Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys Headshot

Band

Members: Ad-Rock, Mike D

The Beastie Boys grew from their jokey punk origins to become trailblazers in hip-hop. Michael (Mike D) Diamond, Adam (MCA) Yauch and Adam (Ad-Rock) Horovitz began performing in New York in 1980; originally they were a hardcore punk band (with the three founders respectively on drums, bass and guitar) with Kate Schellenbach, later of Luscious Jackson, on drums. 1982's proudly amateurish Polly Wog Stew EP at least built a cult following, as did the follow-up single, "Cookie Puss," which was based on a prank call to an ice-cream stand. Few at the time expected that the Beasties' debut album would sell 50 million copies.

But by the time of Licensed to Ill in 1986 the group had turned to rap, dropped Schellenbach and the live instruments, and teamed up with star producer Rick Rubin. What hadn't changed (yet) was the group's bratty humor, as the self-explanatory single "(You've Got to) Fight For Your Right (to Party)" ruled frathouse playlists for years to come. The accompanying tour included cage dancers and an inflatable penis prop.

As the follow-up album dragged on for three years, the Beasties seemed destined to be a one-hit wonder, but Paul's Boutique sported a very different sound. Working with new production team the Dust Brothers, the Beasties wove hundreds of samples into an ever-changing soundscape, while the lyrics were hedonistic as ever. A sales disappointment at first, the album was ultimately highly influential; even the Rolling Stones wound up working with the Dust Brothers.

With their third album Check Your Head the Beasties put live instruments back into the mix and drew from classic funk and soul, while the lyrics became more socially and spiritually conscious; yet the audience continued to expand as the group kept growing up. The group became more politically active, with Yaunch organizing the annual Tibetan Freedom Concerts and the group headlining a New Yorkers Against Violence concert after the 9/11 attacks.

They continued to experiment on disc, making an all-instrumental album The Mix-Up and a back-to-punk EP, Aglio e Olio. In July 2009, while the group was recording the album Hot Sauce Committee, Yaunch announced online that he was fighting cancer in his parotid gland and a lymph node. While his fight was initially successful, the cancer returned and Yauch had to miss their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in April 2012.

He died a month later and the remaining members resolved to never perform as the Beastie Boys without him.

Credits

Guest Curator: Evanescence

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2021

School of Rock

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Big Shiny Rock

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Halloween Party

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80s New Year's Eve Party

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90s New Year's Eve Party

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Party Like It's 1999

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2020

Rock Hall's All-Time Greats

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Beastie Boys: Jimmy James

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Beastie Boys: Ricky's Theme

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Halloween Party

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2019

Desus & Mero

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2019

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'80s Def Jam

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2019

Essentials: Beastie Boys

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Beastie Boys: Holy Snappers

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2018

NYE Party: Saved by the 90s

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2018

Beastie Boys: An Open Letter to NYC

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2018

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2018

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2018

Halloween Party

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2018

Beastie Boys: Horseplay

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2013

Music Mavericks

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2013

CBS This Morning

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2012

Beastie Boys: Make Some Noise

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2011

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2011

Beastie Boys: Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win

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2011

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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2009

Beastie Boys: Body Movin'

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2009

Beastie Boys: Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun

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2009

Beastie Boys: Netty's Girl

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2009

Beastie Boys: Pass the Mic

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2009

Beastie Boys: Shadrach

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2009

Beastie Boys: Shake Your Rump

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2009

Beastie Boys: So What'cha Want

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Beastie Boys: Gratitude

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2009

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2009

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2009

Beastie Boys: Something's Got to Give

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Beastie Boys: Off the Grid

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2007

Beastie Boys: Suco De Tangerina

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2007

Beastie Boys: The Rat Cage

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2007

Beastie Boys: No Sleep Till Brooklyn

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2006

Beastie Boys: Brass Monkey

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2005

Beastie Boys: She's Crafty

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2005

Beastie Boys: Brass Monkey (Live at MSG)

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2005

Beastie Boys: Ch-Check It Out

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2004

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

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2003

Beastie Boys: Alive

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1999

Beastie Boys: Intergalactic

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1998

Free Tibet

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1998

The Chris Rock ShowStream

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1996

Beastie Boys: Sure Shot

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1994

Beastie Boys: Sabotage

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1994

Beastie Boys: Time For Livin'

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1992

Beastie Boys: Hey Ladies

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1989

Beastie Boys: (You Gotta ) Fight For Your Right (To Party)

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1986

Beastie Boys: Hold It Now, Hit It

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1986

Beastie Boys: She's On It

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1985

Saturday Night LiveStream

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1975

Today

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1952