Ill Communication

Shiiiiiiit. If this gonna be that kinda party, I’m gonna stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.

Sabotage was the biggest rock radio hit of the summer of 1994 Let that sink in...recorded while Kurt Cobain was still alive...the number one rock radio song of the summer... ...was The Beastie Boys. In addition, Root Down, Sure Shot, Get it Together, Flute Loop, Heart Attack Man, Tough Guy...? Look. I was 20. I'm biased.

I consider myself pretty well-versed with the history of hip hop and most of the old records, but this is a side of the Beastie Boys I'd never heard before. I was expecting something more along the lines of "Licensed to Ill" or "Paul's Boutique", but this is something completely different. This isn't a rap album with jazz and funk influences, this is a jazz album with funky raps played over it. When "Sabrosa" came on halfway through, I had to double-check that I was still listening to the same album. Five well-deserved stars here

I've never understood why The Beastie Boys' reputation as the ultimate frat boy party band, forged during the Licence To Ill era, stuck with them throughout their career. They knocked out "the hip hop Sgt. Pepper" in Paul's Boutique and still don't seem to get the credit they deserve as innovators. This album is all over the place in the best possible way. Hip hop to punk via funk and Miles Davis inspired jazz. An absolute classic.

Aujourd'hui, comme chaque jour ouvrable, synonyme de jour de dur labeur, je me dirige vers mon lieu de travail comme à mon habitude, ouvre mon ordinateur, et avant même de consulter mes mails, je me dirige vers mon générateur préferé, mon seul petit plaisir de la journée. Je me hâte de valider ma review de l'album précedent, ainsi que ma note, et laisse les frissons envahirent mon corps alors que j'attends avec excitation le nouvel album que je m'apprête à découvrir. Tout d'un coup, la page s'actualise et me laisse apercevoir de quoi ma journée sera rythmée. Seulement, c'est la stupéfaction: l'inscription "Anniversaire de Robpullvert" vient s'afficher digitalement sous mes yeux ébahis. En effet, aujourd'hui, nous sommes le 2 Juillet, et cette journée sera comme tous les 2 Juillet un véritable calvaire. Rob prend en effet le contrôle de l'intégralité des canaux de distribution musicaux. A la radio, on peut entendre Hugh Masekala joué tambour battant, dans les supermarchés, c'est The Crusaders qui vient polluer vos achats de vivres pour la semaine. J'ai tenté d'aggriper frénétiquement mon téléphone afin de jouer un peu de Ray Charles, mais le pistes avaient été effacées et remplacées par des hurlements de douleur et des appels à l'aide. Cette journée aura une fois de plus été synonyme de souffrance et de torture psychologique, ce qui est finallement assez representif de ce qu'il en est de cotoyer les 364 autres jours de l'année les avis musicaux desastreux de robcuillère.

I respect the Beastie Boys, but I've never really been a fan. This album fits that pattern. There's plenty of cool things going on, but usually too much or not enough on any given track. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy a number of songs, especially "Sabotage" of course. But this is the first album we've had where I skipped songs. It's longer than I would like to listen to the Beastie Boys. A lot of the beats are cool, but these guys are all over the place. Plus they use a lot of distortion, which I normally enjoy, but here it obscures to the point where I don't even care what they're saying or doing. Some of the world-music or jazzy-type stuff is interesting, but for most of the record they sound like a sloppy, unfocused Rage Against the Machine. The most memorable vocal performances were Q-Tip on "Get It Together" and Biz Markie on "Do It," which reminds me that (1) it's Black History Month, and we haven't had a black artist/album since Michael Jackson, and (2) this is our second "hip hop" album, and both were by white artists. I'm going to listen to Midnight Marauders as a palate cleanser after this--it came out a year before this, and it doesn't sound as dated. Hell, Illmatic was released a month before this! This sounds 10 years older than Illmatic. The audacity to release THIS, AFTER Illmatic, and to INCLUDE the word "ill" in your title.....seek help. This was gonna be a 2 until I learned that. In the words of James Brown, "I'm mad!" Favorite tracks: Sabotage, Get It Together, Sure Shot Album art: Uhhh....it's a guy at a drive through or something? Very boring to look at. He looks like he might have bad teeth. Maybe he's British? Maybe that's why this made the list? Oi, guvna, bugger off. Yeah, this cover sucks. 1.5/5

