Licensed to Ill

The group originally wanted to title the album Don't Be a Faggot, but Columbia Records refused to release the album under this title—arguing that it was homophobic—and pressured Russell Simmons, Beastie Boys' manager and head of Def Jam Recordings at the time, into forcing them to choose another name.{{cite web |url=http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/music/photos/the-most-controversial-lyrics-in-music?page=7 |title=Beastie Boys "Licensed to Ill" – The most controversial lyrics in music |publisher=MSN Canada. Microsoft |date=September 16, 2011 |access-date=May 5, 2013 |author=Plummer, Sean |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602134209/http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/music/photos/the-most-controversial-lyrics-in-music?page=7 |archive-date=June 2, 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://www.spin.com/1998/09/story-yo-oral-history-beastie-boys/?page=2 |title=The Story of Yo: The Oral History of the Beastie Boys |publisher=Spin Media |work=Spin |date=September 4, 1998 |access-date=May 4, 2013 |author=Light, Alan |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307161244/http://www.spin.com/1998/09/story-yo-oral-history-beastie-boys/?page=2 |url-status=live }} Adam Horovitz has since apologized for the album's earlier title.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/Columnists/Column/0,5673,945461,00.html |title=Hiphopophobia |access-date=November 24, 2007 |last=Williams |first=Zoe |date=April 29, 2003 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507164433/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/apr/29/artsfeatures.popandrock |url-status=live }}

Kerry King of Slayer made an appearance on the album playing lead guitar on "Fight for Your Right" and "No Sleep Till Brooklyn"; the guitarist also appeared in the songs' respective music videos, of which the latter is a parody of glam metal.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/beastie-boys/biography |title=Beastie Boys Biography |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=January 17, 2014 |archive-date=March 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301073210/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/beastie-boys/biography |url-status=live }} The name of the song itself is a spoof on Motörhead's No Sleep 'til Hammersmith album. King's appearance on the track came about because Rick Rubin was producing both bands simultaneously (Slayer's Reign in Blood was released one month prior on Def Jam).

CBS/Fox Video released a video album of the five Licensed to Ill videos, plus "She's on It" in 1987 to capitalize on the album's success.{{cite web |author=Klep One |url=http://www.defjam.com/since-1984-beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill-released-27-years-ago/ |title=Since 1984: Beastie Boys - "Licensed To Ill" Released 27 Years Ago! Def Jam |publisher=Defjam.com |date=November 15, 2013 |access-date=January 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211224053/http://www.defjam.com/since-1984-beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill-released-27-years-ago/ |archive-date=February 11, 2014}} A laserdisc version was also released in Japan. All versions of the CBS/Fox release are currently out of print because the rights to the album passed from Columbia and Sony Music to Universal Music Group, and also because of the acrimonious nature of the band's departure from Def Jam Records. Until the 2005 release of the CD/DVD Solid Gold Hits, none of the Def Jam-era videos had been included on any subsequent Beastie Boys video compilations. The Solid Gold Hits DVD includes the videos for "Fight for Your Right" and "No Sleep Till Brooklyn", as well as a live version of "Brass Monkey" from a 2004 concert.

Beastie Boys recorded a loose rendition of the Beatles' "I'm Down" for the album, which included sampling of the original song, but the track was pulled at the last minute due to legal disputes with Michael Jackson who owned the publishing rights.{{cite web |last1=Alper |first1=Eric |title=The Beastie Boys Covered The Beatles "I'm Down" And Promptly Got Blocked By Michael Jackson |url=https://www.thatericalper.com/2016/05/23/the-beastie-boys-covered-the-beatles-im-down-and-promptly-got-blocked-by-michael-jackson |website=thatericalper.com |date=2016-05-23 |access-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209075448/https://www.thatericalper.com/2016/05/23/the-beastie-boys-covered-the-beatles-im-down-and-promptly-got-blocked-by-michael-jackson/ |url-status=live }} Both "I'm Down," and another track, "Scenario," were cut at the last minute. Bootleg versions of the songs can be found on the internet.{{cite web |last1=Schneider |first1=Martin |title=I'm Down: Beastie Boys Boil B-Boy Bouillabaisse of Beatles Classic |url=https://dangerousminds.net/comments/im_down_beastie_boys_boil_b-boy_bouillabaisse_of_beatles_classic |website=Dangerous Minds |date=January 7, 2016 |access-date=2016-01-07 |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203132024/https://dangerousminds.net/comments/im_down_beastie_boys_boil_b-boy_bouillabaisse_of_beatles_classic |url-status=live }}

