Essential, 11 Nov 2008
Can't add much to PJR's review. This is some of the most influential and important music of the last quarter of the 20th century, Buy it.

So good it HURTS!!!, 13 Aug 2008
The original Kut Up Wizard - Still equaled by none!

Classic all the way, 2 CDs full of pure genius. It's fun, It's funky, It's original, It's Brilliant!

BUY THIS NOW!!! It's a Bargain!!!

It's Overused, But This Is Genius, 12 Jul 2008
Once upon a time a sound engineer and a dj/advertising copywriter decided to enter a competition set up by Tommy Boy Records to remix a track called "Play That Beat Mr DJ" by G.L.O.B.E & Whizz Kid (2 members of The Soul Sonic Force) after spending a day at Dee's studio Double Dee & Steinski had their mix they entered the competition with "The Payoff Mix". Not only did they win but in the process changed the way people listened to and thought about hip hop.

There are certain times when you hear something totally insane and new, but not often. Double Dee & Steinski took the scratch mix formula familiar to hip hop listeners and sent it into the stratosphere. They used the old sound engineer technique of taking a razor blade to their tape and splicing together their track. Where as most people might add four or five tracks into their mix and use the breaks and scratches to spice it up by splicing in a studio the duo added 24 sound samples, creating not so much a remix but a sound collage of the like not heard before. It was pressed up as a promo and became legend. The sheer number of samples meant that Tommy Boy could never clear them all and release the track but the first great cut and paste track was born. Followed by 2 further mixes Lessons 1-3 are, quite literally the stuff of legend.

It's ridiculous to underestimate the importance and influence of them and this compilation is the most legitimate release of these tracks shows that these tracks from 1983-5 sound as fresh now as they did then. Documented here are pretty much all of Steinski's recordings (exculding his late 80's work for 4th & Broadway records) of the past 25 years. Listening to this is like hearing the best, most crazy mix you could ever wish to hear. Mixing familiar tunes with eclectic samples from films to dance instruction records, TV broadcasts of the Kennedy shooting to whatever the track requires for its subject, this is quite simply extraordinary. Disc 2 consists of a mix made for BBC Radio 1 and gives an idea of what his later incarnation as a radio dj sounds like.

If you have an interest in turntablism, mash up culture, sound collages, hip hop mixes, sampling, or simply adventurous music you probably need this album in your collection. Most of the tracks here are not easy to find and the early stuff has never been available in more pristine form. The first 3 tracks are some of the most influential things made in last part of the century. They have influenced a generation and still sound amazingly good. The consistency rarely drops across the tracks here. Genius is a very overused word in our culture of the hyperbole but here it almost doesn't do justice. Buy this and own a vital piece of musical history.

Paid in Full is a debut album that is basically a collection of early singles ("Eric B. Is President", "I Know You Got Soul", the title track), is the motherlode of late-1980s New York rap--assured, serious, and hugely influential. Rakim, a rapper's rapper, is the Chow Yun-Fat of hip-hop: cool as steel, absolutely calm, absolutely deadly. His verbal wit and rhythmic gift go hand-in-hand. He flows like a waterfall, playing around the beat, leaping from one ingenious phrase to another, letting the words do all the work. And Eric B.? He comes up with some straightforward but effective backing tracks (he favours James Brown grooves), scratches on a couple of block-rocking instrumentals, and makes room for the master to do his thing. --Douglas Wolk

Essential, 11 Nov 2008
Can't add much to PJR's review. This is some of the most influential and important music of the last quarter of the 20th century, Buy it.

So good it HURTS!!!, 13 Aug 2008
The original Kut Up Wizard - Still equaled by none!

Classic all the way, 2 CDs full of pure genius. It's fun, It's funky, It's original, It's Brilliant!

BUY THIS NOW!!! It's a Bargain!!!

It's Overused, But This Is Genius, 12 Jul 2008
Once upon a time a sound engineer and a dj/advertising copywriter decided to enter a competition set up by Tommy Boy Records to remix a track called "Play That Beat Mr DJ" by G.L.O.B.E & Whizz Kid (2 members of The Soul Sonic Force) after spending a day at Dee's studio Double Dee & Steinski had their mix they entered the competition with "The Payoff Mix". Not only did they win but in the process changed the way people listened to and thought about hip hop.

There are certain times when you hear something totally insane and new, but not often. Double Dee & Steinski took the scratch mix formula familiar to hip hop listeners and sent it into the stratosphere. They used the old sound engineer technique of taking a razor blade to their tape and splicing together their track. Where as most people might add four or five tracks into their mix and use the breaks and scratches to spice it up by splicing in a studio the duo added 24 sound samples, creating not so much a remix but a sound collage of the like not heard before. It was pressed up as a promo and became legend. The sheer number of samples meant that Tommy Boy could never clear them all and release the track but the first great cut and paste track was born. Followed by 2 further mixes Lessons 1-3 are, quite literally the stuff of legend.

It's ridiculous to underestimate the importance and influence of them and this compilation is the most legitimate release of these tracks shows that these tracks from 1983-5 sound as fresh now as they did then. Documented here are pretty much all of Steinski's recordings (exculding his late 80's work for 4th & Broadway records) of the past 25 years. Listening to this is like hearing the best, most crazy mix you could ever wish to hear. Mixing familiar tunes with eclectic samples from films to dance instruction records, TV broadcasts of the Kennedy shooting to whatever the track requires for its subject, this is quite simply extraordinary. Disc 2 consists of a mix made for BBC Radio 1 and gives an idea of what his later incarnation as a radio dj sounds like.

If you have an interest in turntablism, mash up culture, sound collages, hip hop mixes, sampling, or simply adventurous music you probably need this album in your collection. Most of the tracks here are not easy to find and the early stuff has never been available in more pristine form. The first 3 tracks are some of the most influential things made in last part of the century. They have influenced a generation and still sound amazingly good. The consistency rarely drops across the tracks here. Genius is a very overused word in our culture of the hyperbole but here it almost doesn't do justice. Buy this and own a vital piece of musical history.

Smooth operators operating correctly, 14 Nov 2008
This album is, undeniably, a classic. It is my favourite hip-hop album ever. If you're expecting something that sounds up to date, then you'll be disappointed, but who cares - this album was made in 1987 and sounds EXACTLY like it was made in that year. Rakim's lyrics and flow are second to none in my opinion, and from his opening line of "I ain't no joke, I used to let the mic smoke, now I slam it when it's done and make sure it's broke" he rhymes effortlessly through this entire album. In comparison he makes most other MCs sound like they are struggling (the only other MCs who have achieved considerable mainstream success who are up there with him in terms of effortless flow, in my opinion, are Nas and Gza). Eric B's beats - pretty minimal and tidy, are fully reminiscent of the 80's (especially "Move The Crowd"). The production is slick and classy. Together they make an unstoppable team. It's like a missing link between the synth-heavy electro of the early 80's and the sample-laden, jazz-funk beats of the late 80's/early 90's, plus with one of the greatest vocal performances in hip-hop laid on top. The album contains a number of classic cuts to name but a few - "I Ain't no Joke", "My Melody", "I Know You Got Soul", plus A Tribe Called Quest's favourite jam back in the day, "Eric B Is President". But every track is great, and the album works well as a whole. It is compulsory listening for anyone wanting to find out what hip-hop sounded like in the late 80's. Actually, it's compulsory listening for anyone who loves hip-hop.

