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."
I Want Some
Beastie Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I give thanks to this world for the life that I've lived through
Stress gets in the way of the shit that we're doing
We'll bum rush the door if you don't let the whole crew in
I want some
Give me the chance and I will show you what I'm feeling
looking Ahead the next level we're gonna take it to
I guess I should be happy it's a day that we made it through
I want some
The song I Want Some by Beastie Boys is a high-energy hip-hop track that is recognized for its intense beats and raw lyrics. The song is often associated with the band's early punk rock influenced style and has become an iconic track from the era. The lyrics of the song reflect the band's desire to get more out of life, to push boundaries and live on their terms.
The first verse of the song speaks of the band's dedication to the world, and their willingness to give all that they have to it. This could be seen as a reflection of the group's commitment to music, as their passion for the craft often led them to perform countless shows and work endlessly on their projects. The second line of the verse speaks to the band's gratitude for the life they have been able to live, which shows a deeper, reflective side of the group. The last two lines of the verse highlight the constant struggles that the creative process can bring, but the band is committed to pushing through any obstacle to make sure that their vision comes to fruition.
The chorus of the song is repeated throughout and delivers the track's main message, as the band sings passionately, "I want some." The line could be interpreted differently by different listeners, but it is likely that the band was indicating their desire for more out of life, whether that be success in their work or more personal fulfillment.
Overall, Beastie Boys's I Want Some is a testament to the group's intense creativity and drive, as their bold lyrics, and energetic music propelled them to the heights of fame and recognition.
Line by Line Meaning
I give to this world 'till I've got nothing to give to
I am constantly giving to this world until I can no longer give anymore.
I give thanks to this world for the life that I've lived through
I express gratitude towards this world for everything that I have experienced and endured.
Stress gets in the way of the shit that we're doing
Stress hinders our progress and productivity while trying to accomplish our goals.
We'll bum rush the door if you don't let the whole crew in
We will use force to enter if you do not allow our entire group to enter together.
Give me the chance and I will show you what I'm feeling
If given the opportunity, I will express my emotions and true intentions.
My mind's caught up in the Shit the man's dealing
My thoughts are occupied with the unfortunate situations that are caused by those in power.
Looking Ahead the next level we're gonna take it to
We are focused on progressing to the next level and advancing forward in our endeavors.
I guess I should be happy it's a day that we made it through
I suppose I should be grateful that we have survived and made it through another day.
I want some
I desire something, although the specific desire is not stated.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM HOROVITZ, ADAM NATHANIEL YAUCH, AMERY SMITH, MICHAEL LOUIS DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nestor Galaviz
on Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim remix)
dope