The full album cover, front to back, features an American Airlines Boeing 727 with a Beastie Boys logo on its tail, which has crashed head-on into the side of a mountain, the former taking the shape of an extinguished marijuana joint.{{cite web|author=Jensen, K. Thor|url=http://www.ugo.com/music/licensed-to-ill |title=Licensed To Ill – Secrets Of Album Covers |publisher=UGO.com |date=March 24, 2011 |access-date=January 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222115303/http://www.ugo.com/music/licensed-to-ill|archive-date=February 22, 2014}} The tail of the plane also features the Def Jam logo and the registration number '3MTA3' which spells 'EATME' when viewed in a mirror. The idea for the album's cover came from the album's producer, Rick Rubin, after reading the Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods. The artwork was created by Stephen Byram and World B. Omes.

The album cover was featured in Storm Thorgerson's and Aubrey Powell's book, 100 Best Album Covers.{{Cite web |url=http://diffuser.fm/cover-stories-beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill/ |title=Diffuser{{!}}Cover Stories: Licensed to Ill |date=July 3, 2015 |access-date=March 10, 2016 |archive-date=February 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229161536/http://diffuser.fm/cover-stories-beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill/ |url-status=live }} Additionally, the design was strongly referenced by rapper Eminem for the cover of his 2018 album, Kamikaze.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/licensed-to-ill-mw0000649870 |title=Licensed to Ill – Beastie Boys |website=AllMusic |access-date=October 12, 2011 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |archive-date=October 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017111755/http://www.allmusic.com/album/licensed-to-ill-mw0000649870 |url-status=live }}

|rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

|rev2score = A+{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=B&bk=80|chapter=B|access-date=August 16, 2020|title=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|publisher=Pantheon Books|year=1990|isbn=0-679-73015-X|via=robertchristgau.com|archive-date=July 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200710220824/https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=B&bk=80|url-status=live}}

| rev3 = Orlando Sentinel

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1986/12/21/beastie-boys-9/ |title=Beastie Boys |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=December 21, 1986 |access-date=April 7, 2017 |last=Duffy |first=Tom |archive-date=April 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407234137/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-12-21/entertainment/0280220184_1_beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill-rap |url-status=live }}

| rev4 = Pitchfork

| rev4Score = 7.8/10{{Cite web |last=Leone |first=Dominique |title=Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/607-licensed-to-ill/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}

| rev5 = Q

| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill |journal=Q |issue=96 |date=September 1994 |page=123}}

| rev6 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev6Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Beastie Boys |last=Levy |first=Joe |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/49 49–51] |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide }}

| rev7 = The Source

| rev7Score = 5/5{{cite journal |title=none |journal=The Source |issue=150 |date=March 2002}}

| rev8 = Smash Hits

| rev8score = 6½/10{{cite journal |last=Hibbert |first=Tom |title=Album Reviews |journal=Smash Hits |date=3–16 December 1986 |volume=8 |number=25 |page=76 |url=https://archive.org/details/smash-hits-3-16-december-1986/page/n71/}}

| rev9 = Spin Alternative Record Guide

| rev9Score = 10/10{{cite book |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=46–47|title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide }}

