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."
Super Disco Breakin'
Beastie Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fifty cups of coffee and you know it's on
I move the crowd to the break of break of dawn
Can't rock the house without the party people
'Cause when we're gettin' down we are all equal
There's no better or worse between you and me
But I rock the mic so viciously
Like pins and needles and words that sting
It's like a needle in the cartridge when the record spins
Like diggin' down deep in the record bins
Everybody gettin' down make no mistake
Nothing sounds quite like an eight-oh-eight
Money makin', money money makin'
Super disco, disco breakin'
Money makin', money money makin'
Super disco, disco breakin'
Sometimes I like to brag, sometimes I'm soft spoken
When I'm in Holland I eat the pannenkoeken
I got the spice you bring the sauce
And you can kiss my ass you funky boss
Now that you got what you want, you want more
Well I'll be with the hammer and the nail at your door
With these funky beats I be goin' head huntin'
Shouts to my peeps let me know if you feel something
'Cause I can give you all you need
A little beat for the rhythm and some words to read
Let me tell you now that's my favorite shit
"And when I got a new rhyme I just say"
So!
Money makin', money money makin'
Super disco, disco breakin'
Money makin', money money makin'
Super disco disco breakin'
Is Manhattan in the house?
Is Manhattan in the house?
The lyrics to Beastie Boys' song Super Disco Breakin' can be interpreted as an energetic declaration of their abilities as performers and their love for hip hop and dance music. The song starts with the lines "Fifty cups of coffee and you know it's on, I move the crowd to the break of break of dawn", emphasizing their dedication to stay up all night to keep the party going, and their ability to energize the crowd. They also stress the importance of the party people, as they can't rock the house without them. The idea of the party being a communal experience is also reflected in the lines "when we're getting' down, we are all equal, there's no better or worse between you and me".
The song also includes references to Beastie Boys' influences, with lines like "like diggin' down deep in the record bins", which nods to their love of crate-digging for old records, and "nothing sounds quite like an eight-oh-eight", which references the Roland TR-808 drum machine that is often used in hip hop music. The lyrics also showcase the group's sense of humor, with lines like "when I'm in Holland I eat the pannenkoeken" and "you can kiss my ass you funky boss".
Overall, Super Disco Breakin' is an upbeat, fun song that showcases Beastie Boys' love of hip hop, dance music, and partying.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it's
The song is about to start
Fifty cups of coffee and you know it's on
Being well-caffeinated is a precursor to a good time
I move the crowd to the break of break of dawn
The singer is an MC who has the power to control the energy of the audience throughout the night
Can't rock the house without the party people
The artist acknowledges that the audience is vital to creating a fun atmosphere
'Cause when we're gettin' down we are all equal
Everyone is on the same level when dancing and enjoying music
There's no better or worse between you and me
The singer believes that no one is inherently superior or inferior
But I rock the mic so viciously
The MC is very skilled at rapping and commands attention
Like pins and needles and words that sting
The rapper's words have a sharp and powerful impact on the listeners
At the blink of an eye I will do my thing
The artist is confident in their ability to perform and improvise
It's like a needle in the cartridge when the record spins
The DJ's role is crucial to creating a great party atmosphere
Like diggin' down deep in the record bins
The DJ has a vast knowledge of music and knows how to cater to the crowd
Everybody gettin' down make no mistake
Everyone is having a great time dancing and enjoying the music
Nothing sounds quite like an eight-oh-eight
The drum machine is an important tool for creating dance music
Money makin', money money makin'
The singer is acknowledging the commercial aspect of the music industry
Super disco, disco breakin'
The singer is describing the type of music they are making
Sometimes I like to brag, sometimes I'm soft spoken
The artist has different personas or moods
When I'm in Holland I eat the pannenkoeken
The artist enjoys pancakes when in the country of Holland
I got the spice you bring the sauce
The singer is offering their skills and talent, and wants someone else to complement them
And you can kiss my ass you funky boss
The singer is confident in their abilities and not afraid to stand up to authority figures
Now that you got what you want, you want more
People are never satisfied and always want more
Well I'll be with the hammer and the nail at your door
The artist is not afraid to put in the effort and hard work to achieve their goals
With these funky beats I be goin' head huntin'
The artist is using their music to attract and win over fans
Shouts to my peeps let me know if you feel something
The singer is giving a shoutout to their friends and fans, and is looking for feedback
'Cause I can give you all you need
The artist is confident in their musical abilities and can satisfy their fans
A little beat for the rhythm and some words to read
The singer believes that a good song only needs a simple beat and some meaningful lyrics
Let me tell you now that's my favorite shit
The singer is expressing their passion and love for their music
"And when I got a new rhyme I just say"
The singer is explaining their process for coming up with new music and lyrics
So!
The artist is getting hyped up and ready to perform
Is Manhattan in the house?
The artist is asking if their fans from Manhattan are present
Is Manhattan in the house?
The singer is asking again, hoping to connect with their fans and get them excited for the performance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM HOROVITZ, ADAM NATHANIEL YAUCH, MICHAEL LOUIS DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nestor Galaviz
on Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim remix)
dope