Beastie Boys
Rap / Rock
The group's groundbreaking debut studio album, Licensed To Ill, was released on Def Jam/Columbia in 1986. Supported by a string of frat-boy party anthems including "Fight For Your Right," "Girls," "Brass Monkey," and "No Sleep Till Brooklyn," the album shot straight to No. 1 and secured its spot as the first hip-hop record to sell five million copies in the 1980s. This newly discovered, party-inspired, juvenile-delinquent act supported their debut with the "Licensed To Ill Tour" in 1987 -- a ridiculously wild concert experience equipped with bikini-clad cage dancers, beer-soaked after parties, rowdy shenanigans, and onstage inflatable penises. The Beastie Boys had officially arrived and the party was completely out of control.
In 1988, the Beasties packed their bags and moved from New York City to sunny Los Angeles after signing a deal with Capitol Records. Along with the new location and a new record label, the group switched up their style completely and hooked up with acclaimed production duo, the Dust Brothers. Upon experimenting with an assortment of mind-expanding narcotics, while at the same time equally dabbling with an eclectic variety of musical samples, hooks and mind-boggling lyrics, the Beastie Boys released Paul's Boutique. The album, although somewhat well-received by fans at the time, was well ahead of its time in regards to style and content. It eventually went on to become an inspiration for many of the alternative acts that emerged in the years following its release.
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