Reviews (page 5 of 14)
the album that put the Beastie Boys on the map with the single "Fight for your Right". Personally, i think "Paul's Boutique" is a better album (5 out of 5), but this one is a good debut. along with RUN DMC, this album put rap into the mainstream. Other good songs on it: "Girls", "Brass Monkey", and "Paul Revere". the album was certified diamond in 2015.
They had such a clear perspective right out of the gate. Obviously they would go on to do more sophisticated albums but this is great
It’s cheesy flow has a charm, the samples are pretty fun too. Girls>Paul Revere is the highlight of the album
All i really want is girls tho
4.5
Maybe with retrospective it's a bit juvenile but these samples and rhymes are still all-timers. Any album that kicks off with the drums from When the Levee Breaks immediately catches my attention.
Lol last summer i went through their discography too, so much fun to blast in the car
One of the funniest jokes ever played on the music industry - aggressive beats, classic rhymes. Favourite tracks: Paul Revere, Brass Monkey, Low And Slow, No Sleep Til Brooklyn
Oh.. oh no. I hope these guys have a license for this. (reads albums title) ohh ok good.
these guys are the funniest... i was a big beasties fan in hs and def still enjoy them but have a bit more of a chill vibe now
I aks her out she said no WAY It’s good in part because it’s funny, and it’s made funnier by being so good. That “Girls” to “Paul Revere” run? Unimpeachable. I think it loses a little potency with a couple songs to go, but what a swell time.
3.5 stars Half of this album is classics I’ve known most of my life. The rest is just fine to pretty good. It’s Beastie Boys.
First of three albums from the Beasite Boys in this collection and the first time I've listened to a Beasite Boys album front to back. It took me a couple of listens to fully appreciate it. While rough at times being a debut, the fun and quirkyness of the beats and their flows makes up for it. The run of "Girls," "Fight for Your Right," and "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" is incredible for the middle of the album. Solid 4/5.
very balanced some good some better and some are just not my cup of tea 3.5
Knew this one well, fun to revisit! High highs but the filler is very filler-y. Nostalgic and classic, but of a time and rightly overshadowed by where they went afterward.
Menee samaan kastiin aiemmin arvostellun bb levyn kanssa. Klassikoita nuoruudesta
Ihan jeppis menoa, vitskaan ei kuitenkaan riitä paukut
No nyt tul sit se kolmas kun alkometri vetelee omiaan pakotuksiensa kanssa. Ajalta kun samplet ol vapaata riistaa ja niitä hyödynnetään kivasti. Varmaan myös raivannut tietä omalla alallaan jne. Eipä siin. Ei oo huonompi kun putiikki-levy vaikka ennen sitä julkastu.
This is an album that sounds both fresh and dared at the same time. Dated as the fairly minimal and clean beats along side the rock god guitar samples (and in some cases recorded contributions) put it firmly of an age, but the youthful, dumbass punky vocals and enthusiasm busts out of the record making it feel current and fun. This is a party album from three fresh faced white boys from New York that was a pioneer alongside Run DMC in the rock rap genre that helped break hip hop into the mainstream. I guess Rick Rubin the producer for both acts played a large part in this. I was very familiar with some tracks. You couldn’t avoid the excellent frat boy “Fight for your right to party” at one point, nor “No Sleep to Brooklyn” but the whole album is full of energy and interplay between the boys and it doesn’t outstay its welcome. I did not buy this at the time of release. In the UK stupid newspaper reports had decided to turn the Beasties into some kind of danger to our youth. Before the Beasties Boys had touched down on their UK tour there were false headlines accusing them of dissing kids with Cancer amongst other things and inventing stories to make them public enemy number one. It led to crowds in some places almost wanting to take on the bad boys of rap and in Liverpool famously led to a very short show and the arrest of one of the band for throwing a can at the crowd. That and the fact that a clever parody of the big gold chains that were becoming standard wear for rappers led to Mike D wearing a VW badge, which in turn led to VW cars being deprived of their badges country wide as kids replicated the fashion dominated the headlines. It’s a shame it wasn’t for the music really as it wasn’t half bad.
It borders on really good and really bad. I guess I can appreciate that Will I listen to again: 51%
No me suele gustar el rap, pero sí que me gusta bastante el Punk y el hip hop entonces este álbum contiene mucho hip hop y Punk por lo que me ha gustado mucho. Mezclar sonidos muy interesantes y aunque parezca que no se podría identificar al artista por cómo utilizar estos sonidos los otras partes he dicho el rap porque hay algún que otro verso lanzado en este estilo y la verdad que si me ha gustado como ha quedado en la canción luego también hay que nombrar la percusión que es increíble está muy cuidada y muy original y en general me ha gustado le pondría un ocho de 10 porque es un álbum que yo no escucharía por mí misma es un grupo que no hubiese descubierto nunca sola y que gracias a esta aplicación he descubierto y que la verdad me ha gustado bastante
any number of obvious complaints Could be raised (in hindsight its kind of amazing how diverse pauls boutique manages to feel, in the time when this was their only album it would have seemed Highly Improbable they could have pulled it off) but their central charm of being a really uncool version of run dmc with really good impactful inventive production is in powder keg potency here. best not to overthink it in either direction really, its just here to make u dumber!!! and i cant object to that. unfortunately for me i must add Girls to the list of moments where something from this project made me laugh out loud in public
Ok first album review, I’m excited to see how much I grow as this project goes along. Licensed to Ill definitely hasn’t aged the greatest since its’ initial 1986 release, but I think that’s mostly due to satire just not landing. I had a hell of a goofy fun time listening to this in my living room and getting randomly jump scared by some lyrics, but also realizing I knew so much more of this album than I originally thought. For a debut album, it has so much energy and life that even with the crass and juvenile humor it is such a fun and easy listen.
I didn't know this was from 1986, it sounds a bit newer. Very influential record, both for rock and rap. If you think of the nu metal era, I am sure this is one of the main inspirations behind that. Cool album.
I did not expect to like that that much.
This is probably one of the first albums I had. I think I had a white flea market bootleg tape when i was 7 or 8 years old. Its hard to negate the impact this album had on what was or would become hip hop music.
I haven’t listened to this for years, though loved it when it came out - falling hook, line and sinker for the over-the-top hype that surrounded its release. Revisiting after all this time, I think I was spot on – it’s a bit of a stunner! Of course, the Beasties were originally a punk band, so it’s no surprise they bring plenty of snotty attitude to their songs, and I genuinely dare anyone not to smile when that opening exclamation and power chord hit at the start of Fight For Your Right. And as for the rest, it’s shouty, childish, full of itself, and very entertaining. 8/10
My favourite song was brass monkey. The beats were good. The guys voice was a bit annoying though. End of the album is better than the start.
Great album. Guardians of the galaxy mentioned. She’s crafty is underrated I think
Rounding up to a 4, some classics in there but also some not so great lyrics
In all honesty, listening to them try to sing/rap is like nails on a chalkboard. But from a musical perspective, I enjoy it enough that it earns a 4.
I just watched "The Beastie Boys Story" movie over the weekend. Perfect time that this popped into the list. I have slightly mixed views here. This is 100% pure fun and great music and flow. It also is at least 30% obnoxious/offensive and socially bankrupt. But... they were immature kids, they grew up, and I'm glad I don't have my teen self recorded and played back for posterity. They have grown from here and the music still hits 40+ years later. I really want to go with 5, but I'm still rounding down on what might be misguided principal.
- FAVS (top 3): the new style, fight for your right, slow and low mençoes honrosas: shes crafty; no sleep till brooklyn; paul revene; hold it now, hit it; time to get ill compraria vinil: SIM um bom e classico rap/hiphop!!!!! eu adorei, musicas muito boas e q nao seguem o msm padrao como mts nesse genero fazem. amei amei e em chock q nunca tinha ouvido antes pq é mt bom!!! nota final: 4/5
Very old school before electronic beats, some good classical meme sounds are in here, love 5/13 songs. would recommend to others.
grew up on this album. absolutely love it
it's the beastie boys KICK IT
Enjoyed ending a year of doing this with Fight For Your Right.