One of the better examples of those 90s records where the band tried a half-dozen different genres. Great sequencing - somehow the hardcore punk tracks don’t clash with the stripped-down sample-based hip hop. Lots of great jazz and funk instrumentals that don’t overstay their welcome. Because of this, in true 90s fashion, it sounds like a well-made mix tape. “Root Down” uses one of the best basslines ever to great effect. At times they drench their vocals in distortion and delay, reinforcing the focus on what sounds good over what would be conventionally expected of them. MCA is the MVP here, from his bass fills in “Sabotage” to the unique “Bodhisattva Vow.” Good stuff.

Big change sonically from licensed to Ill and Paul's Boutique but still has the unapologetic Beastie Boys vibe. Punk rock influences shine through on a handful of tracks. Essential hip hop album that made Beastie Boys the trail blazers they are. Top tracks: sure shot, Sabotage, get it together, Futtermans Rule

Holy shit this album. I had the misfortune of being born after the Beastie Boys heyday but I still felt their influence in pop culture throughout the entirety of the nineties. I don't know what I USED to think about them, but I do know it wasn't a critical or thoughtful opinion. This is the first album of theirs that I've seriously listened to all the way through and I'm just fucking blown away. The influences and styles they've managed to wrap up in this album are just wild - every track feels completely new but still connected to the previous track. I've seen complaints about the runtime but honestly it feels perfect to me. Through this album alone I've been convinced not only of the magnitude of the Beastie Boys' impact on hip-hop, but of the sheer sickness of the group itself.

A classic. I always forget how eclectic this record is, and how many instrumentals it has.

Ill Communication is like the Beastie Boys threw a party, invited punk rock, hip-hop, jazz, and funk, and things got wild. While this 1994 album offers head-bobbing tunes like "Sure Shot" and mosh-worthy jams like "Sabotage," it lacks the cohesion of their other iconic works. Their lyrics still pack a punch, serving up wit and humor in each rhyme. But let's face it, it's not the lyrical goldmine of "Paul's Boutique." Though not their magnum opus, Ill Communication proves the Beastie Boys' unstoppable creativity and genre-defying skills. Not their pièce de résistance, but a funky-fresh, genre-hopping adventure worth a spin.

Am I just hearing loudness or is there some real punk je ne sais quoi here? Either way, it's welcome and massively elevates the raps, which fade into the production in a way that is hard to do enjoyably. Length-wise the project seems a little bloated, but the instrumentals break it up enough to keep things fresh. Ending on one is an especially neat trick. There's clearly fun being had in the studio, but also what seems like genuine experimentation, deftly executed.

J'avais beaucoup d'estime pour cet album jusqu'au moment où j'ai compris qu'il ne s'appelait pas "Three Communication" mais "Ill Communication". Sans ce couac et je dirais même ce tollé provoqué par l'équipe marketing, le projet aurait pu bénéficier d'une étoile supplémentaire.

Great album. Beastie Boys have a special place in my heart despite the fact that I've never owned one of their albums. "Sabatoge," especially, puts this album over the top for me. 5 stars!

Man…what the fuck happened, America? It used to feel like anything was possible here, that there were no limitations, no idea that couldn’t be made to work…or, at least, it was worth trying and finding out if it could work. We were creative and forward thinking, pushing boundaries in search for something new and unique…something better. I don’t really think that’s a thing anymore. Forget trying for something better: it’s a fight just to keep what we have and if you have an idea or a lifestyle that doesn’t comport with the general consensus of “normal”, you’re going to have to fight even harder. It’s a sad state of affairs and it fucking weighs me down - sometimes to the point where I’m writing about it instead of talking about a kickass record; a record that blew up in real time when I was an impressionable teenager and helped foster the idea that anything was possible and that the “boundaries” didn’t matter. So, it’s weird to hear this record now and think about the things that used to be, in contrast with the things that are now. It feels like wasted potential. Not on the part of the of the Beastie Boys, they’re great and this record is a sprawling manifestation of everything they had done up to the point of its release. It’s on us, that wasted potential. We’re better than what we currently are and I don’t know if anyone knows how to fix that. I certainly don’t know how and I’ve played my part in taking that potential for granted, as well. …or maybe we were always exactly what we’ve become and I’m naive for thinking otherwise all these years. Like I said, it weighs on me.