Ain't No Joke (but it ain't no classic, either), 04 Aug 2006
This is another one of these albums which is rated as an all-time classic, then you listen to it, and wonder what all the fuss is about. Paid In Full isnt even a proper album- its just a collection of singles with some cuts of beats'n'scratches by Eric B to pad it out. There's a few great tracks here- I Know You Got Soul is clearly one of THE classic hip-hop tracks of the era, and Move the Crowd is equally good (although there's a better mix on "Hip Hop Don't Stop vol.2"). The title track's also pretty cool. Otherwise, there's not much else here to justify the album's reputation. Rakim's delivery is smooth, but his lyrics aren't too hot- I'll bet Chuck D wouldn't come up with rhymes like

"Fish/is my favourite dish/but without my money its still a wish"

The sound quality isn't good either- the album has that skeletal, slightly degraded sound of early hip-hop, which would be OK but the CD isn't remastered, so the beats don't really kick like they should. All in all, it's not bad, but don't compare this to prime-time Public Enemy or De La Soul, cos it's just not that hot.

Classic, 26 Feb 2005
This album is a classic. In my opinion, the content isn't amazing, and I actually prefer Rakim in his later days, but this old skool, pioneering CD is ledgendary.
It's back when Rakim and Eric B were close, and together they helped create hiphop.
May not be excellent (although it is good), it is a classic

Rakim - Simply The Best, 05 Feb 2004
I have madly followed hip hop since my early teens in the early 80s, meaning I got to enjoy the best of the best by the LL Cool Js, Kool Moe Dees, Grandmaster Flashs, Big Daddy Kanes and Kurtis Blows. Tell you what though, and this is real hard for me to admit considering I loved all of the above-named, no one could touch the lyrical master himself, Rakim. All of the guys named have their unique appeal, but for me, lyrically, Rakim Allah is simply the best.

A small gripe, 30 Apr 2003
Ok this album is outstanding. Rakims lyrics are still 100 times more relevant, even now, than 99% of todays popstars, sorry, 'rappers'. oh, and 'vic from Watford' id like to know what you were thinking when writing that when compared to todays music, gangstarr and rakim dont stand up. Just think about what you've said. Thats like saying Nelly is better than Rakim, or Ja Rule is better than Guru. NO! Your so wrong.

Any real hip hop fans know the score. This album is top notch. An absolute classic, even by 'todays standards'.

The joke of Licensed to Ill's cover--that the Beasties could crash their jet into the side of a mountain and keep on tickin'--serves as a good metaphor for a career that even some of their 1986 admirers thought might be over after the one-time-only shock of this full-length debut. That thousands of funk-junkie wannabes have since failed at re-creating its groove, breaking-the-law vibe, and ear-splitting mix of rock and rap is an even better joke. And funniest of all is the record itself, which packs aural puns and lots and lots of yelling into an album that can still be listened to with as much pleasure as it gave in 1986. --Rickey Wright

Essential, 11 Nov 2008
Can't add much to PJR's review. This is some of the most influential and important music of the last quarter of the 20th century, Buy it.

So good it HURTS!!!, 13 Aug 2008
The original Kut Up Wizard - Still equaled by none!

Classic all the way, 2 CDs full of pure genius. It's fun, It's funky, It's original, It's Brilliant!

BUY THIS NOW!!! It's a Bargain!!!

It's Overused, But This Is Genius, 12 Jul 2008
Once upon a time a sound engineer and a dj/advertising copywriter decided to enter a competition set up by Tommy Boy Records to remix a track called "Play That Beat Mr DJ" by G.L.O.B.E & Whizz Kid (2 members of The Soul Sonic Force) after spending a day at Dee's studio Double Dee & Steinski had their mix they entered the competition with "The Payoff Mix". Not only did they win but in the process changed the way people listened to and thought about hip hop.

There are certain times when you hear something totally insane and new, but not often. Double Dee & Steinski took the scratch mix formula familiar to hip hop listeners and sent it into the stratosphere. They used the old sound engineer technique of taking a razor blade to their tape and splicing together their track. Where as most people might add four or five tracks into their mix and use the breaks and scratches to spice it up by splicing in a studio the duo added 24 sound samples, creating not so much a remix but a sound collage of the like not heard before. It was pressed up as a promo and became legend. The sheer number of samples meant that Tommy Boy could never clear them all and release the track but the first great cut and paste track was born. Followed by 2 further mixes Lessons 1-3 are, quite literally the stuff of legend.

It's ridiculous to underestimate the importance and influence of them and this compilation is the most legitimate release of these tracks shows that these tracks from 1983-5 sound as fresh now as they did then. Documented here are pretty much all of Steinski's recordings (exculding his late 80's work for 4th & Broadway records) of the past 25 years. Listening to this is like hearing the best, most crazy mix you could ever wish to hear. Mixing familiar tunes with eclectic samples from films to dance instruction records, TV broadcasts of the Kennedy shooting to whatever the track requires for its subject, this is quite simply extraordinary. Disc 2 consists of a mix made for BBC Radio 1 and gives an idea of what his later incarnation as a radio dj sounds like.

If you have an interest in turntablism, mash up culture, sound collages, hip hop mixes, sampling, or simply adventurous music you probably need this album in your collection. Most of the tracks here are not easy to find and the early stuff has never been available in more pristine form. The first 3 tracks are some of the most influential things made in last part of the century. They have influenced a generation and still sound amazingly good. The consistency rarely drops across the tracks here. Genius is a very overused word in our culture of the hyperbole but here it almost doesn't do justice. Buy this and own a vital piece of musical history.

Smooth operators operating correctly, 14 Nov 2008
This album is, undeniably, a classic. It is my favourite hip-hop album ever. If you're expecting something that sounds up to date, then you'll be disappointed, but who cares - this album was made in 1987 and sounds EXACTLY like it was made in that year. Rakim's lyrics and flow are second to none in my opinion, and from his opening line of "I ain't no joke, I used to let the mic smoke, now I slam it when it's done and make sure it's broke" he rhymes effortlessly through this entire album. In comparison he makes most other MCs sound like they are struggling (the only other MCs who have achieved considerable mainstream success who are up there with him in terms of effortless flow, in my opinion, are Nas and Gza). Eric B's beats - pretty minimal and tidy, are fully reminiscent of the 80's (especially "Move The Crowd"). The production is slick and classy. Together they make an unstoppable team. It's like a missing link between the synth-heavy electro of the early 80's and the sample-laden, jazz-funk beats of the late 80's/early 90's, plus with one of the greatest vocal performances in hip-hop laid on top. The album contains a number of classic cuts to name but a few - "I Ain't no Joke", "My Melody", "I Know You Got Soul", plus A Tribe Called Quest's favourite jam back in the day, "Eric B Is President". But every track is great, and the album works well as a whole. It is compulsory listening for anyone wanting to find out what hip-hop sounded like in the late 80's. Actually, it's compulsory listening for anyone who loves hip-hop.

Ain't No Joke (but it ain't no classic, either), 04 Aug 2006
This is another one of these albums which is rated as an all-time classic, then you listen to it, and wonder what all the fuss is about. Paid In Full isnt even a proper album- its just a collection of singles with some cuts of beats'n'scratches by Eric B to pad it out. There's a few great tracks here- I Know You Got Soul is clearly one of THE classic hip-hop tracks of the era, and Move the Crowd is equally good (although there's a better mix on "Hip Hop Don't Stop vol.2"). The title track's also pretty cool. Otherwise, there's not much else here to justify the album's reputation. Rakim's delivery is smooth, but his lyrics aren't too hot- I'll bet Chuck D wouldn't come up with rhymes like

"Fish/is my favourite dish/but without my money its still a wish"

The sound quality isn't good either- the album has that skeletal, slightly degraded sound of early hip-hop, which would be OK but the CD isn't remastered, so the beats don't really kick like they should. All in all, it's not bad, but don't compare this to prime-time Public Enemy or De La Soul, cos it's just not that hot.

