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."
Unite
Beastie Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got the ill technique so you know me fe well
We be kickin bass all up in your face
And when it comes to beats well I'm the rhythm ace
Now if you check my pulse it beats skull snaps
I keep all my rhymes in my Le Sportsac
So what if I'm a ham and cheese on rye?
I got to do my thing and that's no lie
When it comes to competition we've got them locked
You-N-I-T-E
A little shout to Ian and little Zoe
One can wonder why but can't deny
If we could work it out it would be so fly
We'll never know unless we try
So tell me party people what's your Zodiac sign?
Breakdancers of the world unite
BBoys of the world unite
I went inside the deli and my man's like "what?"
I write the songs that make the whole world suck
I need to break it down every chance I get
So "Ssshhh we keep it raw on the set"
Automation circulation
This is for the people all around the nations
I got books with hooks and it looks like rain
Would someone on the Knicks please drive the lane?
Now rhymes are montaquilla on a track by us
I've got to keep my mind clear so I don't bust
If you got bad breath then maybe try Scope
And if you wash your ass you best use soap
People of the world you realize
We got to get together and harmonize
I feel I'm comin down with the bugallo flu
"Explain to me really what doctors must do, I said..."
Ravers of the world unite
We're the scientists of sound
We're mathematically puttin' it down
When lightning strikes best grab a ground
Got to get up to get down
I've got the terminator style with a touch of the tweak
Technic 1200's I'm known to freak
I don't like to fight, I don't carry a piece
I wear permanent press so I'm always creased
Mike D with the rump shakin' action
Do it like this for the intergalaction
I practice asana daily so I'm very flexible
I'm a Scorpio so you know I'm very sexual
Shouts to Rach and my brother Matthew
In money makin' it's how we do
I be smokin' roaches in the vestibule
In the next millennium I'll still be old school
High roller, big baller!
I call em crullers but you know they're called crawlers!
We keep it movin' to the broad day light
BGirls of the world unite alright
Keep it on and on (x14)
The lyrics to Beastie Boys's song "Unite" are a mashup of different ideas, all strung together to create a vibe of unity and positivity. The opening line references NBA player Latrell Spreewell, who was known for his flashy and aggressive style on the court. The next few lines are a boast about the Beastie Boys' musical prowess, with the singer claiming to have "ill technique" and be the "rhythm ace." The chorus is a call for people to come together and unite, with a shoutout to two specific individuals. The second verse is a mishmash of different ideas, including a reference to basketball, a plea for people to join forces, and a nod to the Bugalloo dance craze. The song ends with a series of shoutouts and a repeating call to "keep it on and on."
Line by Line Meaning
Goin' off the hook like Latrell Spreewell
I'm about to go wild and crazy, just like Latrell Spreewell did when he choked his own coach
I've got the ill technique so you know me fe well
I have a great technique so people know me very well
We be kickin bass all up in your face
We're playing bass music that's so loud, it's in your face
And when it comes to beats well I'm the rhythm ace
When it comes to beats, I'm the best in the game
Now if you check my pulse it beats skull snaps
My pulse beats so fast, it could be the sound of a drumbeat
I keep all my rhymes in my Le Sportsac
I store all my rhymes in my Le SportSac bag
So what if I'm a ham and cheese on rye?
I don't care if people don't think I'm cool, I do my own thing
I got to do my thing and that's no lie
I have to be myself and that's the truth
Well ice is cold and fire is hot
Ice is cold, fire is hot. It's simple
When it comes to competition we've got them locked
We are the best in this competition
You-N-I-T-E
Let's all unite and be one
A little shout to Ian and little Zoe
A small acknowledgment to Ian and Zoe
One can wonder why but can't deny
People may question why, but they can't deny the positive impact we can make
If we could work it out it would be so fly
If we could settle our differences, it would be great
We'll never know unless we try
We'll never be certain unless we give it a chance
So tell me party people what's your Zodiac sign?
Hey everyone, what's your star sign?
Breakdancers of the world unite BBoys of the world unite
All breakdancers and BBoys should come together in unity
I went inside the deli and my man's like "what?"
I walked into the deli and my friend was surprised to see me
I write the songs that make the whole world suck
I write songs that are so bad they make everyone dislike music
I need to break it down every chance I get
I need to explain things in a simple way every chance I get
So "Ssshhh we keep it raw on the set"
Shh, let's keep it real and unfiltered
Automation circulation
The process of things working automatically
This is for the people all around the nations
This song is for everyone around the world
I got books with hooks and it looks like rain
I have books with catchy rhymes and it looks like it's going to rain
Would someone on the Knicks please drive the lane?
Hey Knicks, can someone please drive forward with the ball?
Now rhymes are montaquilla on a track by us
Our rhymes are so smooth like Montaquilla, especially on our track
I've got to keep my mind clear so I don't bust
I need to stay calm and focused, so I don't mess up
If you got bad breath then maybe try Scope
If your breath is bad, try using mouthwash
And if you wash your ass you best use soap
If you're going to wash your backside, use soap
People of the world you realize
Hey everyone, do you understand?
We got to get together and harmonize
We need to unite and work together
I feel I'm comin down with the bugallo flu
I think I'm getting sick with the bugallo flu
"Explain to me really what doctors must do, I said..."
"Can someone please explain what doctors need to do?", I ask
Ravers of the world unite
All ravers should come together and unite
We're the scientists of sound
We're the experts in creating sound
We're mathematically puttin' it down
We're putting down music using our mathematical skills
When lightning strikes best grab a ground
When lightning strikes, it's important to take shelter
Got to get up to get down
You need to get up and move to the music
I've got the terminator style with a touch of the tweak
My style is a blend of the Terminator and something unique
Technic 1200's I'm known to freak
I'm known for using Technic 1200 turntables in an awesome way
I don't like to fight, I don't carry a piece
I don't like fighting, and I don't carry weapons
I wear permanent press so I'm always creased
I wear permanent press clothing so I can always look sharp and clean
Mike D with the rump shakin' action
Mike D is shaking his butt to the rhythm
Do it like this for the intergalaction
Do it like this for the intergalactic community
I practice asana daily so I'm very flexible
I practice yoga every day so I'm very flexible
I'm a Scorpio so you know I'm very sexual
I'm a Scorpio, so people assume I'm very sexual
Shouts to Rach and my brother Matthew
Shout out to my friends Rach and my brother Matthew
In money makin' it's how we do
We're making money and this is how we're doing it
I be smokin' roaches in the vestibule
I smoke cigarette butts in the hallway
In the next millennium I'll still be old school
Even in the future, I'll still be old school
High roller, big baller!
I'm a high roller and a big baller!
I call em crullers but you know they're called crawlers!
I call them crullers, but you call them crawlers
We keep it movin' to the broad day light
We keep the music playing until daylight
BGirls of the world unite alright
All BGirls should come together in unity, that's okay
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM HOROVITZ, ADAM NATHANIEL YAUCH, MARIO CALDATO JR., MICHAEL LOUIS DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nestor Galaviz
on Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim remix)
dope