Ill Communication

Innovative and musically sophisticated... and so damn fun!

Solid gold start to finish!

Great album.

hell yeah

Classic Mix of Beastie Lore. Punk and Hip hop Gold!!!

hell yeah.

Great record. I like it more now then I did a few month ago

At their finest

A nearly perfect blend of punk and hip-hop. Favorites: Sure Shot, Sabotage, Get It Together, The Update Least Favorite: Bobo On The Corner

Wow this was a hip hop oddysey. Or maybe a gauntlet is more like it. I did not expect all the tasteful instrumentation in the back half. Beastie boys exist in a comic book universe somewhat like doom and wu tang but seem sort of besides the point about it. They exist in that world while doom and wu tang joke about it and make it very prominent. This album is soooo new york

Hip hop Groovy funky jazzy Listened to back in 97ish Diverse styles Love the flute loop Ricky’s theme Get it together with Q-tip

This one I can listen to on repeat!

This person's review summed this album up perfectly: "... 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." Favourite songs: Sabotage, Sure Shot, Get It Together, Root Down, Tough Guy, Bodhisattva Vow, Flute Loop, Shambala Least favourite songs: The Update 5/5

A 5. All the 5’s. Unique masterpiece

cool asf

By the time this album came out, the B-Boys were no longer just a couple kids from Brooklyn. They were still young and they were international stars. They started to experiment here, sampling and playing elements of metal and other world music sounds. The production costs of this compared to their earlier albums was huge building on their prior explosive low budget success. Were they sellouts we wondered at the time? It turned out no, not really. This dropped weeks before I graduated high school and it really carried over into college. I owned it myself and heard it at countless house parties.

The second half the album is eclectic af and I’m here for it

Goated

Ill, yo.

Yes! Love Beastie Boys. Love this album. In fact of all the albums I've listened to prior to starting this. This is the album I've listened to most beforehand. So good.

I feel like I missed out on a LOT as a teen as I was definitely in the "it must have a guitar and bass and drums or it's crap" tribe. This is most definitely NOT crap. Automatic 5 stars purely for Sabotage tbh

only made it like halfway through but such love

Loooved it! 😍😍😍

Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop 🎶 Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't stop 🎶 Well, you can't, you won't, and you don't stop 🎶 The album makes me want to break stuufffff, quit my job, destroy the haters, take over the world! Love, love this energy! Sabotaaaageeeeeee!!!!!!!!!! Only weak song on this album was Ricky's Theme, did not come here for jazz. They could have cut it and this album would have been PERFECT, but I guess nothing is perfect, right? 🤣🤣🤣🤣😅😅😅😭😭😭 maybe it was another way of making this album so badass - "we don't care, let's add random jazz in the middle, it will be fun"

Raw, powerful, revolutionary..I would give six stars..

In 1994 I was 25 years old, on the beach in Hawaii for the first time, and Ill Communication was in heavy rotation on my Discman. This album will forever remind me of sun, sand, the ocean, and the chichis awaiting me at the hotel bar later. She’s the cheese and I’m the macaroni.

If this gonna be that kinda party, I’m gonna stick my dick in the mashed potatoes. Thank you for bringing this line to my attention.

It's very obvious from the getgo that Sabotage was written to be a radio song, something to get people to buy the album, because the rest of the album sounds almost nothing like it. That said, the album is a spectacle, boasting lyrics that are at the same time political and vulgar. I love it

I actually prefer the songs where they aren't rapping, as great as those are. The instrumentals are off the charts. Another album I criminally neglected til now. This project is turning up some real gems for me so far.

A work of genius.

"I keep my underwear up with a piece of elastic I use a bullshit mic that's made out of plastic To send my rhymes out to all the nations Like Ma Bell I got the ill communication" Forgot how MINT this album is, made my Monday morning commute 1000x cooler

One of my favourite albums ever. Instant 5.

no skips

Where did these dudes come from? Obviously of a different ilk. They set a style that was quirky, playful, complex and unique. Cant, wont and dont stop.

So up until now the only other beastie boys album I went deep on is their debut license to Ill (my sister bought it for me to make sure I became cool). This album is completely different, and I loved it, I listened to it 4x yesterday! This album proves that the concept of genre is nonsense and the lines between them are blurry at best. They do this by creating multiple songs that sound distinct stylistically but each one flows into the next like a river. Great album. Sabotage is still amazing 30 years later and bonus points for a awesome album cover. This one is going on my mountain.

The mood was right for this one

Love beasty boys

Awesome album!

Goated album bring on the sabotage

This was a surprise in the best way. I like beastie boys, but I mostly know them for the shouting. This album is far more diverse, with great guest rappers and numerous instrumental tracks. The tracks flow seamlessly between each other, and the mix of voice and instrumental tracks makes you feel like you are listening to an underground radio station. This album listened to as a whole is more than the sum of its parts, and I believe listening to it entirely is the best way to experience it. Favorite track was Do It

Hard to know how to note and rate the first one. Would listen again, would recommend

I've never listened to a full Beastie Boys album all the way through until today. Loved it!

love this album so much

3/3 sabotaged

Favorite of the Beastie Boys classics

I wasn't fully on board when this first came out. Didn't understand what direction they were heading, but after repeated listening and the benefit of time, it is truly a masterpiece.

one of my favourite albums of all time

Great album

This takes me back to 1994. An amazing album. Truly worth listening to more than the singles. A nice balance between punk/rap. Very NYC. The instrumental pieces are so underrated (at the time never got air time but really show the quality). I still know most of the words. Still so very good.

Brill

Sensational album

This album rules. I’ll be honest that Sabotage has gotten pretty played out for me. It’s been kind of ubiquitous in movies or NBA team intros for a while. However, that might be the weakest song on the album and that’s saying a lot. This album just rips from start to finish.

One of my absolute favorites!

God I fucking love Beastie Boys. Their best record for sure

Classic...making with the freak freak

Great album. Like most CD era albums it runs a little long, but what is good is really good. Classic.