Classic, 26 Feb 2005
This album is a classic. In my opinion, the content isn't amazing, and I actually prefer Rakim in his later days, but this old skool, pioneering CD is ledgendary.
It's back when Rakim and Eric B were close, and together they helped create hiphop.
May not be excellent (although it is good), it is a classic

Rakim - Simply The Best, 05 Feb 2004
I have madly followed hip hop since my early teens in the early 80s, meaning I got to enjoy the best of the best by the LL Cool Js, Kool Moe Dees, Grandmaster Flashs, Big Daddy Kanes and Kurtis Blows. Tell you what though, and this is real hard for me to admit considering I loved all of the above-named, no one could touch the lyrical master himself, Rakim. All of the guys named have their unique appeal, but for me, lyrically, Rakim Allah is simply the best.

A small gripe, 30 Apr 2003
Ok this album is outstanding. Rakims lyrics are still 100 times more relevant, even now, than 99% of todays popstars, sorry, 'rappers'. oh, and 'vic from Watford' id like to know what you were thinking when writing that when compared to todays music, gangstarr and rakim dont stand up. Just think about what you've said. Thats like saying Nelly is better than Rakim, or Ja Rule is better than Guru. NO! Your so wrong.

Any real hip hop fans know the score. This album is top notch. An absolute classic, even by 'todays standards'.

A TIMELESS AND AGELESS CLASSIC!, 01 Dec 2007
What more needs to be said about what is probably one of the top five, perhaps top three rap albums of all time. It's just packed to bursting point with beats and ryhmes that are as "FRESH" today as they were twenty odd years ago. If you have any respect for classic old school rap you have to own this album!

wow, 17 Mar 2006
getting older but never tired, this album of 13 tracks has nearly 13 styles on it displaying a range of sounds and rhythms. this album still makes me laugh and remains one of my all time favourites. if you don't own it, then buy it today. if only to hear 'she's crafty". thanks beastie boys.

Still awsome but showing signs of ageing, 22 Aug 2005
Although this was the first Beastie Boys recording I really listened to, I only heard it for the first time in 2003. I was born the year after this recording was made and it beggars belief that a band like this could ever last until the present day.
Initially, I was put off by the whiney-nazel voices I was hearing, but the Beastie Boys is as much about just listening (or deciphering) the lyrics as it is about the music. The offbeat lyrics remind me a little of Beck, just because they can be so random at times but still with a direction within the songs.
This album has obviously remained popular due to the infamous 'Fight for Your Right' song, but is actually so much more. try to get the CD + DVD version available on amazon (keep searching, it's quite far back!) so you can check out the ill videos for 'No Sleep til Brooklyn', 'She's Crafty' and 'Fight for Your Right'. As I said in the summary, the album is finally starting to show signs of ageing, but the power of nostalgia just keeps bringing me back for more. Enjoy.

Still licensed still brass monkeyed, 02 Apr 2005
I remember buying this on vinyl when i was 16. Run DMC and Public Enemy were mashing things up when this hit my record deck.
My stepdad banned me from playing it in the house, due to all the media crap when they arrived in the uk with Run DMC. when they were out shopping Friday night though the whole street was rocking to tracks like Brass Monkey, No Sleep till Brooklyn and paul Revere. Inspiring stuff this album and even though they were dismissed as a joke band they are more hip hop today than many of these so called "gangsters" Retro- yes but if you heard it the first time around you are still going to want to blow it up full watts. Grab your vw signs and your tins of bud, Cus im out on my little horsey named Paul Revere, me an my horsey and a quart of beer........

Raw and Nasty, as it should be, 13 Jan 2004
To say that this was a defining album in the history of rap would be an understatement. I remember buying the original vinyl LP as a 16 year old, putting it on the turntable and being completely blown away. The mix of metal, funk and heavy drum tracks throughout was very original and coupled with them being one of the only white rappers around made them stand out from the crowd. Tracks such as the new style, hold it now hit it, she's crafty and no sleep till Brooklyn come to epitomise exactly what the boys were about. OK, they were not good rappers like say Snoop or Eminem are but that was not what they were about. Remember they were white, Jewish, middleclass boys who were out to joke and fantasise about being babe magnets and living the life of a hardcore gansta. Although I remain a fan of the group, this hardcore, tongue in cheek hip hop album definitly remains my all time favourite. Buy this and LLCoolJ's I can't live without my radio album and you will have 2 of the most raw and basic hip hop albums of all time. One thing is for sure, VolksWagen's will never be the same again.

Essential, 11 Nov 2008
Can't add much to PJR's review. This is some of the most influential and important music of the last quarter of the 20th century, Buy it.

So good it HURTS!!!, 13 Aug 2008
The original Kut Up Wizard - Still equaled by none!

Classic all the way, 2 CDs full of pure genius. It's fun, It's funky, It's original, It's Brilliant!

BUY THIS NOW!!! It's a Bargain!!!

It's Overused, But This Is Genius, 12 Jul 2008
Once upon a time a sound engineer and a dj/advertising copywriter decided to enter a competition set up by Tommy Boy Records to remix a track called "Play That Beat Mr DJ" by G.L.O.B.E & Whizz Kid (2 members of The Soul Sonic Force) after spending a day at Dee's studio Double Dee & Steinski had their mix they entered the competition with "The Payoff Mix". Not only did they win but in the process changed the way people listened to and thought about hip hop.

There are certain times when you hear something totally insane and new, but not often. Double Dee & Steinski took the scratch mix formula familiar to hip hop listeners and sent it into the stratosphere. They used the old sound engineer technique of taking a razor blade to their tape and splicing together their track. Where as most people might add four or five tracks into their mix and use the breaks and scratches to spice it up by splicing in a studio the duo added 24 sound samples, creating not so much a remix but a sound collage of the like not heard before. It was pressed up as a promo and became legend. The sheer number of samples meant that Tommy Boy could never clear them all and release the track but the first great cut and paste track was born. Followed by 2 further mixes Lessons 1-3 are, quite literally the stuff of legend.

It's ridiculous to underestimate the importance and influence of them and this compilation is the most legitimate release of these tracks shows that these tracks from 1983-5 sound as fresh now as they did then. Documented here are pretty much all of Steinski's recordings (exculding his late 80's work for 4th & Broadway records) of the past 25 years. Listening to this is like hearing the best, most crazy mix you could ever wish to hear. Mixing familiar tunes with eclectic samples from films to dance instruction records, TV broadcasts of the Kennedy shooting to whatever the track requires for its subject, this is quite simply extraordinary. Disc 2 consists of a mix made for BBC Radio 1 and gives an idea of what his later incarnation as a radio dj sounds like.

If you have an interest in turntablism, mash up culture, sound collages, hip hop mixes, sampling, or simply adventurous music you probably need this album in your collection. Most of the tracks here are not easy to find and the early stuff has never been available in more pristine form. The first 3 tracks are some of the most influential things made in last part of the century. They have influenced a generation and still sound amazingly good. The consistency rarely drops across the tracks here. Genius is a very overused word in our culture of the hyperbole but here it almost doesn't do justice. Buy this and own a vital piece of musical history.

Smooth operators operating correctly, 14 Nov 2008
This album is, undeniably, a classic. It is my favourite hip-hop album ever. If you're expecting something that sounds up to date, then you'll be disappointed, but who cares - this album was made in 1987 and sounds EXACTLY like it was made in that year. Rakim's lyrics and flow are second to none in my opinion, and from his opening line of "I ain't no joke, I used to let the mic smoke, now I slam it when it's done and make sure it's broke" he rhymes effortlessly through this entire album. In comparison he makes most other MCs sound like they are struggling (the only other MCs who have achieved considerable mainstream success who are up there with him in terms of effortless flow, in my opinion, are Nas and Gza). Eric B's beats - pretty minimal and tidy, are fully reminiscent of the 80's (especially "Move The Crowd"). The production is slick and classy. Together they make an unstoppable team. It's like a missing link between the synth-heavy electro of the early 80's and the sample-laden, jazz-funk beats of the late 80's/early 90's, plus with one of the greatest vocal performances in hip-hop laid on top. The album contains a number of classic cuts to name but a few - "I Ain't no Joke", "My Melody", "I Know You Got Soul", plus A Tribe Called Quest's favourite jam back in the day, "Eric B Is President". But every track is great, and the album works well as a whole. It is compulsory listening for anyone wanting to find out what hip-hop sounded like in the late 80's. Actually, it's compulsory listening for anyone who loves hip-hop.

