Root Down (EP)

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Root Down

| type = EP

| artist = Beastie Boys

| cover = BeastieBoys-RootDown.jpg

| alt =

| released = May 23, 1995

| recorded = 1994–1995

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Alternative hip hop, hardcore punk

| length = 28:56

| label = Capitol

| producer = Beastie Boys, Mario Caldato Jr.

| chronology = Beastie Boys

| prev_title = Ill Communication

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = Aglio e Olio

| next_year = 1995

}}

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r212509|label="Beastie Boys: Root Down" |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |access-date=12 October 2011}}

}}

Root Down is an EP by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released in 1995.

The first three tracks are variations of the track "Root Down", from the Beastie Boys' 1994 album Ill Communication. The remaining seven tracks were recorded "live in Europe, winter 1995".{{cite AV media notes |title=Root Down |others=Beastie Boys |year=1995 |publisher=Capitol Records |id=CDP 7243 8 33603 2 1}} The hidden track heard in the end is a radio jingle in Hebrew made in Israel's military radio station Galey Tzahal. It promoted a Beastie Boys special aired prior to their only two concerts in the country, in March 1995. When Mike D and Ad-Rock were interviewed at the station they heard the recording and asked for it.{{Cite web|url=https://www.beastiemania.com/interview/interviewquami.php|title=Beastiemania.com - Interviews - Interview with Quami De La|last=Pollicino|first=Raul|website=www.beastiemania.com|access-date=2018-08-18}}

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Beastie Boys except where noted

| title1 = Root Down

| note1 = Free Zone Mix

| length1 = 3:48

| title2 = Root Down

| note2 = Ill Communication Mix

| length2 = 3:31

| title3 = Root Down

| note3 = PP Balloon Mix - produced by Prince Paul

| length3 = 3:30

| title4 = Time to Get Ill

| note4 = Horovitz, Yauch, Diamond, Rubin

| length4 = 1:59

| title5 = Heart Attack Man

| note5 = Beastie Boys, AWOL

| length5 = 2:08

| title6 = The Maestro

| length6 = 3:14

| title7 = Sabrosa

| note7 = Beastie Boys, Bobo, Money Mark

| length7 = 2:53

| title8 = Flute Loop

| note8 = Beastie Boys, Caldato, Al Kooper

| length8 = 1:39

| title9 = Time for Livin{{'-}}

| note9 = Frontline

| length9 = 1:58

| title10 = Something's Got to Give

| note10 = Beastie Boys, Caldato, Money Mark) (Ends at 3:56. The hidden track can be heard at 4:28

| length10 = 4:57

| total_length = 28:56

}}

Charts

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1995)

!Peak
position

Australian Albums Chart{{cite web |url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Beastie+Boys&titel=Root+Down&cat=a |title=Beastie Boys - Root Down|publisher=australian-charts.com |access-date=10 May 2011}}

|align="center"|43

Austrian Albums Chart{{cite web |url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Beastie+Boys&titel=Root+Down&cat=a |language=de |title=Beastie Boys - Root Down |publisher=austriancharts.at|access-date=10 May 2011}}

|align="center"|38

Canadian Albums Chart{{cite journal |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.8540&type=2|title=RPM 100 Albums |journal=RPM |date=17 July 1995 |volume=61 |issue=24 |publisher=archived at Library and Archives Canada |access-date=10 October 2010}}

|align="center"|48

Dutch Albums Chart{{cite web |url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Beastie+Boys&titel=Root+Down&cat=a |language=nl |publisher=dutchcharts.nl |title=Beastie Boys - Root Down |access-date=10 May 2011}}

|align="center"|78

German Albums Chart{{cite web|url=http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Beastie+Boys/?type=longplay|title=Chartverfolgung / Beastie Boys / Longplay |language=de |trans-title=Chart Tracking / Beastie Boys / Albums |publisher=musicline.de |access-date=16 November 2008}}

|align="center"|38

UK Albums Chart{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/Root%20down%20EP |title=Root Down EP |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=10 May 2011 }}

|align="center"|23

US Billboard 200{{cite magazine |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=beastie boys|chart=Billboard 200}}|title=Beastie Boys Album & Song Chart History|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |access-date=10 May 2011}}

|align="center"|50

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Beastie Boys|title=Root Down|award=Gold|relyear=1995|certyear=2004|access-date=June 28, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

"Root Down"

{{Infobox song

| name = Root Down

| cover = Root Down Beastie Boys single.jpg

| type = single

| artist = Beastie Boys

| album = Ill Communication

| genre = *Hip hop

  • funk{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/ill-communication-mw0000624379|title=Ill Communication – Beastie Boys|website=AllMusic|access-date=April 10, 2025|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|quote="...the relentless dirty funk of "Root Down,..."}}

| released = 1995

| length = 3:31

| writer =

| label = *Grand Royal

| producer = *Beastie Boys

| prev_title = Sure Shot

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = Intergalactic

| next_year = 1998

}}

"Root Down" is a song by Beastie Boys from their fourth studio album Ill Communication. The original version of the track, as well as two remixes of the track, are featured on the Root Down EP. It was released as a single in promotion of the Root Down EP; it also served as the fourth single from Ill Communication.

A sample from jazz musician Jimmy Smith's "Root Down (And Get It)", from his seminal album Root Down, serves as the basis for "Root Down". A small vocal sample from "Root Down" was later sampled on The Prodigy's 1997 track "Funky Shit".{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

=Track listing=

Promo CD single

  1. "Root Down" (LP, Clean) – 3:32
  2. "Root Down" (Free Zone Mix, Clean) – 3:47
  3. "Root Down" (PP Balloon Mix, Clean) – 3:30

7" single

:A. "Root Down" (Clean version) – 3:43

:B. "Ricky's Theme" (Clean version) – 3:32

References

{{Reflist}}