Owned it since day one and love it

There's only one thing to do when you listen to Ill Communication, and that's listen to every other album the beastie boys ever recorded. I love the grit Caldato was able to capture while they were transitioning from the "pure" hip hop of Paul's Boutique. Although i think paul's is their best album, I'll put this up there as their most creative. the rap is elite, the funk is elite, and it rocks. if you need me, i'll be listening to sabrosa on a loop for the next 72 hours.

Hip hop married punk the day this album came out and we should all be so grateful it did.

Album #34 I have always considered this to be the perfect Beastie Boys album, and it seems to get better with each listen. They show off their hip-hop skills right out of the gate with "Sure Shot", and then immediately dive into their punk roots with the borderline hardcore song, "Tough Guy". And then come the instrumentals with live percussion. The Beasties are firing on all cylinders here, so much so that it is easy to forget their huge hit, "Sabatoge" is also on the album. I love the Beastie Boys and love this album 5 out of 5. 5*

Genre making

Epic album. Loved it. Beastie Boys at their finest!!

This album was fantastic! Would be interesting to see what they would produce if they were still going.

Quintessential Beastie Boys.

This is their best album. It shows that the boys are great musicians in their own right (ex punks!) and playing instruments properly.

Absolutely awesome album. Bloody love the Beastie Boys and this is about as perfect as it gets!

Listened three times now and for some reason still can't verbalise why this is so incredibly good (aside from smashing Sabotage on guitar hero 3 obviously). Start to finish perfection

Increíble. The jazz influence is so good

Tibetan Freedom Beasties. This one loses a star because it falls off at the end after a perfect two-thirds. It gets the star back for all the memories I have attached to this album.

Love this album, Bobo on the corner and sabrosa are faves of mine. While sabotage is simply genius

Day 118 The Beasty Boys are like Spiderman: they make you wish you lived in NYC no matter what they do, and Ill Communication is certainly one of their best albums. I haven't heard this in years and always thought of Ill Communication as Check Your Head Pt II; nothing wrong as that album is absolutely fantastic. Listening to it now I get the feeling that I wasn't right, but I wasn't wrong either: Ill Communication follows in the direction of the jam-packed Check Your Head but trades the latter hyperactivity for more subdued, hippy-trippy textures derived from the trio's interest in Buddhism but that's not all; there's a couple of hardcore punk moments, some jazzy arrangements, so much funk, and once again, a lot of jamming. This record is a lot of fun and it sounds like they were having a really great time recording it. What else should one expect from music?

Super fun and unique sounding album. Sabotage video is so classic and was one of my favorites as a kid- still love that song. I actually really dug the instrumental tracks too.

Beastie Boys are icons for a reason--and I love them. They were ground breaking in hip-hop, not just because they are white, but also because they fused rap and rock. Their lyrics are fun and novel; their beats are infectious and driving. Love this entire album.

So good musically, & fun lyrics. Easy to listen through the whole thing, especially with the instrumentals breaking it up. BT - Sure Shot - Tough Guy - Sabotage - Get It Together - Sabrosa - The Update - Futterman's Rule - Flute Loop - Ricky's Theme - Do It - Heart Attack Man - Bodhisattva Vow - Transitions

Really good album from the Beastie Boys. It's so different from other hip hop as they're using live instruments and punk influences.

Goddamned stone cold masterpiece and definitive album of the Beastie discography. A very important moment of maturity and growth for the Beasties where they shed the fronting frat boy nonsense that was very harmful to women. What an incredible thing for these guys to do, to own their mistakes and change their behaviour for the better. Amazing role models, setting a killer example for future generations of men on how to be secure in yourself and your masculinity without any toxicity. Bravo! And you know, these guys are just having fun being themselves. It’s such a joy to be a passive participant in it all. MCA forever, rest in power cool dude.

One of my favorites from back in the day

100% awesome from wall to wall.

SABOTAGE!!!!!!!!! 9/10

One of the greatest of all time hip hop albums.

GONNA KICK IT ROOT DOWN

classic from the beastie boys what can I say

Stone cold classic! Wish I could give it more than 5 stars! Probably my favorite Beastie Boys record, it's tough not to rank this high as they really seemed to perfect their sound on this!

ooooh I'm excited for this one! Oh man, that album was amazing!! They had lots of tracks I hadn't heard. A few that were very suprisingly jazzy. And one that was very punk. Amazing album.

How is it better than I remembered?! Amazing.

Awesome, this is a great album!

Simply amazing. Dope beats, guitar licks, great rapping. A proper classic album. One of the greatest.

epic

I've heard some songs from this album before, but truth be told never really listened to the whole album. Interesting blend of hip hop and punk? in between each track. Yet somehow it works. I enjoyed it a lot Saved tracks: Tough Guy, Bobo On The Corner, Sabotage, Futterman's Rule, Eugene's Lament, Do It, Shambala

Brilliant. An all-timer imo

For Fuck’s Sake… 9/10

I purchased this album back when it was a new release. I have listened to it occasionally over the years. I was always taken with the variety of musical styles on this album. I enjoy this album more now than I did when it was a new release.

Other than maybe there's one or two songs that aren't adding much, this album is really something. This is a much more mature effort than License to Ill, lots of growth has happened in between. I was dubious about the claim in Sure Shot about being through with disrespecting women but they lived up to that promise throughout the rest of the tracks. There are a variety of styles that shine on this album --- a few tracks are exactly what I expected with distorted shouty vocals (not a bad thing) but then there were punk songs, straight-up funk instrumentals, and even some Klezmer violin. The last few tracks are a paean to Buddhism and enlightenment. This album is bold and inventive and kind-spirited. Good work.

