KICK IT!
(and give me props for not going for the obvious “Fight For Your Right” intro on the actual podcast.
This episode pays tribute to three bad brothers you know so well–Ad Rock, Mike D., and the late, great MCA: better known as Rock & Roll Hall of Fame artists The Beastie Boys.
Over the course of 90 minutes, the team of Big Money, Michael Parr, Dr. Z and Mike Cunningham discuss the legacy of the three East Village punks who shook up the hip-hop world and morphed from bratty caricatures to elder statesmen with cachet in the rap and alternative rock communities.
From the sophomoric but still enjoyable Licensed To Ill to the trippy Paul’s Boutique to their uneven more recent efforts, the Beasties were never less than interesting throughout their three decades as a unit.
Some questions/statements that come up over the course of the discussion:
-How important a factor was the Beastie Boys’ race in their success? (also, the first-ever comparison might be made between the Beasties and New Kids On The Block)
-Does Paul’s Boutique hold up a quarter-century later? (we also discuss the excellent 33 1/3 volume dedicated to the album and revisit sampling laws.)
-The court of public opinion is split on the Beasties’ more recent efforts, although no album provides more dissenting commentary than 1999’s Hello Nasty.
-The immortal “Skills To Pay The Bills” VHS and the role of video in the Beasties’ career.
-Groundbreaking (or at least controversial) performances on American Bandstand & Soul Train
-What is their legacy and will there be another group like them?
Listen below or download on LibSyn, check us out on iTunes and comment, do your thing!