Licensed to Ill
Encyclopedia
In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Sources 100 Best Rap Albums.
It is still the only album by a white hip-hop act to receive the coveted 5 mics from The Source.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 217 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
.
Vibe – Included in Vibes 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century.
Q
– 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
– 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."
In 2006, Q magazine
placed the album at #16 in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s".
and Rick Rubin
, except where noted.
) – singles
"The New Style
"
"She's Crafty"
"Posse in Effect"
"Slow Ride"
"Paul Revere
"
"Hold It, Now Hit It
"
"Brass Monkey
"
"Slow and Low"
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.
"Time to Get Ill"
It is still the only album by a white hip-hop act to receive the coveted 5 mics from The Source.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 217 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
.
Vibe – Included in Vibes 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century.
Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
– 4 stars – "Licensed to Ill remains the world's only punk rock rap album, arguably superior to Never Mind the Bollocks
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols
Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols is the only studio album by the highly influential and controversial English punk rock band The Sex Pistols...
…knowing that apathy and slovenliness were just around the corner."
Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
– 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."
In 2006, Q magazine
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
placed the album at #16 in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s".
Track listing
All songs written by Beastie BoysBeastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
and Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
, except where noted.
- "Rhymin & Stealin" – 4:08
- "The New StyleThe New Style (song)"The New Style" is a song by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys, released as the second single from their debut album Licensed to Ill...
" – 4:36 - "She's Crafty" – 3:35
- "Posse in Effect" – 2:27
- "Slow Ride" – 2:56
- "GirlsGirls (Beastie Boys song)"Girls" is a song by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys, released as the seventh and final single from their debut album Licensed to Ill...
" – 2:14 - "Fight for Your Right" – 3:28
- "No Sleep till BrooklynNo Sleep Till Brooklyn"No Sleep till Brooklyn" is a song by Beastie Boys as well as the sixth single on their debut studio album Licensed to Ill. The name of the song itself is a play on Motörhead's No Sleep 'til Hammersmith album.-Production and play:...
" – 4:07 - "Paul ReverePaul Revere (song)"Paul Revere" is a song by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released as the third single from their debut album Licensed to Ill. It was written by Adam Horovitz, Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Rick Rubin. It was produced by Rick Rubin and the Beastie Boys...
" (Horovitz/McDaniels/Rubin/Simmons) – 3:41 - "Hold It, Now Hit ItHold It, Now Hit It"Hold It, Now Hit It" is a song by American hip hop group, the Beastie Boys, released as the firstsingle from their debut album Licensed to Ill...
" – 3:26 - "Brass MonkeyBrass Monkey (song)"Brass Monkey" is a song by the New York hip hop group Beastie Boys. It was a single released from their first album Licensed to Ill. It is also on the Beastie Boys' compilation album Solid Gold Hits. It samples "Bring It Here" by Wild Sugar. The song features the Roland TR-808 drum machine...
" – 2:37 - "Slow and Low" (McDaniels/Rubin/Simmons) – 3:38
- "Time to Get Ill" – 3:37
Personnel
- Beastie Boys – group, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Joe Blaney – mixing
- Steven Ett – audio engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Kerry KingKerry KingKerry King is an American lead and rhythm guitarist. He is best known as the lead guitarist and cofounder of American thrash metal band Slayer. He co-founded the band with Jeff Hanneman in 1981 and has been a member ever since...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
on "No Sleep till Brooklyn" - Rick RubinRick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
– producer - Howie WeinbergHowie WeinbergHowie Weinberg is a music mastering engineer who has worked with numerous bands.- Career :He has worked at Masterdisk, New York City, since 1977...
– mastering - Steve Byram – art direction
- Sunny BakSunny BakSunny Bak is an American photographer. She shot the gatefold image of the Beastie Boys on the Licensed to Ill album, and the infamous Lesbian cover for Newsweek in June 1993, which still ranks among their top ten selling issues.-1970s:...
– photography - World B. Omes (David Gambale) – cover art
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | The Billboard 200 | 1 |
| Top Hip-Hop/R&B Albums | 2 |
Singles
Billboard (North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
) – singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Hold It, Now Hit It Hold It, Now Hit It "Hold It, Now Hit It" is a song by American hip hop group, the Beastie Boys, released as the firstsingle from their debut album Licensed to Ill... " |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 55 |
| Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 41 | ||
| "The New Style The New Style (song) "The New Style" is a song by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys, released as the second single from their debut album Licensed to Ill... " |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 22 | |
| "Paul Revere Paul Revere (song) "Paul Revere" is a song by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released as the third single from their debut album Licensed to Ill. It was written by Adam Horovitz, Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Rick Rubin. It was produced by Rick Rubin and the Beastie Boys... " |
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 20 | |
| 1987 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 34 | |
| Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 41 | ||
| "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 7 | |
| "Brass Monkey Brass Monkey (song) "Brass Monkey" is a song by the New York hip hop group Beastie Boys. It was a single released from their first album Licensed to Ill. It is also on the Beastie Boys' compilation album Solid Gold Hits. It samples "Bring It Here" by Wild Sugar. The song features the Roland TR-808 drum machine... " |
The Billboard Hot 100 | 48 | |
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 83 |
Samples
"Rhymin & Stealin"- "Sweet LeafSweet Leaf"Sweet Leaf" is a song by Black Sabbath from their 1971 album Master of Reality. The song, a hymn to recreational cannabis use, got its title from a packet of cigarettes bassist Geezer Butler bought in Dublin that claimed the tobacco was "the sweet leaf." The song begins with a tape loop of...
