Classic Albums: Beastie Boys "Licensed to Ill"

1986 - Run D.M.C. & Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith had just shocked the world by collaborating on a remake of Aerosmith's 1977 "Walk This Way." A whole nation was stunned. Rap & rock - can it co-exist? Well, in case you needed further proof Def Jam followed up with...The Beastie Boys. Mike D, AdRock, & MCA - 3 white, former punk-rockers turned rappers on a lark brought us Licensed To Ill, produced by genius-in-the-making Rick Rubin. Was this just an attempt by Def Jam boss Russell Simmons to rule the world by taking some white guys & turning them into rappers? Maybe. He had seemingly crushed Run D.M.C.'s street cred with the Aerosmith pairing. Run D.M.C.'s career began to fade while Aerosmith went on to enjoy their renewed fame with the kids & their wallets. How was Simmons going to get his like Aerosmith got theirs? The answer: sampling.

While not a new idea to the hip-hop community, sampling in the early 80's mainly was reserved for dance tracks to lay down a bass groove or a hook. But since Run D.M.C. had gotten the white kids' attention now, Simmons & Rubin moved in for the kill. Licensed to Ill is an incredibly sample-laden record, but it caught the white kids' ear by including samples of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, & The Clash. Kerry King of Slayer (whom Rubin also produced) laid down the crunching guitar track for the classic "No Sleep till Brooklyn."

Then, you have the lyrics. Oh, the lyrics!! Sophomoric? Certainly. What a 14-year-old (such as myself in 1986) wants to hear? You betcha. Where else are you going to learn what other uses there are for a wiffle-ball bat? Al Gore had not invented the internet yet. Did I have a right to party? As a freshman in high school I supposed maybe I ought to explore that logic. What was Brass Monkey & why was it funky? The possibilities were endless. Ali Baba & The Forty Thieves - huh? Plus, I had leaned a whole new vocabulary by the time I'd listened to the record a few times. My parents were not impressed. But that is...so...rock...and...roll! Chill mom, don't be illin' & get fly wit wazzup...

What Licensed To Ill meant to me was that it gave me ammunition as I entered high school. You could fit in with anyone if you knew the Beastie Boys. The beats & bass were cool enough for the hip-hop crowd to dance to. The lyrical content was right on par with lockerrom topics in the jock community, which also made it acceptable satirical commentary for the intellectual bunch. The stoners appreciated that they'd been included with the Zeppelin riffs. This was a genius album by The Beastie Boys, Rick Rubin, & Russell Simmons. Right time, right place. You can't lose if you know the Beasties. Damn skippy. It's "poser proof." Unless, you went down the fork in the road that led to Vanilla Ice. Or the other fork that has potholes like Limp Bizkit. Stick to the Beastie Boys if you need a hip-hop fix. Snoop & Dre will do in a pinch.

Historically, Licensed To Ill became the first Rap LP to climb to #1 on Billboard's Pop Album Chart. It also started a long & successful career for the three Beasties, which is quite unusual in this genre. They've been able to experiment while pushing the contemporary edge with other landmark albums such as Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head, & Ill Communication. Their music videos are among the most innovative of all time. They've grown up a bit & taken on social causes such as the situation in Tibet, but they've never lost their sense of humor. In 2007 the Beastie Boys were nominated for induction into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

Just because they're "all for one & one for all, taking out MC's with a big shot gun" the Beastie Boys still rock 22 years later. "Like a lemon to a lime & a lime to a lemon" - that's ill, dope, & fly. Click the title for a video, homeboy...