Surprised by his many songs I know off this album.
Some music just hits with the real nostalgia.
Feels a little repetitive, but has some brilliant moments
Grew up listening to this album with my dad
Licensed to Ill blijkt veel bekender dan ik vooraf dacht: vrijwel elk nummer roept herkenning op. De energie is rauw, speels en fysiek, waardoor het album vooral leuk is om mee te bewegen en los te laten. Tekstueel is het soms plat en duidelijk een product van zijn tijd, maar dat voelt meer als performance en parodie dan als serieuze boodschap. Niet mijn diepste muzieksmaak, maar wel een album dat zichtbaar plezier geeft en verrassend goed werkt om de dag licht en energiek te beginnen.
Pretty great
amazing that this was done during the eighties. Such a different vibe. Only a couple of decent songs though.
I'd forgotten this album. Good to give it a new listen
First certified platinum rap She's crafty Fight for your right No sleep til Brooklyn
I like most of the songs. Siento q el ritmo es muy repetitivo like the rest a lot going on sure, pero I feel like it’s the same? Pero me gustó it could’ve been better tho
Había escuchado algunas canciones de este álbum a lo largo de los años, pero nunca lo había escuchado completo. Me parece un sonido muy adelantado a su época. Me sorprendió que fuera del 1986. También se escuchan las influencias de otros géneros de los 70 y cómo este grupo cambió la música a partir de este álbum. Aún si no es tu género o estilo, conviene escuchar y apreciar algo de historia musical.
Once again, I'm choosing to interpret what the beastie boys are doing as self-aware and/or satire of frat boys. Through that lens, this album is really good. A few hits, a whole lotta fun, and all you have to put up with is three dudes saying some unfortunate things about women and reminding you of their names over and over! Also, today I learned things about Jimmy Page and his contemporaries that I was too foolish and naive to know before listening to this album, hearing a line that made me stop dead in my tracks and looking up what the deal was with the beastie boys and underage girls... Turns out they were having a go at Page for it, or so I'm led to believe. The more you know I guess. One of the beastie boys has an inflection that irritates me so much and I'm not sure which beastie boy it is, which is ironic considering how often they remind me what their names are. I thought at first it might have been Mike D, but maybe it's actually MCA... Or it's two of them and I'm just confused. Last time I listened to a Beastie Boys album (Paul's Boutique) I said that their annoying vocals are a stylistic choice that I don't like but I can respect and I wasn't going to mark them down for it given how good everything else about it was. I'm going to do them the same courtesy with this one, in the interests of a fair comparison between the two. Overall I feel like this album is less interesting than Paul's Boutique, but it's got more to offer in the way of straight up bangers. "Fight For Your Right" and "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" are stone cold classics by this point. These albums both get the same 4/5 score from me, but for quite different reasons.
Never truly knew what the beastie boys sounded like and there were some bangers
Frat rap full of party anthems that makes great use of the TR-808 and rock beats. Reminds me of Run DMC (3.5-4).
I enjoy the youthful braggadocious nature of the lyrics. Very clear a young rebellious album against authority. A raw album that gives off the idea of low (but not necessarily bad) production. it gives the feeling of experimental youthful boys expressing what they love, that being beers and girls, in whatever way they know.
Oh yes - High school 1986-87 - great times and loved many of these tunes. Big fave is Rhymin' & Stealin'...also Paul Revere is a good story and tune.
A great album to revisit and an absolute product of the time in a (mostly) positive way.
If a sneer could sing, you’d get the Beastie Boys.
This was a landmark album on release and something I played non stop from sophomore year of high school through university. Back then it would have been an easy 5 and perhaps still should be. But I’ve matured and my musical tastes and much more diverse. If a song from this album were to come on the radio I would not change it. But then again not really an album I would seek out anymore. 4/5
lol why did i spend my 8th grade listening to Im the Man by Anthrax?
It's a silly mess. I still like Paul's Boutique more, but it's a fun listen, regardless.
Mild start but the back half is riddled with timeless classics that bump up this rating a lot
I have always liked the Beastie Boys. Compared to the last album of theirs that I listened, I enjoyed this one more. It had memorable songs and I really want this era of hiphop to return.
Hell yeah this rocks.
Hell yeah. Sometimes the lyrics get a bit goofy but you can't argue with the jams.
Standouts She's Crafty Girls Flight For Your Right No Sleep Til Brooklyn Park Revere Brass Monkey
Beastie Boys have always been fun for me to listen to. The rhymes are hilarious and immature, so I have to be in the right mood to listen and it’ll never be a marathon listening session. These guys are genius’s, and the sampling is perfection.
Great record, some amazing samples on this
This album is pure fun.
How can an album be so right and so wrong at the same time. Its completely juvenile, misogynistic, made by over the top man children. It is so over the top and their whining and complaining is completely immature and ridiculous. I have to hope they are just being characters of themselves (but sadly too many people really think this way). However, the over the topness somehow works. They mixed rap with rock and some angry punk type vibes to be something unique and different. Sometimes they yell a little too much or just seem angry for no good reason but the beats just make you want to fight for your right to party
The hits on here are still so great after all this time. And I really like how much sampling they do. Some of the songs I'm less familiar with start to blend together in sameness, and the "yelling" aspect of their vocals gets a bit grating and chaotic at times, but overall, this is a really fun album, and pretty excellent for a debut. They came out swinging hard.
What a record.
This is the definition of a classic album. Yes, it came out in the 80s, but every song is great. The only thing that keeps it from being a 5-star is that the songs sound very similar. While I know that's the Beastie Boys sound, if they did experiment with a new sound style, it would be revolutionary.
This had me Rhymin’ & Stealin’
A fun debut. Extra star for "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn", which is fire.
ITS THE NEW STYLEEE CHECK IN First Beastie Boys album, not my favorite of theirs but it has the classics Fight for your Right and Brass Monkey. Paul Revere and No Sleep til Brooklyn rock
I really liked aspects of this, much more than I expected to. Good tunes, cool samples - the only bit I didn't like was their very whiny voices. 3.5 stars.
I bought a second hand cd form Big Kev at highschool. Lost it. Enjoyed the listen again though. No Sleep Till Brooklyn and Fight for Your Right are certified bangers. Girls, Paul Revere Brass Monkey...
Good music
It's a little funny to listen back at Beastie Boys now. They're so iconic that you know exactly how this will sound by their name alone. The music is really clean, it's almost minimalistic in that it doesn't really have any fluff. Nothing is wasted, and it isn't stuffed with samples or anything that doesn't directly elevate the music. It also lets the rapping take clear center stage. Which also really displays their chemistry. The alternating words and unison moments are really special. The middle of this album is also peak. They're just classic rap. Trendsetters. My issues with it I think stem mostly from personal taste, and a lack of awareness/revere for rap and its history. Not that I think they're bad; they just don't have as great as an impact on me personally than they would to a general audience, let alone longtime fans of rap. Favorite Song(s): Fight for Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn
I like it when they finish each other's sentences :) gives me serotonin. What good friends they must be <3
;)
I've listened to this one a few times in my life. Just to go back and see if I like it any more than I did at first. See, there are a couple of good songs, or more accurately songs with some good parts in them. But it's really hard to listen to this all the way through. It's way too repetitive. I really like the later B Boys, the older the better actually. Some of their later stuff is just great instrumental jazzy, trippy, funky. Love it! Their voices are terrible. On this album they really leaned into it, too. They were trying to be obnoxious. good job, guys. Success! I'm glad they didn't try to do the same thing over again because clearly once is enough. But they made zillions. So, good on 'em! Don't have much to add about any particulars. There are dozens of reviews here and elsewhere pointing out which songs are better or worse. I agree. I do have to give the requisite high marks for Rick Rubin bringing some rockers and rock samples to this. It's what makes them different than the others of their ilk. In my mind it's a 3, but for the influence, and for the music they made later, I'm calling this a 4.
wouldn't pick it but enjoyed it, nice!