Good thing the Beastie Boys weren’t a thing when I was in college because I would have been really fucking annoying about it

Good example of something I never would have listened to without this, maybe this isn’t a futile task after all

What a musical masterpiece. Really loved this one.

Stone cold classic! Will never not be 5 stars. Perfect blend of original 90s hip hop and punk, essential to any collection.

Nobody has managed to do what the Beastie Boys did. Hip hop/rap with a noticeable rock/punk history that isn’t annoying.

sabotage!

Rockin' as hell, and rich in beats throughout. Sabotage is obviously an all timer, but Root Down, Sure Shot, Futterman's Rule, and Flute Loop are all favorites as well. I love the musical ending.

One of the great rap groups and albums of all time. Ageless...

Groovy!

It does like 12 different genres all amazingly well. Awesome album.

Nice energy, Beastie Boys are classic, well.

Very familiar. One of the best hip hop albums of all time - followed up Check Your Head in the BB’s progression into more mature / thoughtful themes (religion, domestic violence, music history, social issues, etc) while also remaining funky as hell and super funny/fun.

Follow up album to Check Your Head. Saw the Beastie Boys at Col Ballroom on Aug. 13, 1992. One of my favorite albums. 1 of 1001

Classic

Isn't as good as their other one.

Great album upto and including "get it together". After that song, not so much. It meanders on a bit. 5 stars first half 1 star second half

White people ass hip hop.

Annoying squeaky shouting over really dull and instantly forgettable music. Unfathomably popular. In terms of 'Boys' bands: Beach > Pet Shop >>>>> Back Street >>>>>>>>>> Ordinary >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Beastie. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: Sabotage Date listened: 16/02/24

Ah man. This is back where it all started for me. Having an older cousin with decent taste is a very good thing when you are 11 and are getting ambushed by Mike & the Mechanics and Christopher Cross at home. That tape he made me with this on one side and RATM on the other truly changed my life. Cruising around Brampton with that tape on my Grundig BeatBoy walkman thinking I was a fucking G with curtains and fresh clobber from Burtons. What a time. Anyway, this album is sick. It was sick at the time and time hasn't made it any less sick. It's progressive musically and lyrically (MCA getting woke on the end of Sure Shot - props) and moved the band back into the limelight. It flows so well too. Kicking the door open with Sure Shot it's unrelenting in its mix of styles with lovely nods to their hardcore punk past. Even the jammy, jazzy instrumentals work well as a palette cleanser. It all sounds so live too with less emphasis on samples compared to their earlier work. Highlights: Sure Shot Root Down (the transition into Sabotage is lovely) Sabotage Get It Together Alright Hear This (can never get enough of the distorted mic effect) Flute Loop Lowlights: Figure I need to say something critical about this album so I'd say it's a bit long and too front-loaded with bangers but there are still some gems towards the end. I'd be lying if I didn't say it trails off compared to the first half. Eugene's Lament is a bit pointless. See also Ricky's Theme and Transitions. Outstanding album. My biggest regret in music is never going to see these live. RIP MCA

What an incredible album, the range really makes it an experience, another step closer towards live instruments instead of samples and an energetic mix of jazz and funk with rock and pop punk. An absolute thrill for the senses. She beastie on my boy till I sabotage

They're not great rappers and their voices are annoying, but this album is outstanding

Amazing album

Banger.

This album is incredibly impactful. While I don’t focus on race, it’s hard to ignore the significance of a group of white rappers from New York making such a mark in the 90s, especially when gangsta rap dominated the scene. The respect they've earned and their continued relevance today is truly impressive. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. The tracks are unique, blending hip-hop, rock, and boom-bap in a way that feels fresh. The Q-Tip feature is a standout, adding an extra layer to the sound. The run of "Root Down," "Sabotage," and "Get It Together" is absolutely amazing, and including "Sabrosa," the instrumental track, makes it even better. The production throughout is top-notch, and while the second half of the album might not hit quite as hard, it’s still a solid 4/5 overall.

this album is like a best friend to me

has sabotage on it

Did you ever eat a bag of party mix? This album is the musical equivalent. Random pieces that don't seem to go together but as a whole are amazing.

