Licensed to Ill

Eh, they get better.

It’s shit isn’t it

Feels appropriate for the day after a Knicks championship.
I don’t think there’s a better rap/rock fusion group, or record, than this one. The boys really cooked here. It’s everything Rick Rubin wanted to do with Run DMC & Aerosmith, but bolder and better (probably because he’d sold his proof of concept already).

Although I recognize the influence and the whole aura surrounding this album - and I love the Beastie Boys’ later work! - I don’t think this album has aged very well!

Or maybe it’s just me who’s definitely getting older. A 4 for the genius, caustic humor, and influence of the time, but today, listening to it brought back memories - not all of them good. My favorite track was never “Fight for Your Right (To Party)”; I prefer “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.” Special mention also goes to “Paul Revere.”

And that’s it. Next ;-)

I already covered the other two Beastie Boys records officially in the books, so going back to Licensed to Ill, it really feels like their first full-length hip hop effort after pivoting from hardcore punk.

The best way to view Licensed to Ill is as a frat party record. Three dudes from New York City goofing around as they rhymed over beats and guitars, live and sampled; it's as simple as that. Sure, the beats and sampling on this record aren't as creative or imaginative as they would be on later records, and some of the lyrics haven't aged well, particularly the joke lines on "Girls". But I can't deny that the vocal chemistry between Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock was defined well here, and that some genuinely fun tracks on here still hold up like "She's Crafty", "Paul Revere", "Hold It Now, Hold It", "Brass Monkey", and especially "No Sleep till Brooklyn" with that cool guitar solo from Slayer's Kerry King.

Overall, I consider Licensed to Ill to be a solid debut. The Beastie Boys would continue to grow and develop their sound, but at least this record showcased their potential.

Oh hell yeah, it's the BEAST-IE-BOYS

This is a ridiculously amusing album, I love this stupid comedy record. Only downside is I've had "You've gotta fight - for your right - to paaaaarty" stuck in my head for the past 24 hours

Hip hop, eh…

A great album for when you want 45 minutes of Walk This Way - this is an extended elaboration of the idea of mixing of rock samples and 1980s rap delivery. Gets pretty tiresome how the whole crew chimes in on the words that rhyme, even on the novely songs. But, No Sleep Till Brooklyn is great, and Fight for Your Right is a timeless adolescent classic. A fun, lighthearted and playful album even when its being annoying.

Así como con el rap, no soy fan del hip hop, pero siento que mínimo con este último se puede bailar. En fin, interesante álbum (¿debut?) que tiene dos canciones (al menos en Apple Music son las más populares) que incorporan las guitarras rockeras de los ochenta en el género hip hop que me gustaron.

80s hip hop does sort of just suck

I loved this record freshman year of high school and had outgrown it by sophomore year. I’m pretty sure the Beastie Boys felt the same way about it. I still know all the lyrics from “Paul Revere” and a couple other songs. The Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin samples still hit and “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” and “Fight For Your Right” remain eternally iconic anthems. Some of the deeper cuts are fun too. Not gonna lie, I enjoyed revisiting it way more than I expected.

I studied the lyrics to this one profoundly… and I think I might be onto something… I think them Boys liked girls!!??

Ok, that had to be said. Now back to business: It’s a fun record - which is no small feat, after all these years. Granted, some bars don’t hit as hard as they did back in the ’80s. Knowing that the Beastie Boys were destined for much greater things, this is probably one of their “classic” records that I take off the shelf the least. Is it essential listening? No… eh, yes? Whatever… it kind of defies that category for me.

It was formative for their own trajectory as one of the most idiosyncratic white hip-hop groups to have ever graced the ears of mankind, at least. Spinning this today, some stuff seems a tad stale or cliché - but back then, it probably made people stop in their tracks. It’s the blueprint for a much better artistic catalog, so that should suffice for its inclusion. Also, I’d bet a lot of money that the Licensed to Ill bangers - deservedly - still make their way onto myriads of party playlists. My baby daughter was just vibin’ hard to “Brass Monkey”… so yeah, there’s that.

Cool 👌

Now this is a way better boy band than the Beatles were on Thursday! Just straight up fun, high-energy tracks. They are unapologetically fun to listen to.

Know this album well

I was 16 when this came out. And it was a staple straight through college. So my rating is clearly biased, but this is the straight five star banger.

Odd album bordering on being novelty at times … strange to see how they would progress . Still raw and exciting

This is my first album on here. I mostly listen to 2000s hip hop so this is very interesting to hear something from the 80s. Some of the songs werent for me but its a very good album. Safe to say that i will revisit this album again.

Saved songs: Posse in effect, girls, fight for your right, brass monkey, time to get ill

While I love the Beastie Boys and I do think this is a great album, it’s not my favourite Beastie Boys album. I love the Zeppelin samples, but overall, it just has a bit too much of the frat boy party rock vibe for my tastes.

Great if immature debut. Fun, but they've got better records