Ill Communication!!! I love the album, 5 out of 5 stars. Mix of flavors throughout, live instrumentation, excellent rhyming - appreciating the music enough to let it breathe, what’s not to like? Sure Shot is a great opener that leads effortlessly to the punk sound of Tough Guy. B-Boys Makin’ with the Freak Freak, Bono On the Corner, & Root Down center their sounds toward their vinyl hiss of underground rap mixes with their usual high-energy flow keeping the momentum going before we get the production shift of the next great anthem of Beastie Boys top songs, Sabotage; nothing else really needs to be said. First feature allows Q-Tip the space to flex; Get It Together is a nice subdued beat without losing any energy to the overall vibe. Continuing to groove, we get an almost Santana Boys-esque instrumental in the name of Sabrosa; very enjoyable “interlude”. Hearing The Update kick-off, I am struck by how wonderfully it picks up from the previous instrumental while evolving the beat to its own thing, further exemplifying their masterclass architecture and production choices as they developed this album. Futterman’s Rule is another instrumental that picks up the pace and showcases a bass solo with the same hazy vein bravado of a Cliff Burton solo, followed by a slick drum breakdown, before rounding out the loop, completing the song. It’s a ride, Man! Alright Hear This heavily emphasized record scratching; naturally, it’s one of my favorites. Eugene’s Lament throws us a middle eastern vibe instrumental with a bluegrass-diddy added to the mix, I love it! Flute Loop and it’s Fatboy Slim vibe kicks ass! Do It is a goofy song, straight up fun. Ricky’s Theme is likely to be my only skip on the record, just don’t care for that one; it’s got a really cool reverb thing going on at the end of the track that elevates the composition of the song as a whole toward the end, which means it totally redeems itself! Heart Attack Man, the second punk song that moves toward a metal/doom groove middle of the way, then ending on the up-tick of the punk influence again, it kicks! The Scoop has a great bass line elevating the breakbeats, excellent. I really can’t emphasize the bass line enough…beautiful work. Shambala om chants a groove to life that soon lightens the mood considerably once the funky drumming hits its stride before om-ing the transition into Bodhisattva Vow, eclipsing a wonderful instrumental fleshing out the groove of a full-fledged rap song, pretty impressive considering all elements fusing together. As if omitted; just wonderful production throughout, and there is no exception nearing the end of the album. The last song, Transitions, gives us what feels a bit reflective in the theme of the instrumentals. They’ve let the album breathe throughout, “now chill to the out-beat!” Epic.

Muy bueno, me gustó la instrumental de cada canción y si se siente que es del género de hiphop

#legendary

Yeah, it's great. It's like post Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head, the Beasties were perfectly comfortable being a hardcore punk band, a hip hop group or a funk band and just embraced everything here. And the listener is the winner. If I'd lno n it was gonna be this kind of party...

Ég veit ekki hvort það hafi verið sniðugt hjá mér að setja þessa í gang þegar ég er að reikna heimadæmin mín. Get ekki hætt að headbanga. Þetta er drulluskemmtileg plata. Nú langar mig bara að garga AND YOU DON'T STOP á eftir hverri einustu línu í öllum lögum.

Had this on cassette in my first car as a teenager. Too biased to write an objective review. Obviously one of the greatest albums of all time.

Yes

I've loved this since it came out - no objective review from me for this

I know this one by heart already.

Love!!!

I put this LP in very high regard, and would rate it as nearly perfect in some ways. However in context I would disagree with this selection among those in Beastie Boys’ cannon in favor of Check Your Head. To me, that was a far more revolutionary release and radical departure for the band, and Ill Communication was really, as fantastic as it is, more of a continuation of those same ideas.

It's probably my favorite offering from the Beastie Boys up to this point. It's got a groove and I can't get that out of my head, that's a good thing.

This album is a pure 5 - every song slaps like mad. Futterman's rule is especially sick

Nice one the best is Shute shot

What a unique album!!! Different styles, sonorities, voices... Everything is there yet nothing is wrong!!! Uniqueness also in how good things are used to make you hear the music!! Very solid 4.5/5

It just hit me on this listen how amazing this album is. The funk with the hip hop is out of control in a perfect way. Licensed to Ill was a 5, Ill Comm feels like a stronger album. So obviously S tier 5! Also the instrumentals on this album are unexpectedly tasty. TBz 1. Sabotage 2. Root Down 3. Sure Shot 4. Get It Together 5. The Update

Always enjoyed it

Probably the Beastie's magnum opus, though the second side loses the plot with a lot of filler and what seem like unfinished cuts. The strength of the singles alone are enough to call this a classic though.

Great rhymes and the classic Beastie flow with three MCs trading lines like they have been doing this since they were teenagers. Musically, Ill Communication fits so well between Check Your Head and Hello Nasty in the continuing evolution of the group's sound. At the time, this record sounded like the end game for the Beastie's style - especially because it would be four years until they released a follow up album. When this record first came out I thought the noisy/scratchy beat samples sounded so cool. In 2022 they still sound cool. Ill Communication also mixes in jazz instrumentals and hardcore tracks which would be completely out of place on a hip hop record but somehow they work.

Liked this a lot. Never really gave the Beastie Boys a proper chance before. Solid music, well done, not 1% over-hyped.

Great album. I love everything the Beasties did. The mash potatoes line gets me every time.

Excellent

Phenomenal. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard an album quite like it. It combines such an eclectic mix of styles and somehow sequences them into a cohesive listening experience. Hip-hop is the predominant genre. "Root Down" has some of the best rapping I've heard from The Beastie Boys and the Q-Tip collab "Get It Together" was a highlight. But there's also a lot of hard rock. "Sabotage" is a classic. And I enjoyed the two noisy punk rock tracks, "Tough Guy" and "Heart Attack Man" (this one even turns into midtempo metal sludge for a moment). There's also a ton of jazz and funk infused into the music. (The flute sample on "Sure Shot" is gold. One of those beats I could listen to on loop for hours.) There are some incredible instrumental tracks (like "Futterman's Rule") that combine everything together for some awesome jams. I checked out the album credits, expecting to see a long list of samples and was surprised to find that a large portion of this album features live instrumentation. A little digging shows there’s a fair amount of sampling too but I’m impressed by how much is newly recorded. The Beasties could have been a jazz-rock fusion band if they wanted to!

I swear, Beastie Boys have been popping up in my life SO much recently. Like four or five times I've heard someone mention them within the past month. Glad we got them on here! This album is killer. "Sabotage" could be a solo song on an album and it would have a spot on this list because of how great it is. Wow, listening to this album I am continually blown away. Genre-bending, exciting, funky, authentic, raw, and fun. It's not even that the music switches genres and it's amazing for doing that; each genre is done so impressively well, and somehow they manage to keep it all in one consistent sound in the context of the rest of the record. This is such an easy 5/5 for me. One of my favorites so far.

