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Princess Superstar
Concetta Kirschner was born on 172 and St. Nicholas Avenue in New York City to a Sicilian-American mother and a Russian-Polish-Jewish father. Eclecticism was bred into her bones. Growing up with hippie parents who regularly blasted everything from Stevie Wonder to Led Zeppelin to David Bowie, she was heavily influenced by all the incredible music her parents would put on the family turntable. They moved from Washington Heights, New York City to the antithesis-a farm in rural Pennsylvania-when little superstar was three years old. And, when they moved on to suburban Philadelphia, it was there where she first (ironically enough, in the suburbs) discovered Kurtis Blow on a pirate radio station.
Like a road movie legend at the age of 17, the young royal packed her bags, jumped on the bus and made it to New York to drink in her big apple roots. Her crazy love for music of many shades and the rebel cut of her jib led Miss Superstar to abandon the outmoded codes and pioneer her own style. In 1994 she cut her first demo tape on a roommatesí boyfriendís four-track. She played guitar, keyboards and did some of her first sampling and rhyming, and it instantly got praise from the press and major record companies, all complimenting her lyrical flow and inventive sampling. In 1995 she released her debut album ('Strictly Platinum') on an independent label called 5th Beetle, having turned down the majors because she wanted to make innovative music, and didnít want to compromise. ëStrictly Platinumí was co-produced by herself, Greg Talenfeld (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) and Godfrey Diamond, best known for producing ìJungle Boogieî by Kool and The Gang. Now out of print, ëStrictly Platinumí was last seen fetching up to $100 on Ebay! In 1997 she founded her own label 'A Big Rich Major Label,' which she later cheekily renamed 'The Corrupt Conglomerate' after the big label mergers in 1999. She self-released her second album, 'CEO,í which wound the press up with reviews like: "This record defies expectations and categorization with jaw dropping lyrics". She was a one-woman show- booking her own tours, running her label and also of course, being an artist. 1999 brought us 'Last Of The Great 20th Century Composers', also self-released, and features collaborations with music's brightest lights from De La Soul alumni Prince Paul to former Fugee John Forte to The Blues Explosion's Jon Spencer. It burst on the scene with its slick, giddy egotism, assy-drenched brassyness and undeniably slamming beats. The press could not contain its glee for a record that resurrected the best of rock n roll's outlandish sexuality with hip hopís penchant for irreverent humor. At this point Princess Superstar was starting to be recognized at playing the rap game with rules that she was now breaking, with her witty, sarcastic, ironic and satirical brand of wordplay. Heaps of praise from the likes of The Face, The Source, Vibe, Jazzy Jeff, Pharell Williams (Neptunes), Garbage, William Orbit, and Sarah Jessica Parker to name a few, ensured that the time was right to bring her bar fight bravado to audiences all over the world. All this attention ensured a veritable 'A' list of pop star friends. One of the more intriguing meetings took place last October when Jarvis Cocker from Pulp took the Princess to Pentonville Prison to perform at this north London jailís bar. The night was a rousing success and proved that she can give it live as good as on wax. She has since opened up for Bubba Sparks, N.E.R.D., and recently has played with Bjork, Z-Trip and KRS-1 at the Coachella festival in California. But back to the autumn of 2000...Princess Superstar is quickly realizing that running a label and being a star is a very time consuming job and can work the nerves of even the steeliest jet setter. She brushed aside all the major label offers and chose the independent German based label, Rapster Records/!K7. In the winter of 2000, the door was locked at the studio (The Vertical Corp., with longtime collaborator Curtis Curtis) and work began on what would be one of the defining albums of 2001. One of the more obscure facts about Princess Superstar is the lady writes the words, the music, produces and plays guitar, keyboard and drums, as well as being a DJ! 'Princess Superstar Is,í was the result, Princess Superstarís fourth album. As the title implies, it is a statement of intent, each track a streetwise fable. The album unfolds as an unpredictable stroll through the mind of a lyrical genius, an incredible producer and a woman with more soul than a hundred exorcisms. In fantastic fashion 'Bad Babysitter' was released onto an unsuspecting public extolling the joys of this most nefarious of teenage creatures. The joyful and willful abandon that Princess brings to the rhyme perfectly captures every parentís worst nightmare. Released in February the single entered the top 40 in England at #11, and the video was a smash hit on MTV and the Box in Europe. 'Princess Superstar Is' features collaborations with like minded lyrical wordsmiths and master producers such as Kool Keith, Bahamadia, The High and Mighty, Jzone and Mista Sinista and the Herbaliser. Princess Superstar isn't just about the hip-hop underground however-her ideas reach across all forms of music. Mercury Award winning Beth Orton makes an appearance on 'Untouchable Part 2'. Never stopping for a moment, in October of 2002, Princess Superstar releases her fastest rhyming single yet-"Fuck me on the Dance Floor". Produced by legendary Ghetto-Tech Booty-Bar impresario Disco D, it has been tearing up discotheques and beds 'round the world. If that ain't enough, Princess Superstar is quickly becoming a world-renowned DJ. She has even made her own vinyl white-label mash-ups pitting JZ vs. Black Sabbath and Ludicris and Fabolous vs. Lynyrd Skynyrd, and more! She has DJíd everywhere from the Gigolo Party for the Love Parade in Berlin with Ms. Kittin and Tiga, to a NYC party with ?estlove of the Roots and Felix Da Housecat. Also, in her newly formed DJ side project with DJ Alexander Technique using FOUR turntables, she has toured Australia and Europe, bringing a crazy, unprecedented show filled with hip-hop, rock, and electro all mixed together. Wondering about the next? After being featured on 'Made,' an MTV show for teenagers who want to be madeover, she is relentlessly touring with Djs are not Rockstars and doing a weekly radio show on Kiss 100 in London. Princess is ALSO in the midst of recording! We are guessing September 2005 for the eagerly anticipated FIFTH opus called "My Machine." It's an epic futuristic concept record that is totally on the hush hush! Producers include Armand Van Helden, Mighty Mi, Alexander Technique, Boris Dlgosh and Michie Lang, Junior Sanchez, Jacques Lu Cont (LRD/Madonna), and more... Recently, Princess dropped some vocals on the Prodigy's new album, which went to #1 in the UK. She also has collaborated with Moby on his track "Jam for the Ladies" and the legendary Arthur Baker (Afrika Bambaata, New Order) on "Return to New York." Check back here soon for more updates. "A prophecy: I'm gonna own everything like I was an apostrophe..." Says the superstar in "Untouchable Part 1." And we believe her! |