Ain't No Joke (but it ain't no classic, either), 04 Aug 2006
This is another one of these albums which is rated as an all-time classic, then you listen to it, and wonder what all the fuss is about. Paid In Full isnt even a proper album- its just a collection of singles with some cuts of beats'n'scratches by Eric B to pad it out. There's a few great tracks here- I Know You Got Soul is clearly one of THE classic hip-hop tracks of the era, and Move the Crowd is equally good (although there's a better mix on "Hip Hop Don't Stop vol.2"). The title track's also pretty cool. Otherwise, there's not much else here to justify the album's reputation. Rakim's delivery is smooth, but his lyrics aren't too hot- I'll bet Chuck D wouldn't come up with rhymes like

"Fish/is my favourite dish/but without my money its still a wish"

The sound quality isn't good either- the album has that skeletal, slightly degraded sound of early hip-hop, which would be OK but the CD isn't remastered, so the beats don't really kick like they should. All in all, it's not bad, but don't compare this to prime-time Public Enemy or De La Soul, cos it's just not that hot.

Classic, 26 Feb 2005
This album is a classic. In my opinion, the content isn't amazing, and I actually prefer Rakim in his later days, but this old skool, pioneering CD is ledgendary.
It's back when Rakim and Eric B were close, and together they helped create hiphop.
May not be excellent (although it is good), it is a classic

Rakim - Simply The Best, 05 Feb 2004
I have madly followed hip hop since my early teens in the early 80s, meaning I got to enjoy the best of the best by the LL Cool Js, Kool Moe Dees, Grandmaster Flashs, Big Daddy Kanes and Kurtis Blows. Tell you what though, and this is real hard for me to admit considering I loved all of the above-named, no one could touch the lyrical master himself, Rakim. All of the guys named have their unique appeal, but for me, lyrically, Rakim Allah is simply the best.

A small gripe, 30 Apr 2003
Ok this album is outstanding. Rakims lyrics are still 100 times more relevant, even now, than 99% of todays popstars, sorry, 'rappers'. oh, and 'vic from Watford' id like to know what you were thinking when writing that when compared to todays music, gangstarr and rakim dont stand up. Just think about what you've said. Thats like saying Nelly is better than Rakim, or Ja Rule is better than Guru. NO! Your so wrong.

Any real hip hop fans know the score. This album is top notch. An absolute classic, even by 'todays standards'.

A TIMELESS AND AGELESS CLASSIC!, 01 Dec 2007
What more needs to be said about what is probably one of the top five, perhaps top three rap albums of all time. It's just packed to bursting point with beats and ryhmes that are as "FRESH" today as they were twenty odd years ago. If you have any respect for classic old school rap you have to own this album!

wow, 17 Mar 2006
getting older but never tired, this album of 13 tracks has nearly 13 styles on it displaying a range of sounds and rhythms. this album still makes me laugh and remains one of my all time favourites. if you don't own it, then buy it today. if only to hear 'she's crafty". thanks beastie boys.

Still awsome but showing signs of ageing, 22 Aug 2005
Although this was the first Beastie Boys recording I really listened to, I only heard it for the first time in 2003. I was born the year after this recording was made and it beggars belief that a band like this could ever last until the present day.
Initially, I was put off by the whiney-nazel voices I was hearing, but the Beastie Boys is as much about just listening (or deciphering) the lyrics as it is about the music. The offbeat lyrics remind me a little of Beck, just because they can be so random at times but still with a direction within the songs.
This album has obviously remained popular due to the infamous 'Fight for Your Right' song, but is actually so much more. try to get the CD + DVD version available on amazon (keep searching, it's quite far back!) so you can check out the ill videos for 'No Sleep til Brooklyn', 'She's Crafty' and 'Fight for Your Right'. As I said in the summary, the album is finally starting to show signs of ageing, but the power of nostalgia just keeps bringing me back for more. Enjoy.

Still licensed still brass monkeyed, 02 Apr 2005
I remember buying this on vinyl when i was 16. Run DMC and Public Enemy were mashing things up when this hit my record deck.
My stepdad banned me from playing it in the house, due to all the media crap when they arrived in the uk with Run DMC. when they were out shopping Friday night though the whole street was rocking to tracks like Brass Monkey, No Sleep till Brooklyn and paul Revere. Inspiring stuff this album and even though they were dismissed as a joke band they are more hip hop today than many of these so called "gangsters" Retro- yes but if you heard it the first time around you are still going to want to blow it up full watts. Grab your vw signs and your tins of bud, Cus im out on my little horsey named Paul Revere, me an my horsey and a quart of beer........

Raw and Nasty, as it should be, 13 Jan 2004
To say that this was a defining album in the history of rap would be an understatement. I remember buying the original vinyl LP as a 16 year old, putting it on the turntable and being completely blown away. The mix of metal, funk and heavy drum tracks throughout was very original and coupled with them being one of the only white rappers around made them stand out from the crowd. Tracks such as the new style, hold it now hit it, she's crafty and no sleep till Brooklyn come to epitomise exactly what the boys were about. OK, they were not good rappers like say Snoop or Eminem are but that was not what they were about. Remember they were white, Jewish, middleclass boys who were out to joke and fantasise about being babe magnets and living the life of a hardcore gansta. Although I remain a fan of the group, this hardcore, tongue in cheek hip hop album definitly remains my all time favourite. Buy this and LLCoolJ's I can't live without my radio album and you will have 2 of the most raw and basic hip hop albums of all time. One thing is for sure, VolksWagen's will never be the same again.

You Couldn't Ask For More (For a 1 disk best-of), 27 Mar 2008
Here we have the definative collection of the best (white) hip-hop band ever and probably in the top 5 of any race along with Wu, Public Enemy and Run DMC.

This is what I would say is probably the coolest best-of I've heard in years, that is chock full of songs that you would instanly recognise and some you probably didn't know were by the Beasties'!

It starts off with 'So What You Want' a rocky rap tune that is one of my favourate songs by this group that instantly shows them as innovators of the game with no fear as they tear through any beat.

The interesting thing I found about this album is you could listen to most of it and not be able to tell when it was recorded because they all still sound fresh as they did when they were first released.

From the 20 songs my fave songs that I would particularly recommend are -

So What You Want
Shake Your Rump
Intergalactic
Sabotage
An Open Letter To NYC

So all in all I would highly recommend if you are a fan of any genre of music because when something is this diverse and innovative, it is hard to not like + ITS THE BEASTIES!

Buy it now, love it forever.

Hope this has been helpful for you, have a good 1!

beastie boys are pure solid gold.., 22 Feb 2007
fantastic albulm, pure solid gold as the title suggests..

a must for all beastie & old school hip hop fans.

best track has to be the awesome "an open letter letter to new york"...this is one of the beastie's newer contempory stuff and is about post 9/11.....as i say AWESOME.

the only minus bit is that they could of included more cuts from their best selling albulm to date, from 1986: licensed to ill.

other than that though a top drawer classic hip hop greatest hits albulm from one of the early new york pioneers...

respect.

alright, 08 Jul 2006
This is a good old school album, but with modern beats.
Beastie boys are capable rappers and on this are some good songs, brass monkey being the best.
The sound quality leaves a lot to be desired, but it really is an essential in any rap fans collection.