Grew up listening to these guys. Fight for your Right is one of my favorite songs.
Good fun
When Fight For Your Right came out in 1986 I was 15 and saw the Beastie Boys as some sort of comic band with their funny video and lyrics to go along with it. But over the years I have come to appreciate just how good they were. First time listening to the debut album as a whole and in general I really liked it. Will definitely be listening to this album again along with others in the catalog.
3.5-4/5
The audio equivalent of a high school basement house party
It’s as if it was only yesterday. Remember my cousin holding it with a grin like the cat saying you gonna listen to this. It had the rock and attitude to let us white kids get our first taste of hip hop, and from here able to start exploring. But that’s in no way to diminish that the guys did, they weren’t tourists, they were authentic, that they benefited from racial privilege is a darker story and not at their door. Haven’t heard this all through for years as usually put on Ill communication for some Beastie (its the sabotage prompts in movies that does it). And Yeah it’s still as kicking as remember, which is good as feared when it came up this morning it may have dated somehow, no such fears. Was grinning all the way through and put it straight back on. 4 Star blast.
Not first listen; 3.5; I've listened to all these songs before, but I'm not sure I ever listened through the whole album. One of the things that struck me was how sparse/limited most of the songs are. This isn't a bad thing at all, and makes it interesting how the album still holds up well. And I obviously never listened closely enough, but I also never realized how silly the album is. Favorite songs: Fight for your right No sleep til Brooklyn Brass Monkey
Fuckin awesome. Super fun.
when I was in middle school, I had a hand-me-down Beastie Boys shirt that I loved to wear. I enjoyed their music even back then. an annoying guy in one of my classes challenged whether or not I knew who they were. I lied and said I had no idea who they were just because I knew it would piss him off
This album is special to me. I remember as a tween always grabbing this cd from my dads cd collection and listening to it, but one day I just… forgot it was in the CD player and then we took it out to the tip… my father was not happy but years later I paid for a copy of this CD and we all were happy. Nevertheless, what a classic record, 80’s hip hop can never get old for me esp if it’s this album.
The most white 80s rap album, but that is what makes it so brilliant. Using covers in the best ways, and just being awesome. Fight For Your Right and No Sleep Till Brooklyn are two timeless classics and are the icing to this album. The pick of Girls in front of those songs is quite interesting though... but I wouldn't expect anything different.
Fun album.
What I enjoy is the fact that a white group was blending rock and hip-hop/rap with a funny satire of frat culture and edgy, raw energy. It’s early hip-hop done well. The sampling, scratching, and “hyping” are amazing. They combine hip-hop and rock in a way that definitely helped define the early rap-rock and later nu-metal sound, surely inspired bands like Rage Against the Machine and Limp Bizkit. The Beastie Boys were also rooted in punk rock, they rapped, played instruments, and carried that loud, angry, rebellious, anti-establishment attitude. I love the rock samples. “Rhymin & Stealin” uses the intro drum beat of “When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin, the main riff of “Sweet Leaf” by Black Sabbath, and “I Fought the Law” by The Clash. “She’s Crafty” uses Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” guitar riff. “Slow Ride” samples the main groove of “Low Rider” by War and bits of “Take the Money and Run” by Steve Miller Band. “Fight for Your Right” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” both feature actual guitar parts performed by Slayer’s Kerry King. “Time to Get Ill” samples Led Zeppelin’s “Custard Pie” and CCR’s “Down on the Corner.” Overall, for that point in time they achieved the perfect mixture of rock and rap/hip-hop. Even after all these years, the album holds up not just as a nostalgic piece of ‘80s culture but as an influential record that helped shape mainstream hip-hop. My favourite songs are Rhymin & Stealin, She's Crafty, Slow Ride, Fight For Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Paul Revere, Brass Monkey, and Time To Get III.
I’ve always enjoyed Beastie Boys in small doses, and I always tend to lose patience with this one as soon as I hit Brass Monkey. It’d probably get 5/5 for me if it ended there.
say what you will but the beastie boys are always a good time. licensed to jam the fuck out!!
The rapping is a bit dated, but holy shit this albums goes hard af. Strong 8/10.
Love the way they incorporated sounds from rock and roll into their rap. Really like this album.
Still as Good now as then
I get that this is not for everypne, but the rhyme & rythem can't fail to get your head nodding along
ALL I REALLY WANT IS GIRLS
There is so much energy to this music!! Part of that is the killer use of sampling but there's also just a fun, youthful vibe to the songs that is missing from a lot of modern rap. Also, the guitar solo on No Sleep Til Brooklyn is fucking sick.
I felt like this was a very strong debut album from the Beastie Boys! They have such an iconic rap/hip hop style and sound that when you hear a song by them you immediately know who it is. This had some of their best songs and I had a great time listening to this album. Overall, I enjoyed this album listen and I would jam to this again in the future!
What's a big clue that you're listening to a satirical song? Usually its something over the top in nature or bizarre that makes you question what you're listening to. Fight For Your Right is claimed to be a satirical song. If you pair It with the music video, you'd have a case. I'm listening to the song though. Nothing in Fight For Your Right is over the top enough for my brain to question if this is serious or not. All the stuff that they say is par for the course for the frat boy culture they are supposedly skewering. If you're telling me they have a sarcastic delivery in which they rap. Have you heard the Beasties Boys before? Their flows sound sarcastic. In Nirvana's In Bloom, the over the top line is "Shoot his Guns" and there's a subtle sarcasm in his voice. Thats how satire or poking fun at oblivious people is done right. To me Fight For Your Right sounds like a Breakfast Club Era defiance song fighting for the -um-well- right to party!? All this being said: Great song, Bad satire. Enough about one song. I love the Beastie Boys. Their old school, fun, playful & often times pervy flow is so much fun to listen to. Their rock/punk savyness with their hip hop styles just gives it a well rounded sound. Love the samples from Zep to Mr. ED. I don't recall all the gun talk from when I listened to the album in my youth. Seems like a poser move. Great album 4.5 One last thing. During the background harmonies on Girls, It sounds like they are going to crack up at any moment. Oh and I just wanted to mention the Castle of White! White Castle!
6.5
some heavy hip-hop, went hard
Great drinking music
It's the Beastie Boys in the 80s.
Foundational hip-hop record that’s received more than enough of its flowers. That being said, I feel like people nowadays don’t mention enough how groundbreaking the production on this project is. While still sample heavy like their peers of the time, some truly inventive production choices on tracks like The New Style (the last third of the track really stands the test of time & Travis Scott’s interpolation of it on Astroworld is real life proof) or Paul Revere really shows how different they were looking at the genre at the time. ESPECIALLY as an East Coast rap group. The main thing that holds this project back are some of the corny or outright poorly aged lyrics (underage girls like on The New Style is so so bad). Outside of that though, it’s a great record that continues to influence the genre to this day.
This was peak Beastie Boys until the album with So Whatcha Want came out. Then the real Beastie Boys showed their face. Still, it’s good and worth a listen. Choice cut: Girls
This rap I can enjoy now but that wasn't so when it debuted. Clever lyrics. White Castle referenced several times; why? Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Slow Ride, Fight For Your Right, Brass Monkey, She's Crafty, Slow and Low ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Really liked it
I didn't know Beastie Boys rapped about pirates. 🦜Already knew some of the songs. Fantastic debut album. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): She's Crafty, Fight For Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Brass Monkey ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Really liked it. Saved a bunch of tracks.