“Sure Shot” is a great intro. Then “Tough Guy” brings the punk blitz of early (and later) Beastie Boys and makes it clear that there’s no telling what to expect on “Ill Communication.” I love “Root Down,” and it makes a great 1-2 punch with “Sabotage.” The latter is the Boys’ most famous song. But I don’t feel like I can fairly evaluate it anymore. It has such deep roots in my psyche that I can’t disconnect from to be objective. I can’t not see that music video play through my head when I listen. But I’ll try… The song deftly weaves the Beastie Boys hip hop and punk leanings. The multiple breaks each work so well to build anticipation and hype. It’s brash and in-your-face, without the crassness and immaturity that plagued “Paul’s Boutique.” It might be peak Beastie Boys? And then “Sabotage” is followed by a Q-Tip feature, which cements “Ill Communication” as an evolution of the Beastie Boys’ style and sound. More variety follows with the instrumental “Sabrosa” and “The Update.” The rest of the album keeps the listener guessing, shifting styles and genres relentlessly in search of… something. I said in an earlier Beastie Boys review that “Ill Communication” was my entry point to the group. I now realize that was a lie. The first 7 tracks on “Ill Communication” was my entry point. I had no recollection of the rest of the album. Perhaps that is because it is so scattershot and without hooks that it doesn’t leave a lasting impression? The second half of the album is diverse and interesting, and points to professional and personal growth for the Beastie Boys, but ultimately fails to make the most of their potential. For me, “To the 5 Boroughs” is underrated, but still their best.

This was fine, but I didn't hear anything here that would bring it above 3 stars.

Just all sounds the same…I do like Sabotage though.

Objectively good, but not my thing (fantastic if you like 90s rap). A few quite good songs on there though.

Just not my cup of tea

Good vibes, fun. Some odd songs that weren't quite my jam.

This album samples lots of jazz and FUNK Then it goes all hardcore PUNK Beastie Boys rap in a group of THREE Pretty corny now, but it works for ME ok I'll stop. This album is good when it's a hip hop album - the BB's and guests' verses are all at a really consistently high level, with inventive beats and sampling, and distinctive cadence/flow. The punk stuff is like C-tier Minor Threat, the jazz stuff is kind of pointless. Favorites: Sabotage, Update, Get it Together, Do It

Its a lot of fun. Would probably be 4 stars if it was 40 minutes versus 60.

First 3rd of the album is amazing, then gets pretty dull

Interesting funky moments, experimental swanky sounds I'm not used to hearing out of the Beastie Boys. They seem to be in love with using the voice distortion mics though.

No. 214/1001 Sure Shot 3/5 Tough Guy 2/5 B-Boys 2/5 Bobo On The Corner 2/5 Root Down 3/5 Sabotage 2/5 Get It Together 3/5 Sabrosa 3/5 The Update 2/5 Futterman's Rule 3/5 Alright Hear This 2/5 Eugene's Lament 2/5 Flute Loop 3/5 Do It 3/5 Ricky'sTheme 3/5 Heart Attack Man 2/5 The Scoop 2/5 Shambala 2/5 Bodhisattva Vow 2/5 Transitions 3/5 Average: 2,45 I get that this was innovative & cutting edge, but I just didn't enjoy that.

First half is really good. Starts to sound very samey and pretty bad during the middle/end.

meh except for sabotage

the transition between root down and sabotage was a tectonic shift, the burning bush, my Rosetta Stone

Pure bliss

Lovin the vibes

Amazing album by my favorite group. Perfect in so many ways.

I first listened to the Beastie Boys through my brother, who was a fan and played Ill Communication and Check Your Head constantly. Although I liked them, I don’t think I truly appreciated at the time how cool and innovative they were (I was the older sister pretty locked into alternative rock). Ill Communication is a damn nearly perfect album and forever entwined in my subconscious with great memories of my brother.

