The Beastie Boys were the first successful white rap group and one of the few acts from the early days of hip-hop that still enjoyed major success their whole career. Their rock and punk-influenced rap has had a significant impact on artists both in and outside the hip-hop scene. And they were the first rap group to gain a substantial following with alternative rock fans.
The Beastie Boys came together in 1979 as a punk band called The Young Aborigines. In 1981 MCA joined the group and from the suggestion of their guitarist John Berry, they changed their name to Beastie Boys. Their line up then consisted of Adam Yauch (aka MCA) on bass, drummer Kate Schellenbach (later of Luscious Jackson), guitarist John Berry (of Big Fat Love), and Mike Diamond (aka Mike D) on the mic. Beastie Boys' debut EP, the Pollywog Stew vinyl 7" was released in 1982.
The band's first foray into hip hop, the Cooky Puss 12", followed in 1983, with The Young and the Useless guitarist Adam Horovitz (aka Adrock) replacing John Berry. "Cooky Puss" would be the first B Boys record to receive play at NYC clubs like Danceteria as the band played its first shows outside the city.
The Mike D/MCA/Adrock Beastie Boys lineup debuted in 1984 with the "Rock Hard"/"Beastie Groove" 12." Produced by Rick Rubin, who went on to produce albums for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash and Audioslave. The "She's On It"/ "Slow And Low" 12" followed in 1985 and Beastie Boys went on Madonna's "Virgin Tour." as her opening act.
Licensed to Ill dropped in fall 1986 and became the first Beastie Boys album--and the first Rap album ever--to go #1. Fueled by Fight for Your Right and No Sleep Till Brooklyn it remained at #1 for seven weeks and simultaneously reached #2 on the urban chart, becoming the fastest selling debut to date for Columbia and the first hip hop record to break 5 million.
In 1989 Beastie Boys released their second album Paul’s Boutique produced by Beastie Boys and the Dust Brothers. Paul's Boutique laid down the blueprint for a generation of emergent genres and went over the collective head of a nation. The likes of "Shake Your Rump," "Lookin' Down The Barrel Of A Gun," "Car Thief," Shadrach," and the hip hop "suite" "B-Boy Bouillabaisse" contained lyrical and musical references too plentiful and diverse for the average mind to compute in one sitting.
Check Your Head, released in 1992, heralded the return of live instrumentation into the B Boys mix. The album was produced by the band and Mario Caldato Jr. (who first worked with B Boys as engineer on Paul's Boutique), Check Your Head would yield a watershed of new B Boys staples, including So Whatcha' Want, Pass The Mic, "Gratitude" and "Jimmy James." With the assistance of Keyboard Money Mark, Eric Bobo and assorted percussionists, Beastie Boys returned to the touring circuit and Check Your Head hit double platinum.
In the summer of 1994, Ill Communication, also produced by the band and Mario Caldato Jr., entered the charts #1. The album featured such hits Sure Shot and Sabotage. Ill Communication was supported by Beastie Boys' first arena headline tour since the '80s. Following the tour's conclusion, Beastie Boys recorded and released Aglio e Olio consisting of eight songs clocking in at 11 minutes, the EP recalls the vintage hardcore punk of the band's infancy.
On July 14 1998, their fifth album titled Hello Nasty was released. Spurred by the monster success of the "Intergalactic" single and video, the record clocked first week sales of nearly 700,000 in the U.S. and went straight in at #1 in England, Germany, Australia, Holland, New Zealand and Sweden. Early in the tour, Beastie Boys made live tracks available for free download to fans unable to attend the shows-and were blindsided by their label pulling the tracks down.
Having closed 1998 by accepting the Video Vanguard lifetime achievement honor at the MTV Video Music Awards, Beastie Boys rang in 1999 with Artist, Band and/or Record of the Year accolades from the likes of Rolling Stone, SPIN, The New Yorker and Playboy, among others. A month later, at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, the now quadruple-platinum Hello Nasty took Best Alternative Music Performance, while "Intergalactic," nailed Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group--the first time an artist has ever won in both Rap and Alternative categories.1999 would also see "Intergalactic" take Best Hip Hop Video honors at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.
Beastie Boys' sixth studio album, To The 5 Boroughs, released in summer 2004, was the band's third consecutive #1 debut-and Rolling Stone magazine's only 5-star review of the year. To The 5 Boroughs was supported by world tour - traveling pageant - supported by Talib Kweli and Bob Moore's Amazing Mongrels (yes, a live dog show, hence the pageant appellation).
2006 saw the release of the film, Awesome, I Fuckin' Shot That!, a concert film made up of footage filmed by audience members, which debuted at Sundance in early 2006 and was released theatrically the same year.
In 2007 Beastie Boys released The Mix-Up, first ever full length offering of all-new, all-original instrumental recordings.
On February 3rd, 2009, they digitally remastered and released Paul's Boutique on their website.