What a beat wow rap rock certainly had its time. Lots of anger and passion and fun. An experience I liked
i think it’s a little lame that people (including the beasties themselves) have created a revisionist history that overstates the level of satire involved in this record at its inception. obviously it’s very very silly and stupid but i don’t actually think it’s as much of a parody as people want it to be in order to justify the egregious misogyny and general grossness. of course it’s much easier to write it off now knowing how much they’ve disavowed the attitudes since. but let’s not pretend it’s deeper than it actually is… THAT SAID, unfortunately my favorite songs on here are also the most offensive ones. whoops! ‘brass monkey’ goes so hard beat-wise and ‘girls’ makes me laugh in spite of myself. you can already see how inventive they were with their sampling and breadth of references, but also how so much of their creative output was motivated primarily by making each other laugh, an approach that i think has yielded some of the best works in hip-hop history (see: de la soul, tribe). KICK IT! fav tracks: hold it now hit it; she’s crafty; brass monkey; no sleep til brooklyn
Good
Right length and pace for a good gym session! Crosses over from the hip hop world & doesn't dare Lots of fun A four out of five
Bell’album hip hop. Belli i sample utilizzati, soprattutto the ocean dei led zeppelin in she’s crafty. Poi vabbè fight for you right e no sleep til brooklyn pezzoni
4/5
pretty good.
Classic album. This got a ton of rotations while I was in college and that was the 2010s, I wish I had been that age when this came out. Phenomenal blend of rock and hip hop. Even songs like Girls, which I feel is one of the weaker songs, has a great groove. Love this album but not sure I can call it a 5.
Ah, dumb youth. This album was so fun when I was 13 years old and it still takes me back there. But I am glad the Beasties grew up while I was growing up - I literally cringe at some of these lyrics listening today. These guys were old enough to know better, but of course it was a different time. Musically, it is so simple (especially compared to where they later went,) but so catchy. I struggled with how to rate this. I really do love it and like Rio (Duran Duran) yesterday it is a genuine classic album, but I would definitely place it a rung below Ill Communication, which I rated a 4. I'm trying not to let that rating control what I give everything else, and it is tough to be consistent when you only have a 5-point scale, so I am giving this one a 4 as well. But I think an argument could be made for a 3 or a 5.
Not as good as their later works but still great if you don't take the lyrics too seriously.
Awesome album
Beastie Boys are synonymous with fun. This album harkens back to a time where we all didn’t take ourselves so seriously. Are there some insensitive, stupid things on the album? Absolutely. There’s also creativity, ingenuity, and frivolity. I love the humor throughout the album, especially the closing track with the Mister Ed sample. The samples are skillfully interwoven throughout each track. Girls through Paul Revere is such a solid four-track run. While I love all the Beastie Boys, there’s just something about the whiny, high-pitched flow of Ad-Rock that scratches an itch in my soul. It’s refreshing today to go back and listen to 80s rap with mixing, scratching, and deep bass. No Sleep Till Brooklyn remains my all-time favorite Beastie Boys song.
This is a very good early rap album. "The New Style" feels like it could have been written in the modern day with how many gangsta rap cliches it incorporates. The rest of the album continues in this vein, sending up frat bro and party culture. However, the vocal stylings were decidedly not great. Each Beastie only seems to have one voice that they use consistently throughout the record, and the interplay tends to follow a specific pattern.
4.5/5 Groundbreaking at the time, and still manages to sound innovative. I was never huge into beastie boys when they were putting out records, but credit where credit is due - this is a killer album.
Good
Of the monster selling albums of 1987, perhaps the greatest year for albums ever - Joshua Tree, Slippery When Wet, Hysteria, Whitney, Dirty Dancing, etc - this one was never really on my radar. Because I didn't work at a gas station while I also attended high school. And I'm a f'ing romantic. But even still the videos for No Sleep and Fight For Your Right did bust into my suburban home just as they were intended. In retrospect I realize this was probably even worse than the nay-sayers warned and also that we all should have chilled out. That said, I'm good on the Beastie Boys for a while.
7th or 8th grade school dance, 1986/7 or so, Staten Island, NY... Girls on one side of the room, boys on the other. So awkward. My crush over there with her curly blond hair, sparkly eyes, and braces. Yes, a lot of very big hair, some Z Cavaricci pants (not on me), gold chains (on boys), "colorful" attire," etc. Yeah, it's like an episode of the Goldbergs. Also, like an episode of the Goldbergs, there's LOTS of Beastie Boys. I remember the whole room breaking out and shouting the chorus of "Fight For Your Right." Are you unsure of what right we were fighting for? Listen to this album and realize how revolutionary it was for its time. Gen X in the house. Yeah, rap was a thing already (kids, that's what we used to call proto hiphop), and rock of course, but these guys were one of the pioneers of merging the 2 genres. Kind of the OG white rock/rappers. So many good songs on this album that I love now in a nostalgic way, but also hated back in those days when I too busy listening to Van Halen and Def Leppard (sic). I only managed to get my "learners permit to ill." Other than the prodigious use of samples, the guitar playing is, uh, artistically outside the box of traditional rock guitar... Yeah, instrumental virtuosity was not a hallmark of their sound. But if you do find yourself in the company of someone old like me, just mention "no sleep" or "fighting for rights" or anything "brass" or "monkey" related, and you will likely get a retort straight off this album.
I remember when this album came out. I was in 6th grade, I think and Fight For Your Right was everywhere. I guess by that point I’d heard some rap, but this was kind of heavy metal mixed with rap? It was just weird, but loud and catchy. Plus, it was white dudes doing rap? White dudes that used to be a hardcore punk band? Though I didn’t find that out until much later, probably when I heard Gratitude. “These guys play instruments?” Today, Licensed To Ill sounds very basic, at least for how far hip-hop has come/ Though, I kind of think hip-hop has actually regressed today to a simpler style than even used on Licensed To Ill. But I digress. License To Ill now sounds like what it was supposed to be, as I'm older and hopefully smarter. It's a parody, an over the top rap album by morons. Unfortunately, as with most satire or parody, a lot of the Beastie Boys’ fans didn’t realize it. They were creating an army of frat boy losers who took them seriously. Don’t forget, people, as a rule, are dumb. Again, I digress. As a 12-year-old kid hearing this, I didin’t know if I liked it or not. It was music kind of. It was other people’s music kind of thrown together over a beat, with, at that time, pretty middling rapping. It wasn’t until the Beastie Boys broke away from Def-Jam, the label that paid them, and toned down the frat boy mentality, that they became some of the best MCs in rap. However, this is a very fun record. These songs will make you smile, like Girls, No Sleep Til Brooklyn and Brass Monkey. Just great party music. I didn’t even realize it until I was sitting at work with a smile on my face and I was chair dancing at my desk. Plus the groove for Paul Revere goes hard. As for this being a must hear album before you die? I’d say it is. It was the biggest thing in music the year it came out. I mean, they toured with Madonna on her Virgin Tour. Though that little partnership ended as you would expect. You also get to hear early Rick Rubin production. Rubin, of course, would go on to produce at least one of your favorite albums. My favorite Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ album is Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik, which was Rubin. If you’re a youngster who has never experienced the Beastie Boys, I know this album will sound crude to your ears, but after listening to this last night, it spurred me on to listen to their follow-up, Paul’s Boutique, which is probably my favorite Beastie record. The further you go down their discography, you notice how they matured and grew from frat boys to wise old dudes that still knew how to make goofy, yet well-crafted bars, as the kids say.
This is what I expect the beastie boys yo sound like. It had all of the songs I know from listening to them in high-school. I enjoyed Paul's boutique much more
Really good.