}}

Licensed to Ill was met with critical acclaim. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source{{'}}s 100 Best Rap Albums.{{cite journal |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm#100albums |title=100 Best Rap Albums |access-date=November 24, 2007 |journal=The Source |issue=#100 |date=January 1998 |location=New York |issn=1063-2085 |archive-date=August 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807103112/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm#100albums |url-status=usurped }} It is the only album by a Jewish hip-hop act to receive 5 mics from The Source. In 2003, the album was ranked number 217 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time,{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939357/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/ |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time |access-date=November 24, 2007 |magazine=Rolling Stone | date=November 2003 |issue=Special Issue |publisher=Straight Arrow |issn=0035-791X |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060821053344/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939357/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time |archive-date=August 21, 2006}} 219 in a 2012 revised list,{{cite web| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/beastie-boys-license-to-ill-165294/| year=2012| title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time| publisher=Rolling Stone| access-date=September 16, 2019| archive-date=July 11, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711091123/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/beastie-boys-license-to-ill-165294/| url-status=live}} and 192 in a 2020 revised list.{{Cite magazine|date=2020-09-22|title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/|access-date=2021-09-09|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922163403/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/|url-status=live}} In 2013 the magazine named it the 48th best debut album of all time.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-debut-albums-of-all-time-20130322/licensed-to-ill-19691231 |title='Licensed to Ill' {{!}} The 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time {{!}} Rolling Stone |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 13, 2013 |access-date=September 3, 2017 |archive-date=September 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904144044/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-debut-albums-of-all-time-20130322/licensed-to-ill-19691231 |url-status=live }} Vibe included it in Vibe's 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century.{{cite news |title=Vibe Magazine |magazine=Vibe |date=December 1999 |page=158 |publisher=InterMedia Partners |location=New York City |issn=1070-4701}} Q gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Licensed to Ill remains the world's only punk rock rap album, arguably superior to Never Mind the Bollocks ... knowing that apathy and slovenliness were just around the corner."{{cite news |magazine=Q |title=Q Magazine |date=September 1994 |page=123 |publisher=Bauer Media |issn=0955-4955}} Melody Maker gave the album a positive review, saying "There's lots of self-reverential bragging, more tenuous rhymes than are usually permitted by law and, most importantly of all, an unshakably glorious celebration of being alive ... A surprisingly enduring classic."{{cite news |title= Melody Maker |magazine=Melody Maker |date=July 22, 1995 |page=35 |location=London |publisher=Holborn |issn=0025-9012}} In 2002, Pitchfork ranked the album at number 41 on its list of the "Top 100 Albums of the 1980s", despite their prior unflattering review of the album.{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/5882-top-100-albums-of-the-1980s/6/ |title=Staff Lists: Top 100 Albums of the 1980s | Features |website=Pitchfork |date=November 20, 2002 |access-date=January 17, 2014 |archive-date=January 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122173524/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/5882-top-100-albums-of-the-1980s/6/ |url-status=live }} In the 2018 edition of the "Top 200 Albums of the 1980s", the album placed number 103.{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-1980s/?page=5 |title=Staff Lists: Top 200 Albums of the 1980s; Features |website=Pitchfork |date=September 10, 2018 |access-date=November 1, 2018 |archive-date=December 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216210920/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-1980s/?page=5 |url-status=live }}

In 2006, Q magazine placed the album at number 16 in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s".{{cite news |title= Q Magazine| magazine=Q |date=August 2006 |issue=241 |publisher=Bauer Media |issn=0955-4955}} In 2012, Slant Magazine listed the album at number 12 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980s" saying "Rife with layer upon layer of sampling, start-stop transitions, and aggressive beats, it helped transform the genre from a direct dialogue between MC and DJ into a piercing, multi-threaded narrative" and "helped set an exciting template for the future".{{cite magazine |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/feature/best-albums-of-the-1980s/308/page_9 |title=The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s | Feature |magazine=Slant Magazine |access-date=January 17, 2014 |archive-date=November 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106005758/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/feature/best-albums-of-the-1980s/308/page_9 |url-status=live }} Eminem said the album was one of his favorites of all time and said it changed hip hop.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjospDK0L_I |title=Eminem talks about his upcoming 8th solo album (2012 Interview) |publisher=YouTube |date=July 29, 2012 |access-date=January 17, 2014 |archive-date=February 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217072323/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjospDK0L_I |url-status=live }} The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.{{cite book|author1=Robert Dimery|author2=Michael Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=March 23, 2010|publisher=Universe|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}}

Cash Box called "She's Crafty" a "slamming tongue-in-cheek rocker."{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1987/CB-1987-05-23.pdf|magazine=Cash Box|date=May 23, 1987|accessdate=2022-08-08|page=11|archive-date=September 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925093009/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1987/CB-1987-05-23.pdf|url-status=live}}

The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 2, 1987 and eventually was certified Diamond on March 4, 2015.{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/29-years-later-beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill-sells-10-million-copies-20150318 |title=RIAA News Room - Pass The Mic ... Beastie Boys Are Still 'Licensed' - Oct 02, 2001 |publisher=Riaa.com |date=October 2, 2001 |access-date=January 17, 2014 |archive-date=March 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321001301/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/29-years-later-beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill-sells-10-million-copies-20150318 |url-status=live }} The single "Brass Monkey" was certified Gold for shipment of 500,000+ sales. In 2012, in the week following Adam Yauch's death, which subsequently resulted in a surge in sales of Beastie Boys albums, Licensed to Ill reached number 1 on Billboard{{'}}s Catalog Albums chart.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2012-05-19/catalog-albums|title=Catalog Albums - Week of May 19, 2012|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 10, 2012|archive-date=January 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104120223/http://www.billboard.com/charts/2012-05-19/catalog-albums|url-status=live}} The album also re-entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 18.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2012-05-19/billboard-200|title=Billboard 200 - Week of May 19, 2012|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 10, 2012|archive-date=March 28, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328070825/http://www.billboard.com/charts/2012-05-19/billboard-200|url-status=live}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Beastie Boys and Rick Rubin, except where noted

| headline = Side one

| title1 = Rhymin & Stealin

| length1 = 4:08

| title2 = The New Style

| length2 = 4:35

| title3 = She's Crafty

| length3 = 3:35

| title4 = Posse in Effect

| length4 = 2:26

| title5 = Slow Ride

| length5 = 2:56

| title6 = Girls

| length6 = 2:12

| title7 = Fight for Your Right

| length7 = 3:28

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| total_length = 44:32

| title8 = No Sleep till Brooklyn

| length8 = 4:06

| title9 = Paul Revere

| writer9 = {{hlist|Adam Horovitz|Darryl McDaniels|Rubin|Joseph Simmons}}

| length9 = 3:40

| title10 = Hold It Now, Hit It

| length10 = 3:26

| title11 = Brass Monkey

| length11 = 2:37

| title12 = Slow and Low

| writer12 = {{hlist|McDaniels|Rubin|Simmons}}

| length12 = 3:38

| title13 = Time to Get Ill

| length13 = 3:39

}}

• Beastie Boys – co-producers
• Rick Rubin – producer, rhythm guitar on "No Sleep till Brooklyn"{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkwISstQQVw&ab_channel=RickBeato | title=The Rick Rubin Interview | website=YouTube | date=October 5, 2024 }}
• Steven Ett – engineer
• Joe Blaney – mixing
• Steve Byram – art direction
• Sunny Bak – photography
• World B. Omes (David Gambale) – cover art
• Nelson Keene Carse, Tony Orbach, Danny Lipman – horns and percussion on "Slow Ride"
• Kerry King – lead guitar on "Fight for Your Right" and "No Sleep till Brooklyn"

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Licensed to Ill}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Beastie Boys|title=Licensed to Ill|access-date=September 2, 2020|relyear=1987|award=Platinum|number=2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Beastie Boys|title=Licensed to Ill|access-date=September 2, 2020|relyear=1986|certyear=1987|award=Gold|id=9374-407-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Beastie Boys|title=Licensed to Ill|access-date=September 2, 2020|relyear=1986|award=Diamond}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

• Album era
• Kamikaze, a 2018 Eminem album with an inspired cover.

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|title=A Brief History of Album Covers|first=Jason|last=Draper|publisher=Flame Tree Publishing|location=London|year=2008|pages=268–269|isbn=9781847862112|oclc=227198538}}

• {{Discogs master|type=album|20090|name=Licensed to Ill}}

{{Beastie Boys}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1986 debut albums

Category:Albums produced by Rick Rubin

Category:Beastie Boys albums

Category:Def Jam Recordings albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Rap rock albums by American artists

Category:Hip-hop albums by American artists

Category:Naming controversies