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Licensed to Ill

Beastie Boys

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iTunes Editors’ Notes

A half-decade before Nirvana brought punk values to the mainstream, the Beastie Boys proved U.S. audiences would buy into anarchy. Licensed to Ill, of course, was hardly as politically correct as Kurt Cobain – or, for that matter, the later Beasties themselves – but its boisterous shouts, rude humor and tall tales were as “alternative” as anything on mid-’80s airwaves. Linking timeless Zeppelin and Sabbath riffs to heavy-bottomed funk with hook-savvy producer Rick Rubin, the trio made party music of a (no pun) high order. “Fight for Your Right” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” displayed an understanding of metal, while “Paul Revere,” “Time to Get Ill” and “Hold It, Now Hit It” swung and bounced furiously. With over 10 million copies in American households, and the album still selling today, Licensed is anything but a nostalgia platter.

Customer Reviews

Great Hip Hop Album

Beastie Boys album is one of the greatest hip hop albums to date. It's strength comes from the great beats, solid lyrics, and NY style. A must for any music collection.

The Best(ie) Album Ever!

This has a little bit of everything, because this was when the Beasties still had the punk rock feel. It is amazing that these songs have been hits for so long. If you look ate songs 7-9, these all get radio play, and are some of the most memorable Beatsies Boys tracks. "Paul Revere" is the tall tale of how the group started, and "Fight For Your Right" is corny yet strangly awesome. "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" also appeals to the rock audience as it has great guitar riffs. The juvinille "Brass Monkey" is also memorable. This album is a must buy.

Liscensed To Ill

The Beasties' classic 1986 debut hit the scene like a 500 ton megablast -- the first rap record to reach No. 1. It's loaded with crass humor, pop culture references, and numerous odes to dust, beer, and girls. Backed by rock-tinged 808 beats from Rick Rubin and Run-D.M.C., the album is a far cry from their later, more politically correct work. Obnoxious rap at its finest.

Biography

Formed: 1979 in New York, NY

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap

Years Active: '80s, '90s, '00s, '10s

As the first white rap group of any importance, the Beastie Boys received the scorn of critics and strident hip-hop musicians, both of whom accused them of cultural pirating, especially since they began as a hardcore punk group in 1981. But the Beasties weren't pirating — instead, they treated rap as part of a post-punk musical underground, where the D.I.Y. aesthetics of hip-hop and punk weren't that far apart. Of course, the exaggerated b-boy and frat-boy parodies of their unexpected hit debut...
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