Still a fun album. I always love the Beasties' use of heavy guitar riffs in their tracks, which along with other attributes probably explains why this was the first rap album to really break into the mainstream. Not to take away from their (or others') craft, this album is a banger. High energy, fun loops, clever lyrics, this is pure Beasties.
What a debut... It's a 4/5, because it was followed by Paul's Boutique and Ill Communication. Were it the only Beastie Boys album, it would've been a 5/5
I honestly have mixed feelings on this. You can’t deny its greatness. However, there is a lot of content here that I feel didn’t age well. The Beastie Boys are not in “gangsta”. For example, in some of the songs they rap about robbing people, shooting people, etc., and that and that just isn’t them. But the beats are fire. The flow is fire. Everything about this album is great except just some of the content seems disingenuous and didn’t age well.
Maybe not as good as their two next albums, but still a gooood time. Almost a 5 for me
It's fun, for the time, definitely a different sound. Don't think the shoe fits if you know what I mean. Would I listen to the full album again? No. Are there some songs I will keep in rotation for the rest of my life? Most certainly.
Gah they are so good!
This was cool and that when it came out. I made a copy from someone's record. Their voices were, and remain, irritating on this album so 4 out of 5.
8/10 - awesome rock hip hop
Love the songs!!! No Sleep Til Brooklyn is still my favorite.
A classic
it’s not their fault but I’ve never been a fan
8/10
In your face and unapologetically creative. The variety of samples used in the songs were a lot of fun, and the more original songs maintain the same levels of creativity and energy. Only real criticism is a lot of the lyrical delivery is very identical from song to song, but that isn't a huge detractors when the album itself is a very fun listen overall. Top tracks: No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Paul Revere, Brass Monkey
Mostly banger classics.
Very familiar with this one. Great!
This album, more so than any of the Boys’ others, most nakedly demonstrates that which is central to the massive and enduring appeal of the Beastie Boys. More than the infectious buoyancy of the beats, the crossover charisma, or the ineffable fuck yeah-able nature of the swagger … it’s that playing out of the common fantasy of having two friends pop up out of nowhere to add emphasis to your every tenth word that most ardently anchors the Beastie Boys’ success. Sure enough: on this record, haven’t you heard – that’s exactly what OCCURS. I love Beastie Boys. They’re the sort of contradictions that makes perfect sense; playful artists, serious jokers, stupid geniuses. Here they’re the scuzzy hardcore kids who took up hip hop only really quite shortly before being invited to open for Madonna on her Virgin Tour – spouting brackish juvenilia to a presumably very confused audience of teens. There’s plenty on this record that, really, sounds itself like the product of confused teens, but I guess that’s for good reason. Here we also have “Fight for your right”, “No sleep…” and (personal favourite since a drive to Margaret River 15 years ago; renewed in my affections thanks to some tight popping and locking by D&T before bedtime) “Brass Monkey”. Songs that subvert expectation; ideas that appear above their STATION. That’s the brilliance of the Beastie Boys – they made it look easy and in doing so made it feel accessible. The fantasy of friends lending emphasis, maybe not so stupid an idea after all.
An obvious classic. Music for 13 year old boys, for sure.
This is just a lot of fun, the beats are crispy and the rhymes are plenty. I love the production on this, it’s a cracking debut, and more than warrants its place on the list.
Some of the beats and rhyme schemes may be a bit dated, but I still think this album holds up. The songs are fun, and the hits are still great. I'll never be annoyed if someone plays the Beastie Boys (hey, that kinda rhymed!). 4/5
Angsty white boy music. Love the experimental sound and the mix of guitar and rap.
It's very brash and funky and unorthodox, yet by the first track I'm already intrigued. Even though the lyrics are quite immature and corny, in a way it’s radiating angsty white boy vibe is quite enjoyable.
I’ve always loved the Beastie Boys, and this is them at their finest. She’s Crafty, Girls, Fight for your Right, & No Sleep til Brooklyn have been staples for decades
It’s kind of incredible this album came out in 1986. I’m not sure if the Beastie Boys are the weirdest dudes ever, or if they are truly just musical geniuses. Either way, this is a unique song and I’m glad this music exists. Best Track: Slow Ride
Classic.
Really enjoyable. Loved the sweet leaf guitar riff inclusion.
Very happy seeing this pop up on a miserable Monday morning. Some great tracks, feels fresh still. Loved it for a long time, and always will
It’s a very fun album. It’s really obvious that the boys had a lot of fun writing and recording these songs, and I had a lot of fun listening. I was pretty surprised by the Led Zeppelin samples in multiple songs, and the line about Jimmy Page caught me extremely off guard. 4/5
This one has an unfair advantage. I had this album and listened to it thousands of times, it's ingrained in my brained
Funky beats. Some Nu-metal esque songs. Lyrics that aged like fine milk. Good stuff
Can't hate on a classic (well, I can, but not this one). This album was everywhere during my youth - cool older cousins, art teachers, even my damn parents liked the Beastie Boys. Still holds up today. Some real gems on this one.
There’s something almost genius to how stupidly fun this is
Listened to before: Yes While, I prefer the sample-heavy sound of Paul's Boutique over the dry, minimalist sound of LTI, the Beastie Boys are the Beastie Boys. So: Entertaining, unique and powerful
Rap and rock is a phenomenal mixture, wish more people did it
Any album that can mention Abe Vigoda still stands up. Was phenomenal when it came out, and it still is.
I remember when this came out, I thought “who are these hooligans, and why do I like them so much?”
This is an absolute hip-hop classic, I mean this was the first rap LP to top Billboard: it's a vital piece of hip-hop history. The synergy between Ad-Rock MCA and Mike D is infectious and thrilling, and Rick Rubin's production is just sick: a lot of the rock in the band's DNA comes out in his sampling on here. And a lot of these songs hit, and when they hit, they hit hard: Rhymin & Stealin, The New Style, Posse In Effect, Time To Get Ill and more have un-fucking-believable beats. We also have an example of prime early hip hop storytelling on Paul Revere. And the bigger singles here largely hit too. For one, Brass Monkey is incredibly funky. And there's also the rock songs here: Fight For Your Right, and No Sleep Till Brooklyn. I love no sleep, the flow is sick, and it has the better Kerry King solo. Honestly, I like Fight For Your Right, but I could kind of take or leave it, it feels a little played out to me. And there are a couple others that don't quite do it for me as well. She's Crafty is also not bad, but again, I could take it or leave it. Slow Ride's sampling can be a little annoying if I'm in the wrong mood. And Girls is the only song that I think is more or less bad: I realize it's a joke, but God this song's obnoxious. Also, there are a bunch of lyrics here that have aged pretty badly that The Beastie Boys have distanced themselves from. Basically, this is a really great album, but there's definitely a little growing room. And they did grow into it: The Beastie Boys have a good few albums that I prefer to this one. But I did really like this, and I don't want to understate its impact.
Very cool! I haven’t listened to a lot of their 80’s songs.
To me, this album is peak spirit of adolescent boys. It's fun, loud, and rowdy. Great to listen to while in the gym. Love the storytelling in the songs, and the way samples and motifs weave throughout the album.
I may possibly already like all the Beastie Boys songs I'm ever going to like, but it was a fun listen and it has a couple of bangers on it, of course.
I used to listen to this with my dad a lot growing up. Lots of nostalgia associated with this one for sure. compared to much of the rap I listen to today I've kind of forgotten how bare and basic the instrumentals were on a lot of these 90's rap albums, definitely makes it easier to focus specifically on the lyrics. Really enjoyed my re-listen and I think this is one that is timeless.
definitely singular
Still sounds fresh nearly 40 years later
girls
AND THE FORTY THIEVES
certainly a classic, but kind of a one-off novelty great production paired with vocals that feel a-dime-a-dozen when every performer sounds the same and uses the same flow but I enjoyed it for the sake of nostalgia as this is my dad’s favorite rap album, so naturally I grew up with it too - 7/10
Kick it!
