ARTIST: Beastie Boys
ALBUM: Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
LABEL: Capitol Records
RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2011
Bringin’ Tha Fire
Photo by Phil Andelman
Written by Jeremy Weeden
With Hot Sauce Committee Part 2, their eighth studio album, MCA, Mike D, and Ad-Rock show that, once again, they have a “license to ill.” The Beastie Boys, although non-traditional in appearance (how many white rappers are there in their 40’s?), have had one of the longest commercially successful careers in hip-hop. Having been around since near the inception of hip-hop music, the Beastie Boys are now celebrating over 25 years in the game. Since their debut album, License to Ill, was released in 1986 and became the first hip-hop album to top the Billboard 200, the Beastie Boys have been pioneers of hip-hop. That they are still around, delivering popular music today, is a testament to the quality of the music they make and the loyal fanbase they were able to build and keep over the years by staying true to their roots. They have struggled with adversity, including MCA’s bout with cancer and the music business changing as drastically as it has, yet, they have managed to stay relevant and deliver an album in Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 that stays true to the roots of hip-hop.
The landscape of hip-hop when the Beastie Boys debuted was predictably, entirely different. Rakim, Run-DMC, Public Enemy and Salt ‘n Pepa are just a few of the artists who were on top of the charts then. Some hip-hop artists of recent times are popular for various reasons—such as Will Smith’s movie career and minister and reality TV show star Reverend Run’s TV appearances—but virtually none are still making popular music. This is what makes the Beastie Boys stand out: they have continually dropped new music and have had hit albums in every decade since they first released an album, and Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 looks to be no different.
“Make Some Noise” is the third single, but to most people, is probably the first song heard on the album, as it is the most successful due to a funny video filled with Hollywood stars and featuring Seth Rogen, Danny McBride and Elijah Wood as MCA, Mike D and Ad-Rock. The song and video are a sequel to the original Beastie Boys hit “Fight for your Right” as the chorus goes, “We got a party on the left, a party on the right/We gonna party for the motherfucking right to fight/Make some noise if you’re with me!”
Throughout the album, the Beastie Boys display a lyrical prowess that not many MC’s have in today’s rap game. They sound hungry like MC’s used to when trying to make a name for themselves. In today’s music world, a rapper becomes popular because of a catchy beat and hook; when the Beastie Boys came out, it was about lyrics and flow. This album feels like they are trying to bring that feeling back with their classic pass-the-mic rhyme style. This is displayed prominently on “Too Many Rappers,” featuring hip-hop legend Nas. The album also is full of the funky, bass-heavy beats that Beastie Boys albums are known for.
For longtime fans of the Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 will not disappoint. The album is classic Beastie Boys from the rhymes to the beats and the album will remind many of the Beastie Boys past albums as it manages to incorporate a little influence from all of their styles to make Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 one of the better hip-hop albums to be released so far this year.