" by Black SabbathBlack SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22... - "When the Levee BreaksWhen the Levee Breaks"When the Levee Breaks" is a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927....
" by Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham... - "I Fought the Law" by The ClashThe ClashThe Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
"The New Style
The New Style (song)
"The New Style" is a song by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys, released as the second single from their debut album Licensed to Ill...
"
- "Two, Three, Break" by The B-Boys
- "Drop the Bomb" by Trouble FunkTrouble FunkTrouble Funk is an American R&B and funk band from Washington, DC. It helped to popularize that area's local funk subgenre known as go-go. Among the band's well-known songs are the go-go anthem "Hey, Fellas." They released several studio albums including Drop the Bomb, In Times of Trouble, Live,...
- "Peter Piper" by Run-D.M.C.Run-D.M.C.Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
"She's Crafty"
- "The Ocean" by Led Zeppelin
"Posse in Effect"
- "Change le Beat" by Fab Five FreddyFab Five FreddyFred Brathwaite , more popularly known as Fab 5 Freddy, is an American Hip hop historian, Hip hop pioneer and former graffiti artist...
and B-Side - "Pee-Wee's Dance" by Joeski Love
- "Catch a Groove" by Juice
"Slow Ride"
- "Low Rider" by WarWar (band)War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
"Paul Revere
Paul Revere (song)
"Paul Revere" is a song by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released as the third single from their debut album Licensed to Ill. It was written by Adam Horovitz, Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Rick Rubin. It was produced by Rick Rubin and the Beastie Boys...
"
- "It's Yours" by T La RockT La RockClarence "Terry" Ronnie Keaton , known by the stage name T La Rock, is an American old-school emcee best known for his collaboration with Def Jam Recordings co-founder Rick Rubin and the 1984 single "It's Yours." He disappeared from the hip hop scene after a traumatic brain injury in 1994, but as...
and Jazzy JayJazzy JayJazzy Jay born in Beaufort, South Carolina, United States, November 18, 1961), also known as The Original Jazzy Jay or DJ Jazzy Jay, is a pioneering American hip hop DJ and producer. He has collected roughly 400,000 records.-Background:...
"Hold It, Now Hit It
Hold It, Now Hit It
"Hold It, Now Hit It" is a song by American hip hop group, the Beastie Boys, released as the firstsingle from their debut album Licensed to Ill...
"
- "The Return of Leroy" by The Jimmy Castor Bunch
- "Drop the Bomb" and "Let's Get Small" by Trouble Funk
- "Funky Stuff" by Kool & the GangKool & the GangKool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, and funk group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and...
- "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" by Bob JamesBob James (musician)Robert McElhiney James is a jazz keyboardist, arranger and producer.-Biography:During the 1970s, Bob James played a major role in establishing the smooth jazz genre. "Angela", the instrumental theme from the sitcom Taxi, is probably Bob James' most well-known work to date...
- "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis BlowKurtis BlowKurt Walker , better known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the first commercially successful rappers and the first to sign with a major record label...
- "La Di Da DiLa Di Da Di"La Di Da Di" is a rap song performed by Doug E. Fresh the beatboxer, and MC Ricky D as the rapper. It was originally released in 1985 as the B-side to "The Show". The song has since gained a reputation as an early hip hop classic, having been referenced in other hip hop songs.There are two...
" by Slick RickSlick RickRichard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
"Brass Monkey
Brass Monkey (song)
"Brass Monkey" is a song by the New York hip hop group Beastie Boys. It was a single released from their first album Licensed to Ill. It is also on the Beastie Boys' compilation album Solid Gold Hits. It samples "Bring It Here" by Wild Sugar. The song features the Roland TR-808 drum machine...
"
- "Bring It Here" by Wild Sugar
"Slow and Low"
In the booklet included with the Beastie Boys' anthology set The Sounds of Science, Adam Yauch
Adam Yauch
Adam Nathaniel Yauch , , is a founding member of hip hop trio the Beastie Boys. He is frequently known by his stage name, MCA, and other pseudonyms such as Nathanial Hörnblowér.-Early life:...