The sound of 1994 for me. I can’t be objective about it. I love every left turn no matter how questionable. They tuned up all their previous phases and turned out an epic feast. It seemed to cover every possible aspect of my life in some way: playing an absurd amount of basketball (badly but with a certain flair), trying meet girls, broadening my musical horizons, working on being a better person, just goofing off with friends. I might actually love Paul’s Boutique or Check Your Head more, but this one is peak Beastie Boys for me in many ways.

Perfect. I loved this when it came out and it was great to enjoy it again. A lot of energy and fun conveyed by the Boys.

'Because I drive like a maniac on the streets and I don't give a fuck 'cause I’ve got the beats' Die hebben ze en die zijn ook echt goed!

Beste Beastie Boys album. Geweldige mix tussen hip-hop en gitaarmuziek. Blijft nog altijd heel goed overeind.

And this was when it all came together again, at least in a commercial sense, but I'd suggest that went hand-in-hand with the group's realization of what it aimed to be in the world. 'License to Ill' was the raucous debut that put the boys on the map. Then they did some existential roaming and soul searching through the wildernesses of 'Check Your Head' and 'Paul's Boutique'. What they found out there was a significantly evolved sense of self and identity and that came through in a way that nearly everyone could connect with. Sure, they still had the rough edges ('Tough Guy', 'Sabotage'), and moderately childish demeanor ('Heart Attack Man') that people first knew them by, but their expanded influences ('Sabrosa', 'Flute Loop', 'Bodhisattva Vow', really almost the rest of the album) and their resulting applications and translations proved that they had come into something well beyond where they started. That growth, that change, that evolution is exactly the kind of metamorphosis that I think merits a band having multiple albums on this list.

They have to keep sending out these albums I have never heard of before. It's getting ridiculous. Seriously, can't tell you how many times I have listened to this album when it came out. Forget "Sabotage," every track on this album and "Paul's Boutique" pretty much solidifies for me Beastie Boys as their two best albums. I now go to their lesser played tracks, like "Get It Together" as one that I play numerous times. Q-Tip's contributions to this track work so well. The instrumentals... some of them are my favorites of all time. "Ricky's Theme" is such a chill tune. I get very reflective hearing it every time. I think the only song that is a little too goofy is "B-Boy Making With The P Freak", but it still has good spots in it. This album is probably one of my top 10 of all time, so there's no way I'm giving it anything lower than a 5. Am I biased? The guy who has their book, the Sabotage action figures and every album of theirs? Probably. But you can't deny how good this album is. You just can't.

This album oozes cool. Great tracks throughout including Sabotage - one of the coolest songs ever. Also enjoyed all the musical interludes. Easy 5.

One of my favourite albums. It got released at just the right for me and for a couple of years the Beastie Boys were just about the coolest guys to grace the planet. Blending punk, funk, hip hop and bosanova this is a record collection on one disc.

Cuarto álbum de estudio del grupo neoyorkino, en el cual impresiona lo bien fusionado de los géneros que lo componen. Hip Hop Alt, Hardcore Punk, Jazz Funk, y otros tantos nombres que se les podría dar a la abarcativa fórmula que los Beasties usaron para este álbum que impactó en los 90's. Todo se construye sobre una raíz hiphopera bien clásica, pero con bases innovadoras y que se nota que está interpretada con instrumentos reales. Es interesante esa impronta que, aunque están haciendo vanguardia e innovando con muchísimas mezclas, las interpretaciones sean con músicos. A esto se le suma el turntablism que es un detalle increíble por lo bien usado que está, y por cómo suma al resultado. A la base hiphopera se le va sumando el resto: interludios rockeados, canciones punk, y hasta temas instrumentales con tintes jazzeros o percusión africana. A ese punto llega la catarata de sonidos que se usa en este trabajo tan bien cuidado y en el cual abundan los detalles. La producción estuvo a cargo del grupo + Mario Caldato Jr, un productor brasileño el cuál tuvo un trabajo increíble haciendo este álbum, el cuál suena de una forma increíblemente cuidada y con cada cosa en su lugar.

Classic. Taught me many new words and things when I listened to it as a child

High energy, liking it so far but could get repetitive I like Eugene’s lament, it mixes it up

Hells to tha yeah, this is the shiznit. Six stars.

In which Beastie Boys take us on a tour of their record collection, featuring samples from gems such as "Root Down (And Get It)" by Jimmy Smith, Jeremy Steig's "Howlin' For Judy" (dig that jazz flute) and "Headless Heroes" by Eugene McDaniels. It’s a joy hearing the trio swapping verses in full flow over catchy hooks and heavy beats. There’s an enthusiasm and love for life present throughout, rare in a hip hop record - if this even is a hip hop record with its diversion into rock (the peerless Sabotage) and acid funk jazz fusion jams, mostly instrumental and sounding really freaking awesome for the most part. And despite this cut and paste melange of styles the production is excellent and maintains a consistent mood and vibe throughout. As much as anything, the Beasties had great taste and it shines through in the music they made. A far cry from the brattish teenagers of Licensed to Ill, here are fine artists and musicians delivering a top notch and unique record. RIP MCA. You are very much missed.

The boys at it again with another masterpiece, but entirely different from the sampledelic approach of Paul's Boutique. Here they take an aggressive blend of a million different genres, primarily hip hop, punk, jazz, and rock in that order, among a million others. 20 songs in an hour, each with a unique style, yet all with a consistent energy that is carried from one to the next. I'm always excited for the next song, and a lot of them link together perfectly. Features contributions by the legendary Q-Tip and Biz Markie. There's so much going on in each song too; none of them are just gimmicks. I genuinely love every minute of it, but I can how viewers can be pushed away by the abrasiveness of certain tracks. It's a fun and crazy album with a lot to love and little to hate. Tons of memorable tracks and strange styles you couldn't find on any other album.