4.8

Who could have ever imagined that the "Fight For Your Right To Party" guys could produce a work of such impact and range? Hidden talents, for sure. I knew "Sabotage" when I was younger. Who didn't? The Spike Jonze video was inescapable. But I dismissed this work as the mid-life resurrection of those "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" guys. I'm always a little sad thinking about my younger, more close-minded self. I didn't take a chance on this album back then. And why not? I worked in a CD store for chrissakes! I just dismissed the Beastie Boys out of hand, and my musical life is poorer for it. I'm glad I gave it a shot now.

Increíble. No los conocía, si bien hay pocas canciones que destaquen sobre el resto, traen un gran ritmo, con composiciones súper variadas y frescas. Además de distintos instrumentos y géneros, bajo buenas bases de Hip hop. De los pocos casos donde mezclar mil cosas da un buen resultado. Una joya y una fiesta.

God damn this was a banger. Probably the best album I've been introduced by this website. Good mix of psychedelic funk, easy coast boom bap and punk. Somehow all blended fluently and effortlessly

own

This is a fun, cohesive album with interesting ideas and an energy that can’t be matched. It needs to be listened to at full volume while driving as fast as possible.

This is way funkier than the punky Lisence to Ill, and it's amazing. Q-Tip and the Beastie Boys? C'mon, man. Seveal songs on here are great and I like them more than Sabatoge to be honest, like Get It Together, The Update, Do It, and Ricky's Theme. This album shows me how talented this trio was beyond their funny gag-rap that was prevelant all throughout their debut.

Penúltimo viernes de noviembre con éste señor disco de los Beastie Boys, mi favorito de la banda. Siempre termino volviendo a éste trabajo por algún u otro motivo: lo siento como el más sólido y completo de su discografía, a la cual debería también volver. Álbum lleno de temones, más allá de los sencillos, es imposible de no disfrutar. Impensado para los tiempos actuales un disco de 20 canciones: un reto para nuevas generaciones y para los +30, que un poco nos hemos acostumbrado a la instantaneidad. Buen finde.

Cool

i like this one more than licensed to ill. dee-lit and mf doom vibes

I really didn't like "Licensed to Ill" so I almost skipped this one, but I'm glad I didn't. It is completely different, way less obnoxious and full of variety.

This album was pretty funky, I loved it, through and through. The Beastie Boys got pretty experimental on here, too. And of course, Sabotage is a classic.

I liked it a lot

I haven't met a Beastie Boys Album yet that didn't lift my mood and made me whip my head.

The boys went all out with this one. The album is both fat dope lines, sick beats, wild samples, introspection, and kicking it old school. Only the haters give less than a 5.

In my personal top 10. Especially love their punk shit like Heart Attack Man. The thing about the Beastie Boys is they always go all in. They sound like they sincerely love what they're doing anfd they put some ENERGY into it. Combine that with the cleverness and the unique sound of their voices, the schtick, it all works somehow. More representative of gen-x than anything else, grunge be damned. I should listen to Bodhisattva Vow every morning immediately on awakening and make myself a better person. RIP Adam Yauch. Music lets you live forever.

Come for the hip hop and hardcore and alternative rock, but stay for the jazzy funk instrumentals but don't play this on your dad's stereo at home, only under hip-hop supervision. It has a lot of that 1-2-3-1, 2-3-1-2, 3-1-2-3 verse flow as they pass the mic along, and it all just sounds so good as this album is loaded with hot bars. I must have listened to this album a bajillion times in the 30 years since it came out, worn out CDs, hard drives and now solid state drives with this thing just banging. You'll either love it or hate it. RIP MCA

Aggressive, funky and a big variety of influences. Loved it! Less of a fan of the mashup with Mariah Carey that I ended up listening to when I passed the Christmas market which was blaring the tunes lmao. Great stuff thanks boys

might be overrating a bit but come on this is a rap-rock-sometimes jazzy record, and its never uninteresting their debut i complained about the back and forth but here its done A LOT less, they even did instrumental tracks wow what an evolution, great to see artists finding themselves congrats!

Stone cold classic!

great album

Good god damn what an absolute classic. This album is all over the place, yet so polished. Somehow it manages to touch on so many different genres and do it so well. If you weren't taking Beastie Boys seriously before this album, you certainly were after.

