License-Beastie Boys

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The rock and roll album I selected is license to Ill by the Beastie Boys. The album first released in November 15, 1986. The Beastie Boys are an American hip-hop group, which formed in 1981 in New York. The Beastie Boys group consisted of three members for most of their career, Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock. The group first began doing hardcore punk, and later transitioned into a rock/ hip-hop style in 1984. (Erlewine) License to Ill released only two years after the group left their punk image for Hip-Hop. Def jams were the record company that first released the album in 1986. License to Ill runs forty-four minutes and thirty-three seconds in length, with thirteen tracks.
The overall sound of the album was combination of rap lyrics over some rocking beats. The instrumentation used is electric guitar and bass. In the song (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!), the guitar, and drums are clearly heard especially on off beats of the rap lyrics. The album has a very upbeat sound in general with some more traditional rock and roll guitars cords, but the rap lyrics is what made this album the first of its kind. The song (You gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!), was inducted into The Rock and Roll hall of fame’s 500 songs that shaped rock n roll. (Rolling Stones) Daniella Kohavy points out how in “Rhymin’ And Stealin,” the first track on the album, samples Led Zeppelin, The Clash, and Black Sabbath; the epitomes of rock and punk rock”. The album created in less than a year. They gained inspiration from the music of many rock bands, such as Kerry King from slayer.
While listening to album the lyrics are mostly about women, drugs, rebelling against parents and partying. The sound of the album from song to song is very...

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...s. Artist who were influence by the Beastie boys were Eminem, Kid Rock, Korn, and Ke$ha. The revival periods when the beastie boys remade their albums, were not as successful as the first launch. The license to Ill sold over 9 billion copies and that was nearly impossible to top. We listen today because although groups have tried to copy the Beastie Boys style none has been able to mimic the mixing of rock and roll music and hip-hop lyrics as they did.

Works Cited

"Beastie Boys Biography | Rolling Stone." Rolling Stone. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

Erlewine, Stephen T. "Licensed to Ill - Beastie Boys | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic." AllMusic. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

Kohavy, Daniella. "KevinNottingham.com The Underground Hip Hop Authority | Hip Hop Music, Videos & Reviews." KevinNottinghamcom. N.p., 15 Nov. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

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