Three white guys from
New York, Adam Yauch, Adam Horovitz, and Michael Diamond, who started of as a punk rock band then went into hip hop after Ad Rock (Horovitz) decided to buy a TR-808 instead of a guitar for the band. In their early Licenced to
Ill/Paul's Boutique days their lyrics were very controversial, but after their third album, Check Your
Head, they ditched their tough, frat boy attitudes and didn't
rap about stealing and taking drugs. They have inspired many rappers including Nas and Eminem. Unfortunately, on June 4,
2012, Adam 'MCA' Yauch passed away due to cancer. They are very influential and, in my opinion, they greatest
rap group in history. They have also discovered LL Cool J, invented sampling, and put Def Jam on the map.
"I wanna say a little
something that's
long overdue/The disrespect to women has got to be through/To all the mothers and the sisters and the wives and
friends/I wanna offer my love and respect to the end"
If you haven't listened to Beastie Boys yet, I strongly recommend you do so.