Most illingest B-Boys, 03 Jun 2006
In order for Capitol to allow the Beasties to press forward with their soon to be released (in the UK) concert movie, Awesome; I Shot That, they requested the bands MCA to compile a 15-track greatest hits collection in the run up to Xmas 2005.

But never mind the fact that this is a blatent record company idea. And never mind the fact that 1999's excellent Anthology (with most the hits, rarities, b-sides, and other songs the Beasties themsleves like and chose) already exists...if you're new to the boys or just a casual fan, this is absolutely perfect.

Every track really is solid gold, and each album is represented fairly, albeit obviously. So there's the early frat boy rocker anthems of Fight For Your Right and No Sleep Til Brooklyn, still sounding gloriously mega 20 years on, to the recent offerings including 98's Intergalactic (a UK best single chart-wise for the boys) and even more recently the Beasties comeback single Ch-Check It Out.

For a band who, in all honesty, offer so much on the individual records, taking the biggest singles over 20 years is always going to result in a decent collection. Sure Shot, perhaps a career highlight, is just absolutely perfect hip hop, as is 95's old school Jimmy Smith sampling Root Down. See Brass Monkey, a hip hop classic, slide along side later works such as the excellent Pass the Mic, or 2004's heavier toned An Open Letter to NYC.

The whole 15 track collection is littered with classic, classic Beastie Boys, old and new. It's no fair representation of all their work over the years, and the various styles they've incorporated in their music, but it's a collection of singles any rap group would die for. And I say rap, I use it in the credible sense. Today's artists at the top of the pile, say the Eminems or 50 Cents of this world, could never match the work here.

Superb.


Solid Gold, 16 Nov 2005
This is an absolute must for any Beastie Boys fan, one disc documenting their music over the last two decades or so, from Fight For Your Right to Ch-check It Out, with only one important omission in my opinion (3 Mc's and 1 DJ). Listen out for the very political, but also excellent "An open Letter To NYC". These guys have truly stood the test of time...Outstanding

In the Jewish religion, it's traditional for males to get Bar Mitzvah-ed--to undergo the ceremony of adulthood--at age 13. Judging them by that standard, for one, the Beastie Boys are ahead of the game; between 1986's Licensed to Ill and 1999's hits package The Sounds of Science, the Beasties have matured from attention-starved brats to insightful, funky trend-setting brats with an ace record collection and top choice in collaborators. And by staying in tune with their inner children, the Boys have also managed to not drop off in fervour as they've continued to push their boundaries: How many other hip-hop/rock groups would be able to put songs as different as the hardcore "Egg Raid on Mojo" and the jazzed-out instrumental "Sabrosa" on the same collection? And a slightly deranged take on Elton John's "Benny & the Jets"?

At a hefty 42 tracks, this collection has something for everyone--and manages not to skimp on the hits or pad them with filler. Though it would serve well as an introduction, The Sound of Science is even better as a companion. --Randy Silver

Essential, 11 Nov 2008
Can't add much to PJR's review. This is some of the most influential and important music of the last quarter of the 20th century, Buy it.

So good it HURTS!!!, 13 Aug 2008
The original Kut Up Wizard - Still equaled by none!

Classic all the way, 2 CDs full of pure genius. It's fun, It's funky, It's original, It's Brilliant!

BUY THIS NOW!!! It's a Bargain!!!

It's Overused, But This Is Genius, 12 Jul 2008
Once upon a time a sound engineer and a dj/advertising copywriter decided to enter a competition set up by Tommy Boy Records to remix a track called "Play That Beat Mr DJ" by G.L.O.B.E & Whizz Kid (2 members of The Soul Sonic Force) after spending a day at Dee's studio Double Dee & Steinski had their mix they entered the competition with "The Payoff Mix". Not only did they win but in the process changed the way people listened to and thought about hip hop.

There are certain times when you hear something totally insane and new, but not often. Double Dee & Steinski took the scratch mix formula familiar to hip hop listeners and sent it into the stratosphere. They used the old sound engineer technique of taking a razor blade to their tape and splicing together their track. Where as most people might add four or five tracks into their mix and use the breaks and scratches to spice it up by splicing in a studio the duo added 24 sound samples, creating not so much a remix but a sound collage of the like not heard before. It was pressed up as a promo and became legend. The sheer number of samples meant that Tommy Boy could never clear them all and release the track but the first great cut and paste track was born. Followed by 2 further mixes Lessons 1-3 are, quite literally the stuff of legend.

It's ridiculous to underestimate the importance and influence of them and this compilation is the most legitimate release of these tracks shows that these tracks from 1983-5 sound as fresh now as they did then. Documented here are pretty much all of Steinski's recordings (exculding his late 80's work for 4th & Broadway records) of the past 25 years. Listening to this is like hearing the best, most crazy mix you could ever wish to hear. Mixing familiar tunes with eclectic samples from films to dance instruction records, TV broadcasts of the Kennedy shooting to whatever the track requires for its subject, this is quite simply extraordinary. Disc 2 consists of a mix made for BBC Radio 1 and gives an idea of what his later incarnation as a radio dj sounds like.

If you have an interest in turntablism, mash up culture, sound collages, hip hop mixes, sampling, or simply adventurous music you probably need this album in your collection. Most of the tracks here are not easy to find and the early stuff has never been available in more pristine form. The first 3 tracks are some of the most influential things made in last part of the century. They have influenced a generation and still sound amazingly good. The consistency rarely drops across the tracks here. Genius is a very overused word in our culture of the hyperbole but here it almost doesn't do justice. Buy this and own a vital piece of musical history.

Smooth operators operating correctly, 14 Nov 2008
This album is, undeniably, a classic. It is my favourite hip-hop album ever. If you're expecting something that sounds up to date, then you'll be disappointed, but who cares - this album was made in 1987 and sounds EXACTLY like it was made in that year. Rakim's lyrics and flow are second to none in my opinion, and from his opening line of "I ain't no joke, I used to let the mic smoke, now I slam it when it's done and make sure it's broke" he rhymes effortlessly through this entire album. In comparison he makes most other MCs sound like they are struggling (the only other MCs who have achieved considerable mainstream success who are up there with him in terms of effortless flow, in my opinion, are Nas and Gza). Eric B's beats - pretty minimal and tidy, are fully reminiscent of the 80's (especially "Move The Crowd"). The production is slick and classy. Together they make an unstoppable team. It's like a missing link between the synth-heavy electro of the early 80's and the sample-laden, jazz-funk beats of the late 80's/early 90's, plus with one of the greatest vocal performances in hip-hop laid on top. The album contains a number of classic cuts to name but a few - "I Ain't no Joke", "My Melody", "I Know You Got Soul", plus A Tribe Called Quest's favourite jam back in the day, "Eric B Is President". But every track is great, and the album works well as a whole. It is compulsory listening for anyone wanting to find out what hip-hop sounded like in the late 80's. Actually, it's compulsory listening for anyone who loves hip-hop.

Ain't No Joke (but it ain't no classic, either), 04 Aug 2006
This is another one of these albums which is rated as an all-time classic, then you listen to it, and wonder what all the fuss is about. Paid In Full isnt even a proper album- its just a collection of singles with some cuts of beats'n'scratches by Eric B to pad it out. There's a few great tracks here- I Know You Got Soul is clearly one of THE classic hip-hop tracks of the era, and Move the Crowd is equally good (although there's a better mix on "Hip Hop Don't Stop vol.2"). The title track's also pretty cool. Otherwise, there's not much else here to justify the album's reputation. Rakim's delivery is smooth, but his lyrics aren't too hot- I'll bet Chuck D wouldn't come up with rhymes like

"Fish/is my favourite dish/but without my money its still a wish"

The sound quality isn't good either- the album has that skeletal, slightly degraded sound of early hip-hop, which would be OK but the CD isn't remastered, so the beats don't really kick like they should. All in all, it's not bad, but don't compare this to prime-time Public Enemy or De La Soul, cos it's just not that hot.