It's got Root Down, it's got Sabotage, what more could you want? ...That's not enough? Well, every track is a banger. It's the Beastie Boys, what did you even expect? This album made me commit grand larceny on at least three grandmas.

Their opus

Easily my favorite Beastie Boys album. A little bit of novelty, seriousness, and avant-guard experimentation that keeps things interesting. This was at the height of their powers in terms of sampling and playing their own instruments. It's tight and sonically intense. How many kinds of albums are there that have songs that feel as goofy and as threatening as some of these? It also showcases their hardcore punk roots. This is an essential listening, huge in every way, and these guys have shown and been given massive respect in the hip-hop and punk scene where everything started for the new wave of US music in the 80s and 90s. People writing on here need to get off their high horse about their inclusion on the list. These guys probably gave more props and credit to black hip hop artists than any white hip hop artist from the same time period (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). Watch their speech at the 1999 VMAs for their win on "Intergalactic" as proof. Pioneers and gentlemen all the way.

Like the soundtrack to my formative years this one pumps from the speakers like a mission from God

Oh my God, that's some funky shit! I didn't even need to listen to this album to give it five stars, but I did anyway, because it's not only a fantastic album, but a well-rounded one to boot. It's got classic tracks like "Sure Shot," "Sabotage," "Get It Together," and "Alright Hear This," plus some of their best instrumental stuff, like "Sabrosa," "Shambala," and "Transitions." And let's not forget <insert basically any other track here>. It doesn't really get better than this.

Peak Beastie Boys

Perfect. Every cut is good and the variety of tracks is utter vibe candy.

Heard it. Already love it. Looking forward to a nice re-listen.

Ååå herregud så sinnsykt bra. Metall, hip hop, funk og jazz. så progressivt og så variert. Et av de beste albumene jeg noe sinne har hørt på en evighet. Hvis beastie boys skal ut på turne, er signer jeg up.

Love this

Love it. Always have

I knew some of the classics on this album but hearing the album cuts for the first time was great. The interludes were amazing, features were great and the BBs were getting it in at the time.

Pour vrai, c'est malade cet album ,ca s'écoute tellement bien et leur style est incroyable. Vraiment je n'vais jamais écouté les beastie boys et je suis charmé par leur musique de plus en plus. 5

A couple songs were kinda medium, but mostly bangers!

Ooohheee. I knew this from my sisters playing it when i was young. Thought i would like it, but didn't think it would be this good. Really progresses well through the album, never gets boring.

A classic.

My favorite Beastie album is Check Your Head, but Ill Communication is a close second. Amazing lyrics, samples, and they doubled down on the cool funk jazz stuff. 5/5

Beastie Boys always a 10/10.

Obra maestra.

It was a five even before "Sabotage" hit. Everything about it is fire. This is the best Beastie. Fight me.

Un classique. Selon moi c’est le plus authentique des albums du groupe et probablement le plus populaire grâce entre autre à Sabotage. Et en terme de montage de chansons avec des samplings, Sure Shot, Root Down et Flute Loop sont des réussites en tout point. Un album auquel je reviens régulièrement.

I just love this style (I first discovered Ice cube, which I love, and now this !)

Great album. Some really addictive beats. Some Beastie albums are hit and miss for me, but this is a classic.

The only album so far where I've intentionally listened to the "extended" version.

Een heel gevarieerd album inderdaad. Van duidelijke hiphop naar steenharde rock naar een beetje funk. Ook de instrumentale nummers zijn zeer aangenaam om naar te luisteren. Ik kon dit album ten volle smaken!

I listened to this album several times. SO up beat. SO fun. was very surprised. I hadn't listened to this gem before or wrote off the beastie boys way to early.

This album hit the spot like a slice of New York pizza. I'm a Beastie Boys fan from beginning to end, but I think this and "Hello Nasty" are their absolute creative peak. They have matured a bit here, and are slightly more reflective in places, but they haven't lost their playful spirit. They bring so many styles together - even going back to their punk roots for perhaps the best example of a rap-rock hybrid ever with "Sabotage." One might argue that the instrumental numbers slow it down, but I think that it showcases their versatility as musicians and I appreciate the change of pace. This album is kind of all over the place but it just keeps moving. Played this alot during the summer of the boombox in the backseat.

This is one of my all time favorite albums.

This is the first album they made living in CA and you can hear the influence and it sounds awesome.

Gem

lots of tracks and about half of them are bang on, way too cool for school

Stunning and energetic

My favourite Beastie Boys album 💗

It is of course a classic. Maybe a few tracks too long but it's the Beasties at their peak

A perfect album - always wondered why the beastie boys are three white dudes with so much cred in hip hop - besides the Rick Rubin connection - they are artfully awesome at this - organic and honest hip hop to who they are - not white boys trying to be black

already loved it!

This is one of the best albums I've ever heard in my entire (and short) life! Jesus, its perfect. Every single take is memorable, breathtaking. Simply *d o p e*!

No brainer

Bom pra pilhar

This is straight fire, Some absolute bangers here, Less towards the end. 9/10

I've been a big fan of the Beastie Boys for many years. I'm not sure if this is my favorite, but its up there. It does admittedly lose a little steam after Get It Together but it's still good and is a very creative album. Its probably a 4 star album overall, but it gets a 5 from me for the bold choices made.

Listened before? Y Another amazing beginning to end album. These guys were so talented as a group. I hope we get some music from the remaining two someday although that looks like a long shot. RIP MCA. Added to Library? Y Songs added to Playlist: Sure Shot, Root Down

This was the first beasties album I really listened to. Super groovy instrumental tracks really highlight the boys' musical skills.

geiler mix, old school hip hop mit nicen jazzy samples und geilem Kontrabass, und recht starken effekten auf stimme etc. Recht experimentell aber immer auf die Fresse. Plötzlich ein Punk song, plötzlich Cypress Hill, SABOTAGE wir immer geil sein - das Verzerrte Bass Riff (*Smacks Lips*). Gleichzeitig Old School (mehr als andere in 1994), aber auch modern und experimentell. Auf Dirtchamber Sessions zwischendurch da

THE best Beasties album by a country mile. Love it.

