Checking in with Hesta Prynn

On Saturday, July 20, the Sound Waves party is set to take place at the Montauk Beach House (55 South Elmwood Ave, Montauk, 631-668-2112, and the affair has indeed been making a lot of “waves,” as it is to see a turn from alternative/new wave legend Vince Clarke as a DJ.

However, the day will also feature a set from DJ Hesta Prynn – better known as Julie Potash-Slavin. If either of those names seem familiar, they should – for Hesta was once a part of the indie darling hip-hop act Northern State, a group that featured Prynn, along with two of her former Half Hollow Hills West high school classmates (Correne "Spero" Spero and Robyn "Sprout" Goodmark). All three attended during the 1990s.

Today, Prynn is a solo performer, and with her return to LI this weekend, it’s a perfect time to see what’s new with one of the Island’s funkier exports.

It's Julie to people who really know me, Hesta to everyone else. That's how I can tell the difference.

I've lived in Manhattan for 15 years.

I definitely spend most of my time out East in the Hamptons but have been to the Surf Lodge to watch the sunset a few times. In fact I think I shared a single bed there (badly) with a friend after some late night drinking a couple of years ago! Also spent a romantic weekend at Gurney's once.

I haven't DJed any events on LI actually; this will be my first!

As always it will be an eclectic mix of the songs you love from the 60s through today. I'll definitely have some beachy tunes on there - maybe some Bob Marley or Beach Boys, DEF [sic] going to do some 80s new wave and 90s alternative. Respect to Vince Clarke of course! Also a little funk, some light hip-hop and some of what's hot today. I like to tell you a story, how it all fits together, how this sound led to that sound, etc. Most important though is setting the vibe right. I set the stage, all you need to do is show up and fall in love.

Long Island has a rich history both in hardcore AND in hip-hop. People don't know about Strong Island.

It's definitely a wrap on Northern State but I encourage people to listen to our older records. Fans of trap (*”trap” is a hip-hop subgenre typified by heavy bass and electronic elements) will respect what we did with DJ Muggs (of Cypress Hill) on "All City", fans of Beck will love the songs we made with Adrock (Beastie Boys) on "Can I Keep This Pen?". Actually you never know if we'll come back with something one day. Stay tuned.

We were always an NYC band. We started after college while I was living in Tribeca.

I remember hitting New York Ave and the Roxy in Huntington to see some local bands play in the late nineties. I saw some of my heroes at the Nassau coliseum of course - Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Guns 'n' Roses.

I visit the in-laws in Roslyn pretty often. We cruise through Suffolk en route to the Hamptons though. One time I took the new husband to the pond behind Forest Park Elementary School - that's where we used to hang out late night. I was like "this was my youth".

I write a music and pop culture column called “Five 'n' Five” in “Paper Magazine” every week. Also check out my Instagram. I met R. Kelly for the first time earlier today. That was bananas.