![]() ![]() The album’s closer, “It’s Time To Get Ill,” includes a sample from the song “Gucci Time” by rapper Schoolly D, a bold choice to include on a rap record with such a heavy rock influence “Gucci Time” appeared on Schoolly’s self-titled album, and that same album opened with a track titled “ I Don’t Like Rock ‘N’ Roll.” “All you rock ‘n’ roll lovers, we’re knocking you out / Because that is what rap’s all about,” asserted Schoolly D, pulling no punches either figuratively or, indeed, literally. Licensed To Ill, whose sound producer Rick Rubin helped to shape, revealed a group unafraid to allude to the animosity existing between the musical spheres. Packing an album with consistent nods to two fairly divided musical subcultures-one largely middle-class and white, the other largely working-class and black-was unorthodox in the 1980s, and the Beastie Boys knew it. But dozens of hip-hop and funk artists, like War, Kurtis Blow, and the trailblazing Sugarhill Gang, also make appearances. Sabbath, Zeppelin, and other hard rock groups like AC/DC are among the bands whose sounds create the backbone of much of Licensed To Ill’s eclectic track listing. Part of that crossover appeal was the equal emphasis the group gave to both sides of the hip-hop-meets-metal equation, which comes through in their skilled use of samples. ![]() Licensed To Ill’s impact on popular culture-introducing rap music to the white suburban masses-is difficult to understate. A couple of years and a few line-up changes later, the Beastie Boys settled on a sound-obnoxious party-rap over crunchy, metallic riffs-that would launch them into commercial success and critical acclaim. Their early output has been largely forgotten (save for a 1994 compilation release titled Some Old Bullshit, which pretty much speaks for itself), but one song of great importance from the Beastie’s early days was a track called “ Cooky Puss.” Here the group dropped the hardcore sounds for the drum-machine beats of hip-hop, and though it was basically recorded as a prank, it quickly became the band’s most popular song. When the Beastie Boys formed in 1978, they weren’t the cocky hip-hop trio that would someday rock mics up to the top of the Billboard 200, but a hardcore punk outfit. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |