The 30th anniversary LP edition of Beastie Boys’ debut album Licensed to Ill will be released on October 14. The reissue was cut from the original production masters and is presented on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl. Produced by Rick Rubin and Beastie Boys, Licensed to Ill was originally released November 15, 1986, making the Beastie Boys the fifth artist to release a full-length album on the original Def Jam label after LL Cool J, Slayer, Tashan and Oran “Juice” Jones.
Pre-order is available here.
“The breakthrough of Licensed To Ill in 1986 paved the road legitimizing rap to its U.S.A. masses,” said Public Enemy’s Chuck D in a press release announcing the reissue, “and set the barometer worldwide on the genre album format. This record also expanded hip-hop diversity, allowing Public Enemy’s Takes a Nation to be its antithesis.”
Related: Original Beastie Boy John Berry dies
Licensed To Ill has been named one of the all-time greatest albums by Rolling Stone, Q, Pitchfork, NME and various other forums. Virtually every track on the album was a hit single, including “Hold It Now, Hit It,” “The New Style,” “Paul Revere,” “Brass Monkey,” “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party),” “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” and more.
Licensed to Ill was the first hip-hop album ever to top the Billboard 200 albums chart and has been certified RIAA Diamond in the U.S. in 2015 for more than 10 million album sales.
“Your mom threw out your best porno mag…”
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Track List
Rhymin & Stealin’
The New Style
She’s Crafty
Posse in Effect
Slow Ride
Girls
(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)
No Sleep till Brooklyn
Paul Revere
Hold It Now, Hit It
Brass Monkey
Slow and Low
Time to Get Ill
Watch rare Beastie Boys footage from 1987
