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Beastie Boys music biography continued...

These three white MC's started making noise with their unforgettable debut album; License to Ill. License to Ill became the fastest growing hip-hop album in Columbia Records history. The Beasties used hard rocking beats, with 80's street swagger with the help of Rick Rubin. The group's major success was when they released the single "Fight for Your Right." This single along with "The New Style" and "Hold It Now, Hit It," showed the groups vast talents. License to Ill went on to sell more then 9 million copies.

The Beastie's second album soon followed called Paul's Boutique. Paul's Boutique once again reached further out of the box. The group began to pioneer a so called psychedelic hip-hop. The single "B-boy Bouillabaisse" made references to every one from Fred Flintstone to Jimi Hendrix. This album also showed the Beastie's maturing with more conscious raps in "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun." Although the album was extremely different and exciting, it was not received well by the media and slowly sunk.

Check Your Head was the Beastie's third effort from the group that again did not get commercial recognition. Although the Beastie's returned to their hardcore roots, much of the album sounded sloppy. The single "So Whatcha Want" did have some success. Ill Communication was when the group really came together and made themselves a remarkable comeback. With songs like "Sure Shot" and "Sabotage" this record was a certified hit. The Beastie's next two albums, Hello Nasty and Through the Five Boroughs solidified the group's pioneer status in hip-hop.