Irresistible urge to boot Mothball in the head during this one 🦶 A few classics on here, No Sleep Til Brooklyn still a favourite.The sample flip on Slow Ride 🙌 RIP MCA
Really good album. It too me back to the 80’s.
Feels like a greatest hits album.
Brought back old memories I give it a 7.6 Some great songs
7/10 Favorites: Rhymin & Stealin No Sleep Till Brooklyn
Still so singular, instantly recognisable and rather addictive. Makes you want to walk around the house yelling and repeating everything. Just fun and energetic!
Not something I want to listen to every day, but once in a while it Hits
Rating: 7.5/10 Even after almost 40 years some songs sound modern with a potential of a replay value and that is impressive. Loved the energy and the style but the production is still outdated for today's standards which of course isnt their fault for its time best songs are she's crafty,girls,fight for your right.
Big respect to the boys! Some of the references are very funny these days.
3.5 I think, I appreciate the LZ samples but a couple of these listen like Lonely Island tracks
I love the Beastie Boys, but I prefer the later stuff. However, this album contains some of the best, most iconic Beastie Boys. Most of it has an amateur sound. Overall, a great album with fresh sound, but needs some fine tuning to get a perfect rating.
Classic album. Not their best, but the perfect intro at the perfect time.
Solid early 90s breaker album
Fun listen. Defo belongs on this list. Doesn't hit like it did in HS but then I'm not 16 anymore
Not my favorite Beastie Boys album, but arguably their most important. In 1986, hip-hop was still a predominantly black urban artform. This album changed all that. It's not the greatest hip-hop album of all time or maybe even of it's time, but I think it helped hip-hop reach an audience it may not have otherwise. There were countless white suburban kids like myself who probably would've never given rap much of a shot prior to this album. The Beastie Boys did with rap what Elvis did with R&B in the 50s. That's not to say this album doesn't have merits. I think there's some innovative structures compared to other hip-hop albums of the time ("The New Style" does this really well), the flow is pretty good for the era, and I think Rick Rubin does a good job of mixing his mostly classic rock samples with 808 beats and some actual instrumentation courtesy of himself and Slayer's Kerry King. Standouts for me are "Rhymin' & Stealin'", "The New Style", "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn", and "Fight for Your RIght". 4.5 stars.
Fantastic album. I have of course heard a few songs, but listening g from start to end is awesome
This isn't even their best album. Licensed to Ill with room to grow.
I clearly hadn’t heard enough of the Beastie Boys before today. Good music to keep me moving while I clean!
Favourites: Rhymin' & Stealin'; The New Style; Slow Ride; Girls; Fight for Your Right; Paul Revere; Hold It Now, Hit It; Slow and Low, Time to Get Ill
Overall: 8/10 These boys were so much fun. I would say that this album hasn't aged as well as their other albums, but it doesn't stop me from having a good time. It's an incredibly influential album and there's a lot of cool samples that keep the songs interesting. MCA was one of the coolest dudes ever and he's always been the member that I gravitate towards when listening to these guys. They made better music after this but it's still so good. Fav Song: Brass Monkey Least Fav Song: Girls
Awesome
Okay, I kinda said this already on Ill Communication, but it's kind of a big ask for me to like the Beastie Boys. As influential as they were, they just don't really click with me overall. That said, this has "Fight For Your Right," and "No Sleep Till Brooklyn," which even I can't deny are bangers. For that, and that alone, I might give this a 4/5.
I've generated Paul's Boutique and Ill Communication in that order and gave them both 5s. Beastie Boys have so many hits and I know them all well, but I'd never heard a full album until this project. I've always loved their songs but I never anticipated I would love these albums as much as I do. It's probabaly because I'm a sucker for great sample art. It's like it's own musical instrument and skill in its own right, at least in the hands of artists like Beastie Boys. And I never knew much about their history in the sampling world until this project. With PB and IC, I ended up loving the songs I didn't already know. There was a lot to discover. With this one, the hits are still the standouts. But those five songs are great and the others are all good. Rhymin and Stealin is my favorite of the ones I hadn't heard before, but She's Crafty is still my favorite overall of those I did know. That Zeppelin sample is sick. Of course they'd need permission for it today, but I'm glad the song exists as it is.
You can't say that, man
3-4
Cool. The drums sound like they're in my head.
I love this one. My fav beastie boys album
Got really into this one! Not sure I've ever really intentionally listened to the Beastie Boys but dang they popped off with this one
Álbum absolutamente duro para ser debut. Sin embargo, creo que falla como todo en los Beastie: llega a ser infantil. Canciones que no guardé: The new style She’s crafty Girls Paul reserve Brass monkey Nota: 4/5
Que pedazo de disco para un grupo de amigos que partieron como una banda de punk Juvenil, gracioso, sin nada que perder y sin pelos en la lengua El mejor comienzo posible para la banda que llegaron a ser, un debut con temas tan memorables y one liners perfectos son dignos de un legado espectacular
4 and 3 and 2 and 1… what up… when I’m on the mic, the suckas run…
so fun to listen to honestly
I've been listening to Joey Valence & Brae, and now I can see that they must be pretty influenced by the Beastie Boys, they've got the same vibe. I don't think all their songs have aged super well, but I guess they're hip hop essentials.
Fun album. Beastie Boys are a lot to handle consistently.
This album really does hold up after all this time. The metal samples behind the hip hop beats and rapping really still get you amped up.
Kind of dumb but lots of fun. They matured later but this is still an enjoyable listen despite some iffy lyrics.
A lot of albums lull in the middle after a strong start, but this one builds up to increasingly great tracks. It’s got all the songs I think of with the Beastie Boys (No Sleep Til Brooklyn, Girls, Brass Monkey, Fight For Your Right). It’s fun and has great sampling
Didn’t think k much of the album when it came out but the album and the Beastie Boys have grown on me over the years. Really too many standouts to mention.
Such a fun album. Their sound on this album is iconic
Om jag skulle bli tvingad att lyssna på sådan här musik resten av livet så skulle den här plattan vara en kandidat att alltid spelas på skivtallriken.
My sister had this album when I was a kid, so I've heard it a bunch of times and always enjoyed it. Some of these songs (Girls, Brass Monkey, Fight For Your Right) are in my normal music rotation, but the rest were mostly fresh for me, although somewhat familiar from listens many years ago. All of them were good, no skips. I enjoyed all of the sampling -- multiple Zeppelin samples, one from Lowrider (or maybe that was an interpolation?), but yeah, good stuff. Flow was typical Beastie style -- no longer cutting edge, but still fun and raucous and I enjoyed listening and did so twice in a row. Four stars.
Certified classic
This is as punk as it gets - say what’s on your mind (or between your legs) and don’t try to be more than you are. I think these are their best samples and some of their best music. “Fight for your Right” was the breakout song here, but it’s certainly not the best nor the one with the most staying power. I really enjoyed this musically and rhythmically, if not always lyrically.
YAAAYYYY!!!!!!!
Some of the best from the Beasty Boys.
Decent with some fun tracks. Definitely should keep these guys' heads in some jars for over 1000 years to let them keep partying. 4/5
Cool
Lemppari: She’s Crafty
I’ve never been the biggest fan of the early beastie boys stuff, but actually concentrating and listening to the album, I enjoyed it more than I expected. Still, there are some dumb songs on here.
It was surprisingly nice for a rap album and I really enjoyed how they blend rock to rap so well. I really enjoyed the beat but sometimes the rap seemed repetitive. . It would be a 3.5 out of 5, but I am giving it a 4
The whole album is a fun delight.
Blast from the past. Such an identifiable sound and style. I dig it, but I totally get why they didn't make a bigger impression or have a longer lasting effect on music. They definitely stuck in the pop culture zeitgeist, though.
