by Mike D
First published 2018
The surviving members of Beastie Boys chronicle their unlikely journey from New York hardcore punks to hip hop icons. Mike D and ADROCK recount their teenage years, their collaboration with Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin, and the creation of Licensed to Ill, the first hip hop album to reach number one. They describe the messy split from Def Jam, their move to Los Angeles, and the making of Paul's Boutique. The narrative follows their artistic evolution through Check Your Head, Ill Communication, and Hello Nasty, while exploring their activism including the Tibetan Freedom Concerts organized by the late MCA. Guest contributors like Amy Poehler, Spike Jonze, and Wes Anderson add their perspectives. The book breaks conventional memoir format with rare photographs, original illustrations, chef Roy Choi's cookbook, a graphic novel, a map of their New York, and mixtape playlists. This eclectic approach mirrors the band's own creative style across three decades of cultural influence.
Genres: american, biography-memoir, music, 21st-century, hip-hop, activism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: memoir, music-industry
Setting: Los Angeles, New York
Period: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
572 pages · Hardcover · Random House