FODA DEMAIS

One of the better encapsulations of the Beastie Boys versatility across hip-hop, funk, and punk, and all stops in between.

Classic. Punk rock meets Rap. You gotta love this offering from the Beastie Boys.

It's a good one

Wasn't particularly expecting to like this much given how I felt about their other albums, this is pretty great though. Jazzy, funky, rocking, punk... Just very cool and varied production overall. I'll be coming back to it for sure. Screw it, 4.5 rounded up.

The energy keeps going the entire time. Such a record and quintessential 90s

Amazing album a bit of everything - easy listening!

One of my favorite cds growing up. Beastie Boys por Vida

I seem to always box this album off as ‘not their best’. I think it’s my thing of hating anything that is generally popular…..YOURE NOT REAL FANS……. Anyway, this is far from their worst work. It’s absolutely brilliant! Maybe could have been about 2-3 tracks shorter, maybe a couple of fillers in there. 4.5

I love the Beastie Boys, but never heard this whole album before. It's awesome! I like the variety of styles and live instruments being used, especially the double bass. Liked Songs Added: - B-Boys Makin' With The Freak Freak - Root Down - Sabotage - Sabrosa - Alright Hear This - Ricky's Theme - Heart Attack Man - The Scoop

What Jim said

Just Beastie Boys doing peak Beastie Boy things. Tbh I’d give most of their albums a 5, but this one is probably the cream of all of them. They’re just so talented and amazing song writers. Funk, hip hop, punk etc etc they nail it in their own unique blend. This one in a slightly more retro vibe that other albums. And in ‘Sabotage’ that has to be one of my favourite songs of all time, it cannot fail to pump you up and make you smile at the same time. Shame there’s no 6 star option.

I’ve probably listened to this album in full once or twice before this, and I really only stopped by for Sabotage. I think Sabotage is one of the best songs ever recorded: there’s nothing like it and it’s such a jam. I like the Beasties a lot, but I think it’s by far their best song. That said, in giving Ill Communication a few proper listens, I’ve been converted to a massive fan of the entire album. There may not be another track that reaches the highs of Sabotage, but it’s great from beginning to end. Every track is interesting, and even songs that are way out of left field like the hardcore punk track Heart Attack Man are great because they’re so well done. The instrumentals are all great too, maybe even some of my favorite moments. I’d argue it’s as good overall as Paul’s Boutique.

Ill Communication is a dynamic, genre-blending album that fuses hip-hop, punk, and funk in a way that feels both playful and revolutionary. Released in 1994, it marked a turning point for the group, solidifying their place as genre innovators. The album is a mix of high-energy beats and experimental production, balancing a chaotic, rebellious spirit with intricate musicianship. Its standout feature is the way the Beastie Boys confidently shift between musical styles, one minute delivering gritty punk, the next leaning into smooth, jazz-infused grooves. The production, helmed by Mario Caldato Jr., captures the rawness of live instrumentation while maintaining the polished feel of a studio album. Across its 20 tracks, Ill Communication showcases the group’s knack for combining diverse elements into something cohesive and entirely their own. The album’s eclectic sound is matched by the Beastie Boys' signature blend of humour and social commentary, making it both fun and thought-provoking. While Ill Communication is rooted in the alternative ‘90s culture, its bold mix of styles has kept it feeling timeless. It’s not just an album, it’s a statement on musical experimentation, proving the Beastie Boys’ refusal to be confined to a single genre. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 10 STAND OUT TRACK - Sure Shot

10/10 This blend of genres is amazing.

One of the absolute best. I think your favorite BB album depends on when you were born. This one is right in the sweet spot for me. I remember seeing the music video for Sabotage in a Hard Rock Cafe on the 6th grade trip to Toronto. I was hooked. This album showcases everything that’s great about the Beasties and with hip hop, including the overlap with punk rock (which often gets overlooked historically). Such an important album and a total blast.

Im on record about how much i love the beastie boys, but jow their output is inconsistent. However i think this is their high water mark. Sure shot and sabotage are god tier and there is a lot less filler than in other albums.

Egyik kedvenc albumom! Zseniális átívelés a stílusok közt.