by Stanton Swihart
With her long blond hair, wrap-around shades, and style tips taken straight from Debbie Harry, Concetta Kirshner would seem the least likely person to make her name in the world of alternative hip-hop, where authenticity -- especially in Kirshner's native New York City -- means nearly as much as the music. Nevertheless, in 1994, with dreams of giving the music world something innovative, Kirshner named herself Princess Superstar and made her first demo, armed only with a four-track and two tape decks. The demo was called Mitch Better Get My Bunny, a play on words from a popular urban catch phrase (and a rap song by AMG) at the time. The response to demo was immediate and gained a write up in CMJ magazine's "Futures" section that described Princess Superstar's eclectic mixture of hip-hop, punk rock, and outrageous humor. She signed with 5th Beetle Records and recruited a backup band consisting of Kirsten "Pro" Jansen on drums, Doug Pressman on bass, and Art "F" Lavis on guitar. 5th Beetle released Strictly Platinum in 1996. CMJ called the music "super sly hip-hop with jaw droppingly clever lyrics and inventive sampling;" A.P. went even further with its praise: "If you yearn for the days when a rap record was both exciting and innovative, as well as fun, Strictly Platinum has got your name scrawled across it...in neon peach lipstick." The rest of the press response was similarly overwhelming.