Can't beat a bit of Beastie Boys, memorable lyrics, that mixture of hip hop and heavy distorted guitar. Rhymin & Stealin is a fantastic opener for this album, dirty riffs, solid flow, tight drums and even a sample from I Fought The Law by The Clash, what's not to love. The albums stays pretty consistent from there, outstanding tracks including Fight for Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn and She Crafty, perfect the Beastie Boys formula. Solid and incredibly fun album - MTW 4/5 Another band with some minor emotional attachment (Thanks Mr Adam Reamswood). The consistent solidness of the album is a bit of a surprise considering the lead single was Fight for Your Right (The FRAT boy national anthem). It is by no means a perfect album, there is some solid misogyny and female degradation (my favourite), but not massively unexpected from 80's hip-hop (or any hip hop for that matter). It is not my favourite Beastie Boys album by any means, (Hello Nasty), and I do fear upon listening to it properly it could potentially be 'rap' music for snotty unbearable white men in the 80's, following the trend of the time. Listening back to it now, Licensed To Ill still has some good songs—“No Sleep Till Brooklyn” may rank among my favourite Beasties tracks, and, surprisingly, the rock-forward approach to rap doesn’t sound as naff as it could. It's an okay album, not their best by any means but always an enjoyable listen. 3/5 - HF Another record with a great opener. There are so many LPs out there that don’t start strong - which unless you’re building up to something in some narrative format (an overture or something similar) - is indefensible. It sets the tone lyrically and musically (iconic record scratches and references to tickle your bollocks from the off). I was confused by Californication’s inclusion in ‘1001 Albums to Listen to Before you Die’, and records like this are why. This is important, influential and one of the more impressive debuts we’re likely to find on here. While it is a snapshot in time in the world of hip-hop, this is something everyone should listen to to appreciate what came before and what paved the way. It also makes me want to skateboard. ‘She’s Crafty’ has one of my all time favourite (and simple) samples of all time using Led Zeppelin’s ‘The Ocean’ (Zeppelin’s best recording that they wrote themselves) and ‘Slow Ride’ has some of my favourite straight-forward lyrics of all time (like trying to kill a guy, failing and simply drinking a beer afterwards). Aaaand ‘No Sleep Til Brooklyn’ is one of my all time favourite hip-hop tracks. So all-in-all a great experience as expected. Probably the best record we’ve had so far. Thanks beast bois. JF 4.2/5
Yo Leroy! The novelty of this has long worn off since I first heard this on a youth group ski trip, but still love “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.”
Iconic album art and album as a whole, but one that I never listened to before. It was a fun listen and I liked the samples (the When The Levee Breaks drums opening up the album are awesome), but I think there are definitely better hiphop albums on here. Fight For Your Right is an awesome song of course.
Great start of a phenomenal group
Let's do the Boys again! Jews from New York be spitting BARS. Girls --> Fight For Your Right --> No Sleep This is a goated fucking run right here. On a debut record they just pump these three right fucking together. Some truly iconic shit. Hold it now, HIT IT is a banger. Still hate Brass Monkey, have for decades. Album rocks.
--Rhymin & Stealin...nice opener --The New Style...hell yeah --She's Crafty...great sample great track --Posse in Effect...seems pretty generic for the era --Slow Ride...I love the sampling. Fun and groovy --Girls...uh, no comment --Fight for Your Right...this may have been funny/awesome at the time but now it's just kind of cute --No Sleep Till Brooklyn...running full speed with Run-DMC's baton --Paul Revere...going quiet for this one but it's really effective --Hold It Now, Hit It...liking not loving --Brass Monkey...just plain fun --Slow and Low...we're at the point where tracks are starting to sound the same. But that's actually a good thing for this album --Time to Get Ill...ends on an absolute banger. Should have done the same for Ill Communication
A really fun album that is also pretty historically important, being as far as I understand it the first significant record to combine hip hop and rock. A couple of weaker songs but overall a great listen.
40 years later this remains an astounding, if at times problematic, piece of work.
Great
A classic.
Yas
Initially, thought I'd get past the old-school flows due to the whole frat bro rapping angle, and the magic never fully wore off, but couldn't always suspend the disbelief. Not to say that I dislike that style of rapping, but like all the old school hip hop records I've had previously, it's just not what I'm looking for in hip hop. That said, there are still some absolutely bangers on this record like No Sleep Till Brooklyn and Fight For Your Right. Additionally, the sample work on this record is top notch, and its insane how they did this back in 1986 and yet artists today struggle to do anything more than the absolute bare minimum of rapping over the original track unchanged. Still gets a 4 though because the musical ideas on this thing are still miles ahead of a lot of hip hop records today.
Abe Vigoda and Phyllis Dillard teamed up for an ‘answer’ album but it was never released due to their heavy drug use and fallout from their wildly sexual affair. I’ve loved LtI since the first notes exploded in my ears in 1986. I didn’t know you could do that with music! The yelling is a little grating to my mid-50s ears now, but it still whips ass. Beasties are unmatched.
paar goeie songs... paar minder goed... maar mss wel hun beste plaat
raprock mi idolo
This is so sick
A classic.
Something about beastie boys really locks me in. I can focus like I’m on the drug from limitless when I listen to them, fire album but an acquired taste for sure. All the Led Zeppelin/War/Steve miller band samples itched my brain in the best way 7.3/10
Cool music, some of it hasn’t aged well, I certainly didn’t appreciate it at the time.
It was a different time back in the day! As exuberant as can be, a snapshot of the naivety and arrogance of youth. Swaggering, funny and punk in energy. Some great samples. Not my fave Beasties but you should hear it before you die, can’t argue that
RapRock muy bueno ya lo conocía y es buen disco pionero de lo suyo
Juvenile but extremely socially relevant. I like some of these tracks quite a bit even if this is not for me. But this record is one of those records that everyone knows.
Clásico de Rap gringo blanco.
No Sleep to Brooklyn and Fight For Your Right ruin it a bit for me, since the other songs are great. Brings back memories of junior high for me. Also partying in TJ while in college as a lot of these were nightclub staples.
Beastie boys bändissä yhdistyy moni hyvä genre. Herrat ovat osanneet ottaa kantaa suoraviivaisella asenteella ja musisoinnilla, joka on jäänyt historiaan.
3.5. There were some straight bangers, and there was some cringey mess. Overall, I actually think Paul’s Boutique was a better album. I never realized just how much classic rock was used for samples in Beastie Boys early work. I think I’ll give it a 4, but it’s just barely.
This was pretty good, if a little rough, but it's the beginning! Busted!
Herlig alvun, om enn litt utgått på dato på et par spor (Girls).
I like the Beastie Boys, and as a debut that helped originate the mix of rap and rock this is oretty solid. Of course I feel like I am at an 80's house party with this and that is always a good time. But the personas of the Boys on this one is very-outdated, definitely obnoxious, and they were wise to distance themselves from it as they kept going.
Fun and annoying(?) in a good way
Not the best Beastie Boys but definitely has some of their strongest…songs
Might be nostalgia goggles talking, but this still hits for me
This album is a bunch of dudes having fun and being unserious; it has an infectious feeling of carefreeness and jovialness. I love listening to music when you can tell that the people singing are having a good time, passion always makes things sound better. I am also heavily biased on this album, being that it will always remind me of my husband, Ethan. When I hear songs like She's Crafty or Brass Monkey, my mind immediately cuts to him. For both of these songs, I couldn't help but smile as I listened because of how much fun they were. I was obsessed with the subtle guitar riff in She's Crafty, I've never picked up on it before. While this isn't my style of music, I have a deep appreciation for this album! I love imagining that the sound of this album encouraged boys to misbehave in the 80's, what a time to be alive!