Un album de Rap comme ça, aujourd'hui, c'est impensable. Prefs: Sure Shot, Root Down, Sabotage, Get It Together, Sabrosa, Futterman's Rule, Alright Hear This, Heart Attack Man, Bodhisattva Vow Moins Pref: Flute Loop

Love it, great to hear real instruments playing real funk. Another album from my prime youth of the early 90s that stands up well today.

Classic

Brilliant throughout, interesting and track order is perfect.

Couldn’t bring myself to dee-rrrrop them down to a 4

All time classic! The Beasties in the middle of their peak. All the different sounds, Sabotage, Root Down, Sabrosa, Tough Guy! They are there own genre and we are better for it.

My person favorite of the B Boys

Brash, frantic, funky... this album will slap you round the face and command you to party!

This album is all over the place and I love it. They don’t make em like this anymore. Hip hop, beats, punk rock, flute solos, Tibet chants, jazz breaks. And that’s loaded up between some BANGER singles including arguably, the greatest guitar riff of the 90’s Fav tracks: “Sabotage” “Heart Attack Man” “B-Boys Makin With the Freak Freak” “Tough Guy” “Sure Shot”

Great sound, fantastic instrumentals and classic songs

Sure Shot was a really sweet song. I didn't realize how "punky" early Beastie Boys was. Very cool mashup of punk rock and old-school hip hop. Really liked this album.

A1!

Fun album! Great mix of hip-hop and punk to make a truly unique experience.

5/5 - Love it

Know this album well. Think Hello Nasty might be my favourite, but this is close.

HEART ATTACK! HEART ATTACK MAN! This album is damn near perfect.

Sure shot and sabotage are jams. The album is eclectic, fun. Very listenable. Didn’t appreciate the whole album when it first came around.

ES SABROSO!

Eclectic and gritty sound. Unique and innovative style. Says early deez nuts joke. Fave songs: Sure Shot, Sabotage, Get It Together

Classic! Best of hip hop,alternat,funk and jazz

Fettes Album, 5/5. ich finde es übrigens richtig schwierig auf deutsch zu schreiben.

I’ve loved this album since I first saw the video for Sabotage on MTV

Brilliant album

Class, also got me through sick work times

finally, the first five star album of this list

What a musical masterpiece. Really loved this one.

Used to listen to this all the time back in the day.

Fuck yeah absolutely amazing sound

though one of their earlier albums, by far one of the best.

Nostalgic. Grew up 2nd hand listening to these albums from parents and older siblings. They had fantastic taste.

Time to get ill

Awesome. So much different musical styles in there.

Todella kova levy tämäkin

85

Stone cold banger. Funky, jazzy, fun.

- oh hell yeah, this shit rules

not much to say. great record

Listened previously. Expectations: HIgh - Verdict: Great - The Beasties are just awesome. An incredibly cool sound with the real instruments coming into such a chaotic hip hop sound. The opening 8 tracks are fantastic. Some of the instrumentals are really, really good. Sabrosa and Futterman's Rule are both brilliant, as is Eugene's Lament. Ricky's Theme continues the trend of excellent instrumentals. Shamble into Bodhisattva Vow is a great section. Overall a great album that pushes in so many directions while remaining cohesive.

Had this on cassette back in the day! Fun sprawling album, are these guys any good at rapping? I don't know. When Q-Tip shows up, he easily outclasses them. Bloated for sure, but the nostalgia is strong with this one. Zero memory of the last few tracks though. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes, 88/334 (26%) Will I get: Already have

Futterman's Rule instrumental is sick Faves: Sabotage

Man, definitely not the "Licensed to Ill" B-Boys, decent stuff.

Liked it. Way more instrumentation than I thought back in 94. Didn’t realize Sabotage was so old. Covers a wide array of beastie boys styles.

I thought I'd sorta like Beastie Boys but I ended up sorta really, really liking it. Did not expect a Buddhist bent to it.

On of my favorite Beastie Boys albums, although the Heart attack Man hardcore songs could go. I know it’s a callout to their roots, but feels a bit out of place. Sure Shot is a particular favorite, love the flute sample: https://www.whosampled.com/Jeremy-Steig/

I love this record! The opening with Sure Shot is gold. Sabotage takes me right back to loading moving trucks at Dan’s Van in Somerville. It may be a couple songs too long but almost all the tracks are bangers.

Beastie Boys - Ill Communication Hadn’t heard this one before other than the singles sure shot and sabotage. Enjoyed it on the whole especially the instrumental jazzy tracks and the Tibetan throat singing! Average song score 3.75 Standouts: Sabotage, Shambala ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This record has such an interesting start, seamlessly shifting right from rap to punk to funk. It keeps you on your toes. "Eugene's Lament" had a really cool 60s vibe to it, adding a nice vintage texture to the tracklist. Of course, "Sabotage" is an absolute powerhouse and stands out as one of their all-time greats. The energy on that track alone is unmatched. It's awesome how they can pivot from heavy, distorted live instruments right back into old-school hip-hop without missing a beat. They really mastered the art of making a chaotic tracklist feel completely cohesive. It's a fantastic, sonically diverse album that shows just how versatile they can be. Favorite song: "Sabotage"

ayyee oldschool rap

This album is so good. While listening I felt pure energy and fun the whole way through. The Beastie Boys nailed the fusion of genres again — mixing hip-hop, punk, funk, jazz samples, and that signature raw attitude into something that feels completely natural and cohesive. The lyrics are raw, clever, and full of personality, and everything on the record is done really well. The beats hit hard, the flows are tight, and the whole vibe is confident without trying too hard. In general, the Beastie Boys just never miss. They’re one of those groups that are consistently great, and Ill Communication is another strong example of why they’re legends. It’s fun, creative, and full of life.

I really love the energy the beastie boys have. It is such a nice pairing of punk and rap and not in the terrible way. Some of the instrumentals on here are sleeper hits, some of them are sleeper boring. Obviously Sabotage is an all time song but Sure Shot has been on rotation since I was like 12. Great album but not tickling that masterpiece status for me.

