Northern State is an female hip-hop group from New York, United States. The group consists of members Julie Hesta Prynn Potash, Correne "Spero Spero, and Robyn Sprout Goodmark. The group is named after the Northern State Parkway, one of the highways on Long Island, New York State. Can I Keep This Pen? is their third proper album, following All City, and Dying in Stereo. They have shared the stage in the US and Europe with The Roots, Le Tigre, Talib Kweli, De La Soul, The Gossip, Gym Class Heroes, Tegan and Sara, and Cake. Can I Keep This Pen? includes songs about their friendship, the president, the apathy that surrounds us, as well as what may be the first Northern State love song. Their classic old school hip hop sound runs through the album, weaving its way through an electro-rock current. They did an unprecedented amount of singing, there are more guitars than ever, as well as several references to horses