Licensed to Ill
| Licensed to Ill | |||||
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| Studio album by Beastie Boys | |||||
| Released | November 1986 | ||||
| Recorded | Spring 1986 | ||||
| Genre | Golden age hip hop Rap rock |
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| Length | 44:33 | ||||
| Label | Def Jam/Columbia CK-40238 |
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| Producer | Rick Rubin | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Beastie Boys chronology | |||||
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Licensed to Ill is the debut album by the Beastie Boys, released in 1986.
It was the first rap LP to top Billboard's Pop Albums chart. It also peaked at #2 on the Top Hip Hop/R&B Albums chart. It is Columbia Records' fastest selling debut record to date and sold over five million copies.
Contents |
Background
Produced by Rick Rubin & Beastie Boys
Kerry King of Slayer made an appearance on the album playing lead guitar on "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)" and "No Sleep till Brooklyn", and appeared in the music video, which is a parody of heavy metal music. The name of the song itself is a spoof on Motörhead's No Sleep 'til Hammersmith album. King's appearance on the track came about because Rick Rubin was producing both bands simultaneously (Slayer's Reign in Blood was originally released on Def Jam).
The full album cover, front to back, features a Boeing 727 — with "Beastie Boys" emblazoned on the tail — crashing head-on into the side of a mountain. The tail of the plane has the Def Jam logo and the legend '3MTA3' which spells 'EATME' when viewed in a mirror.
The original title for this album was Don't Be a Faggot but Columbia Records flatly refused to release the album with this title and pressured Russell Simmons (their manager and label Def Jam head) into having the Beastie Boys to come up with another name. Adam Horovitz has since apologized for the band's earlier title.[1]
Music videos were made for the songs "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)", "No Sleep Til Brooklyn", "Hold It Now, Hit It" and "She's Crafty".
Reception
In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums.[2]
In 2003, the album was ranked number 217 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[3]
Vibe (12/99, p.158) - Included in Vibe's 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century.
Q magazine (9/94, p.123) - 4 Stars - "Licensed to Ill remains the world's only punk rock rap album, arguably superior to Never Mind the Bollocks...knowing that apathy and slovenliness were just around the corner."
Melody Maker (7/22/95, p.35) - Bloody Essential - "There's lots of self-reverential bragging, more tenuous rhymes than are usually permitted by law and, most importantly of all, an unshakably glorious celebration of being alive....A surprisingly enduring classic."
Track listing
- "Rhymin & Stealin" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 4:08
- Contains samples from "Sweet Leaf" by Black Sabbath, "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin, & "I Fought the Law" by The Clash
- "The New Style" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 4:36
- Contains samples from "2-3 Break" by The B-Boys, "Drop the Bomb" by Trouble Funk & "Peter Piper" by Run-D.M.C.
- "She's Crafty" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 3:35
- Contais samples from "The Ocean" by Led Zeppelin
- "Posse in Effect" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 2:27
- Contains samples from "Change le Beat" by B-Side & Fab Five Freddy, "Pee Wee's Dance" by Joeski Love
- "Slow Ride" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 2:56
- Contains samples from "Low Rider" by War
- "Girls" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 2:14
- "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 3:28
- "No Sleep till Brooklyn" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 4:07
- "Paul Revere" (King/Ad Rock/McDaniels/Rubin/Simmons) – 3:41
- Contains samples from "I Like Funky Music" by Uncle Louie
- "Hold It Now, Hit It" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 3:26
- Contains samples from "The Return of Leroy" by The Jimmy Castor Bunch, "Drop the Bomb" & "Let's Get Small" by Trouble Funk, "Funky Stuff" by Kool & The Gang, "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" by Bob James, "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow & "La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick
- "Brass Monkey" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 2:37
- Contains samples from "Bring it Here" by Wild Sugar
- "Slow and Low" (McDaniels/Rubin/Simmons) – 3:38
- In the booklet included with the Beastie Boys' anthology set The Sounds of Science Adam Yauch (MCA) noted that "Slow and Low" was first recorded by Run-D.M.C. in the sessions for their second album, King of Rock, but was ultimately left off the original release (though the demo version later appeared on the album's 2005 Deluxe Edition re-release). Being one of the Beasties' favorite songs from the sessions, they got Run-D.M.C.'s permission to record a cover version. Yauch states that only two lines were changed for the Beastie Boys' version: "D sees real well 'cause he has four eyes" was replaced with "White Castle fries only come in one size", and a line stating Run-D.M.C.'s name was changed to "We're the Beastie Boys, not Cheech and Chong". The notes for The Sounds of Science expand the writing credits to "Beastie Boys/J. Simmons/D. McDaniels/R. Rubin/D. Hayden", a credit corroborated by ASCAP's database.[4]
- "Time to Get Ill" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) – 3:37
- Contains samples from "Boogie on Reggae Woman" by Stevie Wonder, "Take the Money and Run" by the Steve Miller Band, "Down on the Corner" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Custard Pie" by Led Zeppelin, "Gucci Time" by Schoolly D, "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" by Barry White, "Funky Stuff" by Kool & The Gang, and excerpts from the theme music from Green Acres and Mister Ed
Personnel
- Beastie Boys - Group, producer
- Joe Blaney - Mixing
- Steven Ett - Audio engineer
- Kerry King - Guitar on "No Sleep till Brooklyn" and "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)"
- Rick Rubin - Producer
- Howie Weinberg - Mastering
- Steve Byram - Art direction
- Sunny Bak - Photography
- World B. Omes (David Gambale) - Cover art
Chart positions
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | The Billboard 200 | #1 |
| 1986 | Top Hip-Hop/R&B Albums | #2 |
Singles
Billboard (North America) - singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Hold It, Now Hit It | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | #55 |
| 1986 | The New Style | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | #22 |
| 1986 | Hold It, Now Hit It | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | #41 |
| 1986 | Paul Revere | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | #20 |
| 1987 | (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) | The Billboard Hot 100 | #7 |
| 1987 | Brass Monkey | The Billboard Hot 100 | #48 |
| 1987 | Brass Monkey | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | #83 |
| 1987 | Paul Revere | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | #34 |
| 1987 | Paul Revere | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | #41 |
References
- ↑ Williams, Zoe (April 29, 2003). "Hiphopophobia". The Guardian. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
- ↑ "100 Best Rap Albums". The Source #100 (January, 1998). Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
- ↑ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
- ↑ ""Slow And Low" listing at ASCAP.com". Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
| Preceded by Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi |
Billboard 200 number-one album March 7 - April 24 1987 |
Succeeded by The Joshua Tree by U2 |
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