The Beastie Boys | Research & Encyclopedia Articles

In 1986 the Beastie Boys took the popular music world by storm with their debut album License To Ill and the single "Fight For Your Right (To Party)." The album was co-produced with fledgling hiphop label Def Jam producer Rick Rubin. License to Ill became the fastest selling debut album in Columbia Records' history, going platinum within two months, and becoming the first rap album to reach number one on the charts.

Critics derided the Beastie Boys as one-hit wonder material, and as New York "white-boy rappers" who were leeching off African American street music forms known as "rap" and hip-hop, both of which were in their early stages of development. Licensed To Ill also relied heavily on a new technique called "sampling." Sampling is the act of lifting all or part of the music from another artist's song. This sample is then used to record a new song with the same music, often without credit or payment. Sampling, as it was originally practiced, was condemned as stealing by most critics and musicians. The technique was so new in the mid-1980s that there were no rules to regulate such "borrowing." Artist credit and payment terms for use of a sample, however, eventually became the record industry standard.

Michael Diamond ("Mike D"), bassist Adam Yauch ("MCA," also known as Nathanial Hornblower), guitarist John Berry, and drummer Kate Schellenbach formed the first version of The Beastie Boys in New York City in 1981. They were a hardcore punk style band and recorded the EP Polywog Stew on a local independent label. Eventually, Berry and Schellenbach quit. In 1983 Adam Horovitz ("Ad-Rock") joined Mike D and MCA to form the core of the Beastie Boys. Other musicians have been added to the onstage mix and toured with the Beastie Boys throughout their career, but it is this trio that is the creative and musical force behind the band.

It was at this time that Rick Rubin, a New York University student and Def Jam's record label entrepreneur, took notice of the Beastie Boys' rap inspired underground single hit "Cookie Puss." Rubin and the Boys then recorded "Rock Hard" for Def Jam in 1985. Later that year the Beastie Boys received enough attention from asoundtrack cut, "She's On It," to earn an opening spot on Madonna's "Like A Virgin" tour, and then they went on tour with Run D.M.C.

In 1986 License To Ill was released, and despite their commercial success, the Beastie Boys were derided as sophomoric, sexist, and just plain dumb. After a long tour to promote License To Ill, the Beastie Boys left Def Jam for Capitol Records. The Beastie Boys moved to Los Angeles, took a break, and then began to examine their sound and style. They now had the task of following up their incredible success with a new album. They worked with a new production team known as the Dust Brothers, and in 1989 the Beastie Boys released Paul's Boutique. The album was critically acclaimed, but completely different from License To Ill and sold under a million copies.

After two more albums with Capitol Records, Check Your Head in 1992 and Some Old Bullshit in 1994, the Beastie Boys launched their own record label called Grand Royal. Their first Grand Royal release came in 1994. Ill Communication spawned the single "Sabotage," and the group toured with the yearly Lollapalooza alternative festival that summer.

Adam Yauch's conversion to Buddhism and his ties to the Dalai Lama then prompted the Beastie Boys to organize the Tibetan Freedom Festival in the summer of 1996. Popular artists continue to donate their performances in order to raise money for the Miarepa Fund, a charity that supports "universal compassion through music" and has been active in the fight for Tibetan independence.

In 1998 the Beastie Boys released Hello Nasty. In the midst of personal business and charity efforts, the Beastie Boys have continued to push the cutting edge of hip-hop and they have gained a respected place in the alternative music scene of the 1990s.

Batey, Angus. The Beastie Boys. New York, Music Sales Corporation, 1998.

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