8/10 Licensed To Ill has always been one of the records I’ve wanted to listen to. With Eminem’s call back on Kamikaze, it’s been apparent that this album is a classic and has plenty of impact. Going into the album, it’s a fun bounce with plenty of raw rock rap tracks that feel passionate. I’d love to give this album 5 stars, I think I may need more time with it though. I have small nitpicks as some of the name dropping can get repetitive at times and I haven’t fully fell in love with the production. But all the boys did a great job. Favorite Tracks: Paul Revere, Brass Monkey, Rhymin and Stealin
Mazing’ album
Quite cool
Listens: 2 Standout tracks: No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Girls, Fight For Your Right I want to like the Beastie Boys more than I do. This album is important for a number of reasons: the foundation they laid for other rap and hip-hop bands, the amount they get sampled, their music's popularity in other entertainment mediums and pop culture, in popularizing the rap-rock genre along with Run DMC. It's crazy how influential they are. And yet, I need to be in a really particular mood to listen to them. There's a lot of shouting and yelling. Everything is amped up to. 11. It's high fucking energy. Energy I want to have, but don't. Also, Girls is really sexist. It's comical how much this wouldn't fly nowadays. This album gets a 4, despite the fact that I don't listen to often at all and probably won't be adding it to my library and rotation. It's such an important piece of work in the genre.
theres like two or three different death grips samples on here thats so cool loved the first half, not so much the rest but its still pretty good.
Look, I was planning on docking this down. It's immature in both a puerile and a "look at me I'm a very naughty boy in high school having a party and sneaking alcohol in the bathroom" while I am almost 40 listening to this shit. But you know what? It's high energy. The hits are still fun. And even if my fighting for my right to stay up past 11 to party is in an entirely different form, it's hard to argue that the songs here are infectious, loud, and full-throttle.
Another great one from Beastie Boys. So many bangers. It's intense compared to some of their work in a cool way.
Although this is a classic album, there isn't really a lot to discuss about it. I love the Beastie Boys as a group and they have such a unique style of rock hip hop, but that's pretty much all they have going for them. After a while, all their songs start to mix into one, with the focus being more on the beats and the instrumental rather than what these guys are actually saying in their raps. Even though it is a very valid criticism of their music, I really enjoy their sound. I've mentioned before that I do not like rap music in the slightest and I have never fully been able to get into it, but I will always be able to vibe to the Beastie Boys, just because I find their music to be so uplifting and upbeat that I really don't care if the music isn't of the highest quality. These guys just have unmatched chemistry, and that is so evident in their music. For me, that is the main aspect that creates their upbeat style and vibe. Although they all have such similar flows, they each bring something different to the tracks. Although their lyrics are probably the aspect of songwriting that is 'least important' in their music, they take on an almost careless aspect, which is just so fitting for these guys, with the lyrics being presented in such a raw way. In fact, I think everything has such a gritty sound to it, which just enhances how much the lyrics reflect the personalities of the boys. I know this is a major criticism of the album, but their use of sampling I love. For the most part, it is so blatant and I think that it is such a significant creative aspect of the album. Even though they are the most random samples I have ever heard in my life, they fit the music so well. It is so impressive considering how restrictive the genre as a whole is, but these guys do such a good job of pushing the boundaries of rock-rap music. (they do also get bonus brownie points for Ad-Rock marrying Kathleen Hanna, bc i just love her so so much)
Using Zeppelin samples and guitar licks, the Beastie boys first official album is carefully crafted and catchy. They would take sampling to another level with Paul’s Boutique, their next album which sold a lot less, but is considered a classic and also is the precursor to sample copyright laws.
Yeah, I must admit the 14 year old boy in me loves this album. Yep the lyrics and attitudes expressed are problematic to mature ears, but this appealed to me during a time when I was just becoming aware of rap and it incorporated music styles and topics I could relate to. Smiled the whole time this album was playing. I enjoyed it with a mix of nostalgia and self-awareness. The album wasn’t trying to be deep—it was trying to shake things up, have a good time, and flip the bird at anyone who took music (or themselves) too seriously. And it worked.
Despite its short length, there are a few songs that just seem to go on too long. The misogyny is also glaring, it is easy to see why they rarely played many of these songs.
Pretty fire
These guys totally ripped off JVB
My least favorite album of theirs. Lots of yelling, very loud. Doesn't hit as well as others I've heard.
Like the other beastie boys album we have very recently: great energy and sampling. This one maybe a bit more rock influenced. Also special mention to the use of the drums from When the Levee Breaks in the first song.
This is so good. Maybe like one or two that stop it being 5 star
Ya lo había escuchado y tiene temazos pero es un poco random, prefiero Paul's Boutique
Absolute classic. Its fun, its funny, it does things that other rappers couldn't attempt without sounding corny or straight up shit, and it does them well. Favourites - She's Crafty, Fight For Your Right, Brass Monkey
Great album!
It's loud. It's corny. It's so so fun. Great debut.
1. Rhymin & Stealin - 8/10 2. The New Style - 7/10 3. She's Crafty - 8.5/10 4. Posse in Effect - 8/10 5. Slow Ride - 7.8/10 6. Girls - 8.2/10 7. (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) - 7.5/10 8. No Sleep till Brooklyn - 8/10 9. Paul Revere - 5.5/10 10. Hold It Now, Hit It - 6/10 11. Brass Monkey - 8.5/10 12. Slow and Low - 8/10 13. Time to Get Ill - 8/10 8/10
So so so entertaining
Almost a 5 for me, the rock/rap combo is so much fun there are some killer guitar riffs and the guys interlope with each other really well. "No sleep till brooklyn" is an all time favorite of mine, I think maybe a couple tracks just didn't stand out much, but I didn't feel the need to skip anything I had a great time listening
BRASS MONKEY, THAT FUNKY MONKEY
buenisimo
This sold me on the Beastie Boys. I wasn't sure about the other album of theirs I got but this one was just so consistent and solid. I now understand why they're part of this list, good stuff.
delinquent beats
My favorite Beastie Boys album.
808 beats and misogynistic rhymes for days. Yeah the lyrics are goofy and cringey more times than not, but it's still a damn fun album. And I believe the Beasties have more than atoned for their sins in subsequent releases. It's dated and the next few albums are much more interesting and timeless, but License to Ill is still a gas to listen to again after all these years. 4/5 Album 50/1001
The energy they bring alone is enough to get you off the couch. Ignoring the sexism and chauvinism, this album is great. The beats are compelling and the raps are the beastie boys signature yell. You know when you’re listening to the beastie boys and you know they mean it.
Incredibly fun album. I used to hate it because my freshman year college roommate played it (and rapped aling) constantly. Now I can fully appreciate it, from its Zeppelin samples to the 1-2 punch of "Fight for Your Right" to "No Sleep til Brooklyn." I was missing out on a great time.
I've never been too into the Beastie Boys, classic sound, but their garage production audio makes for hard listening. However classic, the sound has aged pretty well.
Not as banging as Ill Communication but you can see the DNA
BRASS MONKEY. THAT FUNKY MONKEY ou queria odiar muito mais do que odiei viu. rap rock mas sem se levar a sério. bem produzido e caótico. os branquelo sabia de algo, de fato
Classic 80s hip hop with a lot of rock influence. I didn't realise this was produced by Rick Rubin. Childish lyrics but kinda funny.
Already know this album but I love it. First half of the album is kind of weird but builds into an amazing second half. Brass Monkey is my personal fav. Maybe Girls.
I seem to remember this being a lot better than it actually was. Having said that, there are some classic tunes here. I love the odd mash-up of hard rock and hip hop - and the mash-up of When The Levee Breaks' drums and Sweet Leaf's guitar on Rhymin & Stealin! Liked Songs Added: Rhymin & Stealin Fight For Your Right No Sleep Till Brooklyn