The band's next record, "Hot Sauce Committee Part 2" was released in the first quarter of 2011. It features the same tracklisting as the previously announced "Hot Sauce Committee Part 1", which was delayed indefinitely after Yauch was diagnosed with a tumor on his parotid gland (which was successfully removed).
Bassist and vocalist Adam Yauch died on May 4, 2012 of cancer.
In June 2014, Mike D stated that the Beastie Boys would not continue their careers as a group, as a promise to Adam Yauch. "We have not been able to tour since MCA, Adam Yauch, died," Diamond said. "We can't make new music."
Desperado
Beastie Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I make a lot of noise when I bust a fresh rhyme
I'm coolin with the posse, cold drinkin pissy
Met a young girl and got cold busy
Not Abbott and Costello, just me and my mellow
Got a microphone so I don't gotta bellow (yeah)
I'm tough not yellow, I don't eat Jell-o
I know that I'm def what about this fellow (tell em)
Got the fly rhymes and the fresh fly woolie
Startin epidemic each and every time (time)
Girls cuttin class to hear me rhyme
Stand at the bar don't sit on a stool
Ride a Harley not a goddamn mule
Well...kick it!
Me and my crew doin the do
Coolin around the way cause we got to
There's one more thing that you should know
Mike D...is a desperado
Well DJ strong hold poppin that weak
He punched Big Bird in his goddamn beak
Gold on my fingers, silver in my pocket
Mike went to the party and (D) tried to rock it
That party was weak, I did the freak
I peeped out the back with the fresh unique
Got girls on my tippy back out the way (what?)
Jockin and clockin I'm MCA (yeah)
It must be a drag just getting old
But I don't gotta worry cause I'm so damn cold
Kick it cold, cold rockin
My name is Adam Yauch and I know you all clockin
Me and my posse oh so killin
Stone cold fly and nive to five chillin
There's one more thing you all should know (what?)
Ad-Rock's a desperado
M-I-K-E D-E-E-E
I'm on top and that's the way to be
I'm the stupid defest always rockin
Every store in town you know it's stockin
All of my records are records on charts (charts)
You know I'm goddamn stupid
Farther than any other record can go
Don't you know I'm rockin in stereo
I'm on the top, bottom, even in the middle
I got the def rhymes and it ain't no riddle
I'm the king of the castle with no hassle
Take a girlie to my house, we start to wrestle
Cause I'm a rebel without a pause (check it) (word)
Keep rockin and breakin laws
I got Gucci cologne so you know I'm not stinkin
Got more rhymes than my boy Abe Lincoln
Get those suckers cause you know I gotta
Order a fajita and a fresh enchilada
Shot that parrot cause he used to chirp
Can't eat Chinese cause it makes me burp
Went from bar to bar I got rejected
My fake ID, it was disrespected
Got records in London (inaudible)
Quit my job cause my boss is a faggot
One more thing that you should know
MCA....is a desperado
The lyrics of Beastie Boys's song "Desperado" feature the three rappers Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock rapping about their status as musical rebels, referring to themselves as desperados. The song's verses feature the rappers boasting about their talent ("Got the fly rhymes and the fresh fly woolie"), their popularity among their fans ("Stand at the bar don't sit on a stool/Girls cuttin class to hear me rhyme"), and their disregard for authority ("Keep rockin and breakin laws"). The chorus repeats the line "Mike D/MCA/Ad-Rock is a desperado," emphasizing the rappers' rebellious nature.
The song is notable for its use of humor and colloquial language, as well as its references to pop culture figures such as Abbott and Costello, Big Bird, and Abe Lincoln. While the lyrics may seem nonsensical at times, they convey a sense of camaraderie among the rappers and their fans.
Overall, "Desperado" is a lively and raucous rap track that showcases Beastie Boys's irreverent style and skilled wordplay.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm chilly chill most of the time
I am a cool person who remains calm most of the time
But I make a lot of noise when I bust a fresh rhyme
However, I can create a lot of noise when I perform a new rap
I'm coolin with the posse, cold drinkin pissy
I am chilling with my group of friends while drinking cold alcohol
Met a young girl and got cold busy
I met a young girl and had sex immediately
Not Abbott and Costello, just me and my mellow
I am not like Abbott and Costello, just hanging out with my friends
Got a microphone so I don't gotta bellow (yeah)
As I have a microphone, I don't need to shout loudly
I'm tough not yellow, I don't eat Jell-o
I am tough, not cowardly and I don't eat Jell-O
I know that I'm def what about this fellow (tell em)
I know that I am great, how about my friend?
I'm Mike D, I'm known fly cooly (tell em)
I am Mike D, people know me for being cool and stylish
Got the fly rhymes and the fresh fly woolie
I have got some great rhymes and fresh clothing
Startin epidemic each and every time (time)
I create an epidemic with my music every time I perform
Girls cuttin class to hear me rhyme
Girls skip their classes just to hear me perform
Stand at the bar don't sit on a stool
I like to stand at the bar instead of sitting on a stool
Ride a Harley not a goddamn mule
I prefer riding a Harley, not a bad mule
Well...kick it!