Classic, 26 Feb 2005
This album is a classic. In my opinion, the content isn't amazing, and I actually prefer Rakim in his later days, but this old skool, pioneering CD is ledgendary.
It's back when Rakim and Eric B were close, and together they helped create hiphop.
May not be excellent (although it is good), it is a classic

Rakim - Simply The Best, 05 Feb 2004
I have madly followed hip hop since my early teens in the early 80s, meaning I got to enjoy the best of the best by the LL Cool Js, Kool Moe Dees, Grandmaster Flashs, Big Daddy Kanes and Kurtis Blows. Tell you what though, and this is real hard for me to admit considering I loved all of the above-named, no one could touch the lyrical master himself, Rakim. All of the guys named have their unique appeal, but for me, lyrically, Rakim Allah is simply the best.

A small gripe, 30 Apr 2003
Ok this album is outstanding. Rakims lyrics are still 100 times more relevant, even now, than 99% of todays popstars, sorry, 'rappers'. oh, and 'vic from Watford' id like to know what you were thinking when writing that when compared to todays music, gangstarr and rakim dont stand up. Just think about what you've said. Thats like saying Nelly is better than Rakim, or Ja Rule is better than Guru. NO! Your so wrong.

Any real hip hop fans know the score. This album is top notch. An absolute classic, even by 'todays standards'.

A TIMELESS AND AGELESS CLASSIC!, 01 Dec 2007
What more needs to be said about what is probably one of the top five, perhaps top three rap albums of all time. It's just packed to bursting point with beats and ryhmes that are as "FRESH" today as they were twenty odd years ago. If you have any respect for classic old school rap you have to own this album!

wow, 17 Mar 2006
getting older but never tired, this album of 13 tracks has nearly 13 styles on it displaying a range of sounds and rhythms. this album still makes me laugh and remains one of my all time favourites. if you don't own it, then buy it today. if only to hear 'she's crafty". thanks beastie boys.

Still awsome but showing signs of ageing, 22 Aug 2005
Although this was the first Beastie Boys recording I really listened to, I only heard it for the first time in 2003. I was born the year after this recording was made and it beggars belief that a band like this could ever last until the present day.
Initially, I was put off by the whiney-nazel voices I was hearing, but the Beastie Boys is as much about just listening (or deciphering) the lyrics as it is about the music. The offbeat lyrics remind me a little of Beck, just because they can be so random at times but still with a direction within the songs.
This album has obviously remained popular due to the infamous 'Fight for Your Right' song, but is actually so much more. try to get the CD + DVD version available on amazon (keep searching, it's quite far back!) so you can check out the ill videos for 'No Sleep til Brooklyn', 'She's Crafty' and 'Fight for Your Right'. As I said in the summary, the album is finally starting to show signs of ageing, but the power of nostalgia just keeps bringing me back for more. Enjoy.

Still licensed still brass monkeyed, 02 Apr 2005
I remember buying this on vinyl when i was 16. Run DMC and Public Enemy were mashing things up when this hit my record deck.
My stepdad banned me from playing it in the house, due to all the media crap when they arrived in the uk with Run DMC. when they were out shopping Friday night though the whole street was rocking to tracks like Brass Monkey, No Sleep till Brooklyn and paul Revere. Inspiring stuff this album and even though they were dismissed as a joke band they are more hip hop today than many of these so called "gangsters" Retro- yes but if you heard it the first time around you are still going to want to blow it up full watts. Grab your vw signs and your tins of bud, Cus im out on my little horsey named Paul Revere, me an my horsey and a quart of beer........

Raw and Nasty, as it should be, 13 Jan 2004
To say that this was a defining album in the history of rap would be an understatement. I remember buying the original vinyl LP as a 16 year old, putting it on the turntable and being completely blown away. The mix of metal, funk and heavy drum tracks throughout was very original and coupled with them being one of the only white rappers around made them stand out from the crowd. Tracks such as the new style, hold it now hit it, she's crafty and no sleep till Brooklyn come to epitomise exactly what the boys were about. OK, they were not good rappers like say Snoop or Eminem are but that was not what they were about. Remember they were white, Jewish, middleclass boys who were out to joke and fantasise about being babe magnets and living the life of a hardcore gansta. Although I remain a fan of the group, this hardcore, tongue in cheek hip hop album definitly remains my all time favourite. Buy this and LLCoolJ's I can't live without my radio album and you will have 2 of the most raw and basic hip hop albums of all time. One thing is for sure, VolksWagen's will never be the same again.

You Couldn't Ask For More (For a 1 disk best-of), 27 Mar 2008
Here we have the definative collection of the best (white) hip-hop band ever and probably in the top 5 of any race along with Wu, Public Enemy and Run DMC.

This is what I would say is probably the coolest best-of I've heard in years, that is chock full of songs that you would instanly recognise and some you probably didn't know were by the Beasties'!

It starts off with 'So What You Want' a rocky rap tune that is one of my favourate songs by this group that instantly shows them as innovators of the game with no fear as they tear through any beat.

The interesting thing I found about this album is you could listen to most of it and not be able to tell when it was recorded because they all still sound fresh as they did when they were first released.

From the 20 songs my fave songs that I would particularly recommend are -

So What You Want
Shake Your Rump
Intergalactic
Sabotage
An Open Letter To NYC

So all in all I would highly recommend if you are a fan of any genre of music because when something is this diverse and innovative, it is hard to not like + ITS THE BEASTIES!

Buy it now, love it forever.

Hope this has been helpful for you, have a good 1!

beastie boys are pure solid gold.., 22 Feb 2007
fantastic albulm, pure solid gold as the title suggests..

a must for all beastie & old school hip hop fans.

best track has to be the awesome "an open letter letter to new york"...this is one of the beastie's newer contempory stuff and is about post 9/11.....as i say AWESOME.

the only minus bit is that they could of included more cuts from their best selling albulm to date, from 1986: licensed to ill.

other than that though a top drawer classic hip hop greatest hits albulm from one of the early new york pioneers...

respect.

alright, 08 Jul 2006
This is a good old school album, but with modern beats.
Beastie boys are capable rappers and on this are some good songs, brass monkey being the best.
The sound quality leaves a lot to be desired, but it really is an essential in any rap fans collection.

Most illingest B-Boys, 03 Jun 2006
In order for Capitol to allow the Beasties to press forward with their soon to be released (in the UK) concert movie, Awesome; I Shot That, they requested the bands MCA to compile a 15-track greatest hits collection in the run up to Xmas 2005.

But never mind the fact that this is a blatent record company idea. And never mind the fact that 1999's excellent Anthology (with most the hits, rarities, b-sides, and other songs the Beasties themsleves like and chose) already exists...if you're new to the boys or just a casual fan, this is absolutely perfect.

Every track really is solid gold, and each album is represented fairly, albeit obviously. So there's the early frat boy rocker anthems of Fight For Your Right and No Sleep Til Brooklyn, still sounding gloriously mega 20 years on, to the recent offerings including 98's Intergalactic (a UK best single chart-wise for the boys) and even more recently the Beasties comeback single Ch-Check It Out.

For a band who, in all honesty, offer so much on the individual records, taking the biggest singles over 20 years is always going to result in a decent collection. Sure Shot, perhaps a career highlight, is just absolutely perfect hip hop, as is 95's old school Jimmy Smith sampling Root Down. See Brass Monkey, a hip hop classic, slide along side later works such as the excellent Pass the Mic, or 2004's heavier toned An Open Letter to NYC.