(MCA) noted that "Slow and Low" was first recorded by Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
in the sessions for their second album, King of Rock
King of Rock
King of Rock is the second album by hip hop trio Run–D.M.C.. Produced in 1985, the album sees the group adopting a more rock-influenced sound, with several tracks prominently featuring heavy guitar riffs....
, 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.
Run-D.M.C.
Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
's permission to record a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
. 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
White Castle (restaurant)
White Castle is an American regional fast food hamburger restaurant chain in the Midwestern United States and in the New York metropolitan area, and the first of its kind in the US. It is known for its small, square hamburgers. Sometimes referred to as "sliders", the burgers were priced at five...
fries only come in one size", and a line stating Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
's name was changed to "We're the Beastie Boys, not Cheech and Chong
Cheech and Chong
Cheech & Chong are a comedy duo consisting of Richard "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong, who found a wide audience in the 1970s and 1980s for their films and stand-up routines, which were based on the hippie and free love era, and especially drug culture movements, most notably their love for...
". The notes for The Sounds of Science expand the writing credits to "Beastie Boys/J. Simmons
Joseph Simmons
Joseph Ward Simmons , known by the stage name Rev. Run or DJ Run, is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Run–D.M.C., and a practicing minister, known as Reverend Run. Simmons was born in Hollis, Queens, New York. He is the younger brother of Daniel "Danny" Simmons, Jr...
/D. McDaniels
Darryl McDaniels
-Video game appearances:*The Warriors - Scopes*Guitar Hero: Aerosmith - Himself- External links :* * * * * http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/12/entertainment/la-et-people-speak12-2009dec12...
/R. Rubin
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
/D. Hayden", a credit corroborated by ASCAP's database.
"Time to Get Ill"
- "Boogie on Reggae WomanBoogie On Reggae Woman"Boogie On Reggae Woman" is a 1974 funk single by American Motown artist Stevie Wonder, from the album Fulfillingness' First Finale. The song, which was not in the reggae style, continued Wonder's successful Top Ten streak on the pop charts, reaching number three and also spent two weeks at number...
" by Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... - "Take the Money and RunTake the Money and RunTake the Money and Run is a 1969 comedy film written by Woody Allen and Mickey Rose, and directed by and starring Woody Allen. It is an early mockumentary, chronicling the life of Virgil Starkwell, a bungling petty thief...
" by the Steve Miller BandSteve Miller BandThe Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1967 in San Francisco, California. The band is managed by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and is known for a string of mid-1970s hit singles that are staples of the classic rock radio format.-History:In 1965, Steve Miller and... - "Down on the CornerDown on the Corner"Down on the Corner" is a song by the American band Creedence Clearwater Revival. It appeared on their fourth studio album, Willy and the Poor Boys . The song chronicles the tale of the fictional band Willy and the Poor Boys, and how they play on street corners to cheer people up and ask for nickels...
" by Creedence Clearwater RevivalCreedence Clearwater RevivalCreedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums.... - "Custard PieCustard Pie"Custard Pie" is the opening track on the English rock band Led Zeppelin's sixth album, Physical Graffiti, released in 1975. The lyrics to the riff-heavy song pay homage to the blues songs of the Robert Johnson era; specifically "Drop Down Mama" by Sleepy John Estes, "Shake 'Em on Down" by Bukka...
" by Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham... - "Gucci Time" by Schoolly DSchoolly DJesse B. Weaver Jr. , better known by the stage name Schoolly D, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.- Career :...
- "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More BabyI'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby"I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" is a song written, produced and recorded by Barry White. Considering how successful it would end up being, it would probably come as a surprise that, for many years, White had little to no interest in a recording career...
" by Barry WhiteBarry WhiteBarry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring... - "Funky Stuff" by Kool & the Gang
- "Nothing from NothingNothing from Nothing (Billy Preston song)"Nothing From Nothing" was a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher. It was performed by keyboardist/vocalist Billy Preston for his 1974 album The Kids and Me...
" by Billy PrestonBilly PrestonWilliam Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from... - "Flick of the SwitchFlick of the Switch (song)"Flick of the Switch" is a single by the Australian rock band AC/DC, from the album Flick of the Switch, released in 1983. It was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Brian Johnson....
" by AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"... - "Rocket in the Pocket (Live)" by CerroneCerroneMarc Cerrone is a French disco drummer, singer-songwriter and record producer.Marc Cerrone has sold over thirty million albums and has often performed in front of hundreds of thousands of people at huge concerts and events such as The 2005 Dance Party Live in Versailles and The 2000 Los Angeles...
- Excerpts from the theme musicTheme musicTheme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
from Green AcresGreen AcresGreen Acres is an American television series starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm...
and Mister EdMister EdOriginally produced in late 1960, Mister Ed is an American television situation comedy produced by Filmways that first aired in syndication from January 5 to July 2, 1961, and then on CBS from October 1, 1961, to February 6, 1966....