Well, let's get started!
Me and my crew doin the do
My friends and I are hanging out together
Coolin around the way cause we got to
We are chilling and doing nothing because we can
There's one more thing that you should know
There's one more important thing that you need to know
Mike D...is a desperado
I, Mike D, am a wild and reckless person
Well DJ strong hold poppin that weak
The DJ with the strong hold is playing bad music
He punched Big Bird in his goddamn beak
He punched Big Bird in his mouth
Gold on my fingers, silver in my pocket
I have gold rings on my fingers and silver coins in my pocket
Mike went to the party and (D) tried to rock it
I went to the party and tried to show off my skills
That party was weak, I did the freak
The party was boring, but I danced in an unusual way
I peeped out the back with the fresh unique
I looked out of the back with a fresh and unique viewpoint
Got girls on my tippy back out the way (what?)
Girls are all over me, move out of the way
Jockin and clockin I'm MCA (yeah)
I, MCA, am being followed and watched non-stop
It must be a drag just getting old
Aging must be difficult for some people
But I don't gotta worry cause I'm so damn cold
But I don't need to worry because I am so cool
Kick it cold, cold rockin
Let's continue to be cool and rock the party
My name is Adam Yauch and I know you all clockin
I am Adam Yauch and I know you are all watching me
Me and my posse oh so killin
My friends and I are really good and cool
Stone cold fly and nive to five chillin
We are cool people, working hard from nine to five and chilling after it
There's one more thing you all should know (what?)
There's one more important thing that you need to know
Ad-Rock's a desperado
Ad-Rock is also a wild and reckless person
M-I-K-E D-E-E-E
My name is Mike D
I'm on top and that's the way to be
I am at the top and that's the way it should be
I'm the stupid defest always rockin
I'm the coolest and the best in everything I do
Every store in town you know it's stockin
All the stores in town sell my music
All of my records are records on charts (charts)
All my albums are on the music charts
You know I'm goddamn stupid
You know that I am impeccably cool
Farther than any other record can go
My music reaches a wider audience than any other music
Don't you know I'm rockin in stereo
I am rocking loudly in stereo
I'm on the top, bottom, even in the middle
I am great in every aspect, both high and low
I got the def rhymes and it ain't no riddle
I have the coolest lyrics and it's not even a puzzle
I'm the king of the castle with no hassle
I am the boss and everything is easy for me
Take a girlie to my house, we start to wrestle
I bring a girl to my house and we begin to play-fight
Cause I'm a rebel without a pause (check it) (word)
Because I am a rebel who never stops (understand it)
Keep rockin and breakin laws
I will continue to rock and break laws
I got Gucci cologne so you know I'm not stinkin
I wear Gucci cologne, so I am not stinky
Got more rhymes than my boy Abe Lincoln
I have a lot of rhymes just like Abraham Lincoln, my boy
Get those suckers cause you know I gotta
Go get those people, because that's what I must do
Order a fajita and a fresh enchilada
I'll order a fajita and a freshly made enchilada
Shot that parrot cause he used to chirp
I shot a parrot because it was noisy
Can't eat Chinese cause it makes me burp
I cannot eat Chinese food because it makes me burp
Went from bar to bar I got rejected
I went to different bars, but I was not allowed inside
My fake ID, it was disrespected
The fake ID that I used was not respected
Got records in London (inaudible)
I have records in London, but it is hard to hear what comes next
Quit my job cause my boss is a faggot
I left my job because my boss was gay (using a slur)
One more thing that you should know
There's one more crucial thing you should be aware of
MCA....is a desperado
MCA is also a wild and reckless person
Contributed by Sophie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
feelthebassdrop
One of the biggest problems with the unfinished demo version is that it's missing the voice and Ennio Morricone hook on the chorus. I wish you'd patched the missing hook into the audio, using the Tougher Than Leather version which has it, but this is still an amazing editing job, and the best spot on the internet to enjoy this unreleased White House track. Thanks, Ben!
Lopez Alabama
The version on my channel is the closest thing to a full version of this song. Check it!
Ronald Arregoces
This was beautifully edited. Great job, Porky's 1982. I only wish that this was included in the Beastie Boys album " Beastie Boys Anthology The Sound of Science ".
Luis Arias
Es increíble que no sacarán esta canción de manera completa en el 2ndo álbum (pudieran haberla incluído por esto lo hicieron en 1988, un año antes).
Turnstylee
A lot of time went into this, I think it's awesome
walter henze
I went to the movies and saw "Tougher Than Leather" back in 1988 at the Andorra movie theater, Philly. The soundtrack was never released; so thanx for this awesome video!
Julio Stadtler
I feel you on that cause I also saw this movie when it came in1988. And it was a good ass movie. July31_2019.
Mary Boemmel
AWESOME
The Great Jonzini
great!
Jason Cohen
great editing