The whole 15 track collection is littered with classic, classic Beastie Boys, old and new. It's no fair representation of all their work over the years, and the various styles they've incorporated in their music, but it's a collection of singles any rap group would die for. And I say rap, I use it in the credible sense. Today's artists at the top of the pile, say the Eminems or 50 Cents of this world, could never match the work here.

Superb.


Solid Gold, 16 Nov 2005
This is an absolute must for any Beastie Boys fan, one disc documenting their music over the last two decades or so, from Fight For Your Right to Ch-check It Out, with only one important omission in my opinion (3 Mc's and 1 DJ). Listen out for the very political, but also excellent "An open Letter To NYC". These guys have truly stood the test of time...Outstanding

The best of the boys !!, 28 Dec 2005
If you only buy 1 Beastie Boys album this has to be it...Full of the old school hip hop with some excellent classics.

Fight for your right, No sleep till brooklyn are amoung the classics on this great double album.

Diverse but class, 14 Jul 2004
Fight for your right to party! they've not had many studio albums over their 18yr period but they've dabbled in many genres, bringing their NY hiphop funk to them all. This CD give u shed load of tracks for your money and plenty to nod ya head to whilst in your car. Volkswagen medallion optional.

A must have for a complete music libary, 16 Dec 2003
Although I am not into hip-hop and all sorts a like. This album is a really good addition to any music libary. It has all the classics and is just a great cd to have for those times that you are in the mood for this kind of music. (If you are not a regular listener to this).

A great buy and with 42 tracks on one album you are sure getting the whole overview.

A great buy.

Eminem take note - this is how to build a hip-hop career, 16 Mar 2003
Across this 42 track collection, those white-boy nutcases show us how much evolution there has been in their career. Those early hits like Fight For Your Right lack sophistocation,a dn the early pre-fame tracks even more so, but the energy and exhuberance is a thrill to hear. Not including either Girls or She's Crafty is something of a strange decision though - it smacks of trying to airbrush out their misogynistic aspects and promote the mature social-conscience Tibet-supporting trio of today.

It was their second album Paul's Boutique which saw the band evolve into really respected innovators, and Check Your Head continued that. The mroe recent albums have been retreads rather than anything truly new, but have thrown up some stompers.

Intergalactic is probably the best rap song a white guy ahs ever done,w ith maybe Jump Around by Hosue Of Pain the only rival. The new track Alive is one of the standouts, with the tolerant inspirational lyrics and uptempo scratching. Kudos for including the Fatboy Slim remix of Body Movin' and the live version of 3 MCs and 1 DJ, as both are far superior to the original album cuts, even if it means the collection actually only has 2 of their 4 biggest singles.

This CD has something for everyone, ranging from Shadrach to Sabotage, Remote Control to Jimmy James and even to a ludicrous but somehow successful cover of Benny and the Jets (one of Elton John's best loved songs, especially in the US). The rare and unreleased tracks, Alive excepted, are mixed, but still worth the purchase price even if you have all the albums. Conversely, there are enough great tracks left on the albums (except maybe Ill COmmunication) to ensure that this needn't be the only Beasties album you buy.

One of the best, multifaceted albums I have heard, 15 Apr 2002
I consider this to be one of the best rock and roll albums I have ever heard. On it, The Beastie Boys, generally known more for their early eigthies, pre-pubescent stage partying, show that they have incredible talent.

You will find everything on this album you could ever want: ass-kicking rock with an incredibly cool baseline on down to smooth, subtle bossanova sounds.

Awesome. Just buy it.

LL handles the mic confidently, almost too confidently, on Phenomenon, his seventh album. Whether he's going on about a messed-up father-figure, working on the ladies ("Nobody Can Freak You," "Phenomenon"), or "making a rhyme with every syllable of your name" ("4,3,2,1"), you can't help but feel like he's just selling you something. LL has built himself up considerably from the skinny punk rocking the bells in '85 to a true celebrity phenomenon, but somewhere on that journey he lost his soul. Strangely, the best tracks on the album employ guest vocalists like Busta Rhymes (on "Starsky & Hutch"), Cannibus and Method Man (both on "4,3,2,1"), where the guests unintentionally feel like the voices of ghosts, reminding LL of what it was like when rap music sold the beats and lyrics, instead of breakfast cereal and khakis. --Todd Levin

Essential, 11 Nov 2008
Can't add much to PJR's review. This is some of the most influential and important music of the last quarter of the 20th century, Buy it.

So good it HURTS!!!, 13 Aug 2008
The original Kut Up Wizard - Still equaled by none!

Classic all the way, 2 CDs full of pure genius. It's fun, It's funky, It's original, It's Brilliant!

BUY THIS NOW!!! It's a Bargain!!!

It's Overused, But This Is Genius, 12 Jul 2008
Once upon a time a sound engineer and a dj/advertising copywriter decided to enter a competition set up by Tommy Boy Records to remix a track called "Play That Beat Mr DJ" by G.L.O.B.E & Whizz Kid (2 members of The Soul Sonic Force) after spending a day at Dee's studio Double Dee & Steinski had their mix they entered the competition with "The Payoff Mix". Not only did they win but in the process changed the way people listened to and thought about hip hop.

There are certain times when you hear something totally insane and new, but not often. Double Dee & Steinski took the scratch mix formula familiar to hip hop listeners and sent it into the stratosphere. They used the old sound engineer technique of taking a razor blade to their tape and splicing together their track. Where as most people might add four or five tracks into their mix and use the breaks and scratches to spice it up by splicing in a studio the duo added 24 sound samples, creating not so much a remix but a sound collage of the like not heard before. It was pressed up as a promo and became legend. The sheer number of samples meant that Tommy Boy could never clear them all and release the track but the first great cut and paste track was born. Followed by 2 further mixes Lessons 1-3 are, quite literally the stuff of legend.

It's ridiculous to underestimate the importance and influence of them and this compilation is the most legitimate release of these tracks shows that these tracks from 1983-5 sound as fresh now as they did then. Documented here are pretty much all of Steinski's recordings (exculding his late 80's work for 4th & Broadway records) of the past 25 years. Listening to this is like hearing the best, most crazy mix you could ever wish to hear. Mixing familiar tunes with eclectic samples from films to dance instruction records, TV broadcasts of the Kennedy shooting to whatever the track requires for its subject, this is quite simply extraordinary. Disc 2 consists of a mix made for BBC Radio 1 and gives an idea of what his later incarnation as a radio dj sounds like.

If you have an interest in turntablism, mash up culture, sound collages, hip hop mixes, sampling, or simply adventurous music you probably need this album in your collection. Most of the tracks here are not easy to find and the early stuff has never been available in more pristine form. The first 3 tracks are some of the most influential things made in last part of the century. They have influenced a generation and still sound amazingly good. The consistency rarely drops across the tracks here. Genius is a very overused word in our culture of the hyperbole but here it almost doesn't do justice. Buy this and own a vital piece of musical history.

Smooth operators operating correctly, 14 Nov 2008
This album is, undeniably, a classic. It is my favourite hip-hop album ever. If you're expecting something that sounds up to date, then you'll be disappointed, but who cares - this album was made in 1987 and sounds EXACTLY like it was made in that year. Rakim's lyrics and flow are second to none in my opinion, and from his opening line of "I ain't no joke, I used to let the mic smoke, now I slam it when it's done and make sure it's broke" he rhymes effortlessly through this entire album. In comparison he makes most other MCs sound like they are struggling (the only other MCs who have achieved considerable mainstream success who are up there with him in terms of effortless flow, in my opinion, are Nas and Gza). Eric B's beats - pretty minimal and tidy, are fully reminiscent of the 80's (especially "Move The Crowd"). The production is slick and classy. Together they make an unstoppable team. It's like a missing link between the synth-heavy electro of the early 80's and the sample-laden, jazz-funk beats of the late 80's/early 90's, plus with one of the greatest vocal performances in hip-hop laid on top. The album contains a number of classic cuts to name but a few - "I Ain't no Joke", "My Melody", "I Know You Got Soul", plus A Tribe Called Quest's favourite jam back in the day, "Eric B Is President". But every track is great, and the album works well as a whole. It is compulsory listening for anyone wanting to find out what hip-hop sounded like in the late 80's. Actually, it's compulsory listening for anyone who loves hip-hop.

