Fight
for Your Right (to Party) sound clip
Adrock, MCA, and Mike D are the three members of the Beastie Boys who are formally known as Adam Horowitz, Adam Yauch, and Michael Diamond, respectively. In the mid-1980s these three white rappers from New York broke the stereotype of the rap scene by introducing a new style of hip-hop rap with some punk rock background. The Beastie Boys started out simple, rapping about partying and getting girls. From their first hit, "Fight for Your Right (To Party)," the message was what college kids needed when it was released. It was a new venue of music for people to appreciate. The Beastie Boys paved the way for a new audience to be introduced to the growing form of music called rap.
Because of the song "Fight for your Right (To Party)," the Beasties' first album under the Def Jam label, License to Ill, became the biggest-selling rap album of the 80s. Despite the controversy of License to Ill, some saying that it was not rap and others complaining of its chauvinistic themes, the Beasties still managed to find mainstream success.
The success of the Beastie Boys came from their originality and their independence. Their originality is shown heavily on their follow-up album, Paul's Boutique. Even though the sales of Paul's Boutique did not match those of License to Ill, it is still considered a great album to true Beastie Boys fans. They were first seen as jokesters, but after releasing their second and third albums, they gained the respect they deserved.
The independent side of the Beasties came from the start of their record label and magazine, both titled Grand Royal. The first album that was released on Grand Royal was Check Your Head, which put the Beasties back onto charts and into the hearts of alternative music fans. The next full-length album for the Beasties was Ill Communication. That album debuted at #1 upon its release, and the singles "Sabotage" and "Sure Shot" helped send the album to double-platinum status. The Beasties have four full-length albums out, and many other EP's and singles. Their fifth album should be released in the summer of 1998.