Mega aż mi się nóżka ruszyła i poleciałam w tany! 8.6/10

Beastie boys can do no wrong.

Very nice

11-year-old me was obsessed with Sabotage when this came out. 43-year-old me also digs the shout out to Jimmy Smith. There's a lot to like on this record. I had no idea they made songs like Sabrosa, Futterman's Rule, or Eugene's Lament.

Tough Guy was honestly pretty good. Always a fan of Beastie Boys if the mood is right. Obviously Sabotage is premium song too. Unexpected had never heard Heart Attack Man before, exceptionally good it even made my liked songs.

Funky rap type shi

Interesante descubrimiento, sinceramente por la portada pense que iba a ser otro tipo de musica, hubo una cancion que ahora no recuerdo el titulo que me hizo recordar al estilo de Nujabes, muy buen descubrimiento sinceramente.

beastie boys are ALWAYS a hit

Best wel vet

This reminds me of my school years! A good one.

Some absolute bangers on this album. Maybe a few too many musical interludes.

You know this is way more funky, experimental and expansive-sounding than I was expecting. The actual music and production on this is excellent, and I’m glad that they do so much across the album. I wasn’t expecting actual punk-rock (or Tibetan Buddhist chanting over 70’s funk-wah pedal either to be fair)… but it works! Big respect to the Beastie Boys. I’m starting to understand just how influential they were, and also how justified that was.

This is another album that I know the singles, but never listened to the entire album, despite having heard the previous album many times. My initial impression is that this is not a dramatically different album than Check Your Head in terms of its basic aesthetic palate: we're getting some straightforward hip hop, forays into funk oriented hard rock and punk and some instrumental moments that explore elements of soul and r&b. Like its predecessor, the album tends to get a bit more eclectic and experimental as it goes a long, bringing in more instrumentals and oddball tracks. A couple later tracks bring in an interest in Buddhism, that on paper feels like it might be a bit cringy, but the mix of sounds actually works pretty well. Transitions is not a bad track, but is an oddly downbeat ending to the record. I tend to find myself feeling the same way about both albums, having a feeling that this album could have been a little shorter, without really being able to label the track that really needs to be cut. This represents the band continuing to build on its strengths and leads to a very good album.

8/10

Some of the lyrics are juvenile, sure. But nothing else sounded like this in 1994. And there are so many bangers here. If “Sure Shot” and “Sabotage” won’t get an album to four stars, what will?

Sabotage still rocks

I was pleasantly surprised with this. Don’t except them to have songs that didn’t sound like their typical thing

White boys need to get in the garage and start making music like this again

Really liked the jazz songs. Iffy on the rock ones but still a great album

Classic punk hip-hop, I rock with it Fave track: Sabotage

My first time listening as an album. Very eclectic with many different instruments and styles. I do not see how they fit together. Minus 1 for that and being rap. 0 songs added to playlist.

Diverse sampling. 4.3/5

Still holds up!

Love this album. Heavy rotation.

Not my fav, but a lots of good tracks on this one.

This album has a great feeling to it that just makes you want to drive around with the windows down. Its atmospheric, while still having that edge to it that youd expect from a 90s hiphop album. Best track: The Update

really awesome samples with unique music videos, grear flow but their voices can get a bit much after a bit

Really fun, always like jazz and rap fusions

Ive heard about the beastie boys but ive never actually listened to their music, though i did learn that apparently ive already liked one of the songs off this album lol. I like this a lot tho. Ive learned im a big fan of the classic 90s rap, something about a good beat. I also really dug the different musical tones in this - i read on wikipedia they were influenced but a lot of different artists incl miles davis. Didnt love all the distorted voice effects but i did appreciate that there was variety - it didnt all sound the same. I think i saved three songs: sure shot, alright hear this, and sure shot. Already had sabatoge in my liked songs.

Au début j'étais peu impressionné, du rap un peu générique, et la voix des gars m'énerve. Je suis pas non plus le plus grand fan du rap basé sur les loops. La 2e partie m'a plus intéressée, j'ai l'impression que c'était plus funky/groovy. Et j'ai compris que les gars savaient jouer de leur instrument. On va leur donner un 4.

Wicked album

I like it

This album was surprisingly awesome. I'm familiar with their hits like Sabotage, Brass Monkey, No Sleep Till Brooklyn but I assumed they were kind of a one trick pony and a whole album would get old fast, but boy was I wrong. It's hard to catch every bar, but just the diversity in styles and beats make for an interesting listen. Love the funky/jazz instrumental tracks between hyped rap songs, shows they put thought into curating this album as a full experience. Q-Tip knocks it out the park with the feature.

Quite an impressive range on this album. Not everything hits, but most of it is pretty good.

great exploration of a lot of genres, i liked paul's boutique when we got it but i like this way more. awesome guitars / awesome funk sound

Love all the genre bending on here. Licensed to Ill being the big one (kind of) gives a very skewed perception of what this group was actually capable of.

Learning that Beastie Boys used to be punks explains a lot about their musical style. I ended up liking this a lot more than I expected, but I think it has more to do with the jazz breaks than their raps.

Good old Beastie Boys. Wasn't really into them at the time, but they've weathered quite well. A bit of fun. Can't believe it's 32 years!

It's been a while since I poured through this one, and it's such a fascinating record. The Beasties had gone from the biggest frat band in the universe to suddenly pushing the limit of live band rapping and teaming up with the impeccable Mario Caldato on the production. There's a LOT going on and it doesn't always work, but at its core this is the Beastie Boys mixing all their favorite music in a blender into a beautiful concoction that helped other producers explore deeper hip-hop territory.

Great production, fun listen

Great album, and it would be a 5 if it was about 6 or 7 songs shorter.

It’s funny how a single record can anchor you perfectly in time. The Beastie Boys dropped Ill Communication in May of 1994. If you're hitting the big 5-0 now, you were 19 when this came out—right in that chaotic, thrilling window of starting college, leaving home, and trying to figure out who you were. For me, the DNA of this album is permanently tied to dorm rooms, surviving upstate New York winters, and feeling completely invincible. Looking back, the genius of the Beastie Boys is that they grew up right alongside us. We had the obnoxious, beer-spilling anthems of Licensed to Ill when we were in middle school. But by the time '94 rolled around, Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock had fully transformed. They weren't just shouting into mics anymore; they were picking up their instruments and creating something entirely new.

Another surprise from the list. I thought I knew what the Beastie Boys were all about, especially after getting License to Ill a couple months ago. But this was a bit of an eye opener. It spanned quite a few genres and showed a lot more depth than I would have expected before listening. As someone who was already a fan of Sabotage, my favorite segment here was surprisingly the three song span of Sabrosa-The Update-Futterman's Rule, which I found really interesting. The tracks were unexpected on what I figured would be a straight up hip hop album, covering more subtle ground and including a lot of instrumental sections. Expanding on that, I think the instrumentation plays a big part in why I like this album as a whole. It's less sample-driven and more real performance, with those performances stealing the show most of the time. There's rock, punk, funk, jazz, and more. The vocals are there, but feel more equal with the music rather than trying to outshine it. The way it comes together really works for me. On the other hand, my biggest issues with this album are first that it is very long and second that it never really attains greatness. It runs just under an hour and contains 20 songs. I wouldn't really call anything on here filler, but it still didn't feel like that length was necessary. Instead, it made it feel a bit disjointed, almost like there were two albums forged into one. Part of that also probably comes from my second point, as most of the album hovered around good without really going beyond it. If there was a more pointed focus, they may have had more high-quality moments. There is a lot here to make me say this is a really strong album, especially given how different I found it from my expectations. At the same time, I don't think it reaches the level of a great album, and the length makes relistens a little unlikely. It sits on the edge of good/very good for me. Overall: 3.7/5

I really liked some of the songs

Me gusta mucho la mezcla de estilos que tiene. Es como una aventura por la ciudad acompañada por diferentes tribus urbanas en un solo disco.

Got very jazzy at the end but I liked it

I liked them all. But somehow the whole was less than the sum of its parts. I dont know why. I would happily listen to any of them again, just not all of them together.

This really rocked. I liked the Ocean's 11 vibe that some of the instrumental songs gave off. Sabotage is a Elite song as well. What a classic.

Buncha bangers

Oikein menevä levy, kuten Beastie Boysilta voi odottaa. Hämmentävä sekotus hiphoppia/räppiä ja punkkia. Tuskin menee suuresti kiertoon muuten, mutta mukava tämä oli kuunnella.

The weak link in tr Greatest 5 album run in music history, but it has Sabotage.

Yes! My favourite Beastie Boys album! A brilliant start to my day. Loud, audacious, fantastic.

A really solid album and I really enjoyed hearing them start to utilize live instruments along with the samples to give it more of a rock feel.

Better than I expected, could listen to it as background whilst on holiday. There were quite a few foot tappers.

This is what NYC sounds like in my mind.

This album was so much more diverse than I was expecting, and I particularly loved a lot of the instrumentals - they had a fun vibe and good groove. Not sure what I can add to Sabotage except to say it deserves all if its fame and probably more. I wanted to keep playing it on loop when the album finished because what else could bring more fun to my saturday night of school work. Unexpectedly punk album? The Update and Sure Shot were especially cool

Not quite as good as Paul’s Boutique but pretty damn good!

damn bboys i was not familiar with ur game

Not my usual genre at all, but I surprisingly enjoyed my time listening to this one. Very rhythmic and flowy.

Bon et de bons souvenirs! Un 4 +

High energy and a lot of fun, wasn't always vibing with the lyrics but all in all this was pretty good

Not for me. But I can see the importance of it

Muy bueno

Sure shot - 5 Tough guy - 4 B-boys makin' with the freak freak - 4 Bobo on the corner - 3 Root down - 5 Sabotage - 5 Get it together - 5 Sabrosa - 3 The update - 3 Futterman's rule - 4 Alright hear this - 4 Eugene's lament - 4 Flute loop - 4 Do it - 3 Ricky's theme - 3 Heart attack man - 4 The scoop - 4 Shambala - 3 Bodhisattva vow - 3 Transitions - 4

26/04/2026 I never gave Beastie Boys a chance before until this challenge. This is my second album of theirs. Fuck a duck, I really like these guys. Spotify listeners: 8.2 million

I was introduced to Beastie Boys with "License to Ill" and this is a very different album. Much more old school rap, with some punk and musical interludes that I didn't expect. Definitely showcases their talents as one of the great rap groups of our time in a a slightly more serious way than "License to Ill" Highlights: "Sure Shot" and "Sabotage"

basic хип хоп альбом, мне нрав, но треков перебор для меня, не вывоз

Okey, bra start med sure shot. yea though guy va litt for bråkat, ikkje så bra. B-boys making with the freak va meh ok, høres ut som hiphop blanda med lydian bestikket lage når du skrape det på tallerkenen. Bob on the corner va grei - ingen lyric. Root down høres bra ut, mer hiphoppy, men ikke det beste æ har hørt - oh litt jazz ellr? Sabotage høres bra ut, yeah resten hørtes bra ut, rydda rommet til albumet og skippa bare en sang.

este disco representa a mi yo de 15

This is a classic and iconic album that transports me back being a teen in the 90’s. I was heavy into grunge at the time, but the Beastie Boys were such an integral part of popular culture that’s it’s impossible not to have been influenced by them. There’s so much creativity and depth to this album, and I love the jazz influences. The vibes are fun and funky and I couldn’t help but smile and bop along. Great album!

Τέρμα καλό

Can’t go wrong with the beastie boys

A banger of an album.

Getting an album you love makes you feel bad knocking any other album While it contains some of the Boys’ most iconic songs, Ill Communication is disjointed. I wish they put it out as 3 albums, a higher energy rock/punk album, a sampling album like Paul’s boutique, and a funk album like later, mid 00’s boys. This album overall doesn’t feel like it works as well as an album as each song individually. It well demonstrates their expanding sound, and they’re clearly still the Beastie Boys, but it feels rushed in a way their other work doesn’t.