though Beastie Boy King Ad-Rock contributes beats for two songs. The music is mainly heavy on beats and bass, with some rock guitars thrown in here and there; on a few songs the ladies do some straight-up singing, but here it makes sense instead of sounding out of place.

There is a shameful dearth of female performers in hip-hop, let alone female-centered groups in the genre. Northern State hold it down for Golden Age standards, when lady rappers didn't have to be gangster-chicks to get respect on the mic.

Unfortunately, "alternative rap" and most genre artists from the indie world tend to get zero airplay on urban radio; it would be wonderful if songs from this album were pushed on hip-hop radio, as more diversity (thematic, gender, and, yes, racial) in playlists is desperately needed.

You can't stand these chicks, yeah, I get it. I'm sure they ARE probably "whack emcees." But at least they are not hyper-masculine stereotypes. I mean, it's perfectly OK to be thuggish and use broken English, but it's also OK to expose influences like Le Tigre, Fannypack, Peaches, Ladytron, Luscious Jackson & even the Beastie Boys. Yeah, I said it...and I'm fully aware how uncool it has suddenly become to mention anything from the Grand Royal era, but I for one miss Grand Royal, and that is exactly why this CD is such a blast of fresh air in my ears. Maybe you should just do some stretches to loosen up and relax before you listen to it.

i had never heard of them before i saw the link on a tegan and sara show the my daughter and i were going to later in the month.while rap/hip hop is not my normal choice ,this cd is infectious,clever,funny,and not too cute...after spending some time with them(fixing there van)i found them to be great people as well,if you like rap etc buy this,if you don't buy it anyway because it is so much more....cheers

Slickly produced by Adrock of the Beasties and Chuck Brody, "Can I Keep This Pen?" hearkens back to the hip hop of old school but has a full, fresh sound with none of the pretension found in mainstream rap. The 3 girls keep it real and down to earth. The songs are insanely catchy, ranging from the smooth, radio friendly love song "Away Away" to the "Sureshot"esque "Mother May I," to the no holds barred "Sucka Mofo." Their charisma is undeniable and each offers a unique voice; Sprout's flow is totally natural and tight, Hesta can get bombastic and blow the roof off, and Spero balances them out perfectly. In the future as they grow more into their own voices and style they'll be even better.