Ain't No Joke (but it ain't no classic, either), 04 Aug 2006
This is another one of these albums which is rated as an all-time classic, then you listen to it, and wonder what all the fuss is about. Paid In Full isnt even a proper album- its just a collection of singles with some cuts of beats'n'scratches by Eric B to pad it out. There's a few great tracks here- I Know You Got Soul is clearly one of THE classic hip-hop tracks of the era, and Move the Crowd is equally good (although there's a better mix on "Hip Hop Don't Stop vol.2"). The title track's also pretty cool. Otherwise, there's not much else here to justify the album's reputation. Rakim's delivery is smooth, but his lyrics aren't too hot- I'll bet Chuck D wouldn't come up with rhymes like

"Fish/is my favourite dish/but without my money its still a wish"

The sound quality isn't good either- the album has that skeletal, slightly degraded sound of early hip-hop, which would be OK but the CD isn't remastered, so the beats don't really kick like they should. All in all, it's not bad, but don't compare this to prime-time Public Enemy or De La Soul, cos it's just not that hot.

Classic, 26 Feb 2005
This album is a classic. In my opinion, the content isn't amazing, and I actually prefer Rakim in his later days, but this old skool, pioneering CD is ledgendary.
It's back when Rakim and Eric B were close, and together they helped create hiphop.
May not be excellent (although it is good), it is a classic

Rakim - Simply The Best, 05 Feb 2004
I have madly followed hip hop since my early teens in the early 80s, meaning I got to enjoy the best of the best by the LL Cool Js, Kool Moe Dees, Grandmaster Flashs, Big Daddy Kanes and Kurtis Blows. Tell you what though, and this is real hard for me to admit considering I loved all of the above-named, no one could touch the lyrical master himself, Rakim. All of the guys named have their unique appeal, but for me, lyrically, Rakim Allah is simply the best.

A small gripe, 30 Apr 2003
Ok this album is outstanding. Rakims lyrics are still 100 times more relevant, even now, than 99% of todays popstars, sorry, 'rappers'. oh, and 'vic from Watford' id like to know what you were thinking when writing that when compared to todays music, gangstarr and rakim dont stand up. Just think about what you've said. Thats like saying Nelly is better than Rakim, or Ja Rule is better than Guru. NO! Your so wrong.

Any real hip hop fans know the score. This album is top notch. An absolute classic, even by 'todays standards'.

A TIMELESS AND AGELESS CLASSIC!, 01 Dec 2007
What more needs to be said about what is probably one of the top five, perhaps top three rap albums of all time. It's just packed to bursting point with beats and ryhmes that are as "FRESH" today as they were twenty odd years ago. If you have any respect for classic old school rap you have to own this album!

wow, 17 Mar 2006
getting older but never tired, this album of 13 tracks has nearly 13 styles on it displaying a range of sounds and rhythms. this album still makes me laugh and remains one of my all time favourites. if you don't own it, then buy it today. if only to hear 'she's crafty". thanks beastie boys.

Still awsome but showing signs of ageing, 22 Aug 2005
Although this was the first Beastie Boys recording I really listened to, I only heard it for the first time in 2003. I was born the year after this recording was made and it beggars belief that a band like this could ever last until the present day.
Initially, I was put off by the whiney-nazel voices I was hearing, but the Beastie Boys is as much about just listening (or deciphering) the lyrics as it is about the music. The offbeat lyrics remind me a little of Beck, just because they can be so random at times but still with a direction within the songs.
This album has obviously remained popular due to the infamous 'Fight for Your Right' song, but is actually so much more. try to get the CD + DVD version available on amazon (keep searching, it's quite far back!) so you can check out the ill videos for 'No Sleep til Brooklyn', 'She's Crafty' and 'Fight for Your Right'. As I said in the summary, the album is finally starting to show signs of ageing, but the power of nostalgia just keeps bringing me back for more. Enjoy.

Still licensed still brass monkeyed, 02 Apr 2005
I remember buying this on vinyl when i was 16. Run DMC and Public Enemy were mashing things up when this hit my record deck.
My stepdad banned me from playing it in the house, due to all the media crap when they arrived in the uk with Run DMC. when they were out shopping Friday night though the whole street was rocking to tracks like Brass Monkey, No Sleep till Brooklyn and paul Revere. Inspiring stuff this album and even though they were dismissed as a joke band they are more hip hop today than many of these so called "gangsters" Retro- yes but if you heard it the first time around you are still going to want to blow it up full watts. Grab your vw signs and your tins of bud, Cus im out on my little horsey named Paul Revere, me an my horsey and a quart of beer........

Raw and Nasty, as it should be, 13 Jan 2004
To say that this was a defining album in the history of rap would be an understatement. I remember buying the original vinyl LP as a 16 year old, putting it on the turntable and being completely blown away. The mix of metal, funk and heavy drum tracks throughout was very original and coupled with them being one of the only white rappers around made them stand out from the crowd. Tracks such as the new style, hold it now hit it, she's crafty and no sleep till Brooklyn come to epitomise exactly what the boys were about. OK, they were not good rappers like say Snoop or Eminem are but that was not what they were about. Remember they were white, Jewish, middleclass boys who were out to joke and fantasise about being babe magnets and living the life of a hardcore gansta. Although I remain a fan of the group, this hardcore, tongue in cheek hip hop album definitly remains my all time favourite. Buy this and LLCoolJ's I can't live without my radio album and you will have 2 of the most raw and basic hip hop albums of all time. One thing is for sure, VolksWagen's will never be the same again.

You Couldn't Ask For More (For a 1 disk best-of), 27 Mar 2008
Here we have the definative collection of the best (white) hip-hop band ever and probably in the top 5 of any race along with Wu, Public Enemy and Run DMC.

This is what I would say is probably the coolest best-of I've heard in years, that is chock full of songs that you would instanly recognise and some you probably didn't know were by the Beasties'!

It starts off with 'So What You Want' a rocky rap tune that is one of my favourate songs by this group that instantly shows them as innovators of the game with no fear as they tear through any beat.

The interesting thing I found about this album is you could listen to most of it and not be able to tell when it was recorded because they all still sound fresh as they did when they were first released.

From the 20 songs my fave songs that I would particularly recommend are -

So What You Want
Shake Your Rump
Intergalactic
Sabotage
An Open Letter To NYC

So all in all I would highly recommend if you are a fan of any genre of music because when something is this diverse and innovative, it is hard to not like + ITS THE BEASTIES!

Buy it now, love it forever.

Hope this has been helpful for you, have a good 1!

beastie boys are pure solid gold.., 22 Feb 2007
fantastic albulm, pure solid gold as the title suggests..

a must for all beastie & old school hip hop fans.

best track has to be the awesome "an open letter letter to new york"...this is one of the beastie's newer contempory stuff and is about post 9/11.....as i say AWESOME.

the only minus bit is that they could of included more cuts from their best selling albulm to date, from 1986: licensed to ill.

other than that though a top drawer classic hip hop greatest hits albulm from one of the early new york pioneers...

respect.

alright, 08 Jul 2006
This is a good old school album, but with modern beats.
Beastie boys are capable rappers and on this are some good songs, brass monkey being the best.
The sound quality leaves a lot to be desired, but it really is an essential in any rap fans collection.

Most illingest B-Boys, 03 Jun 2006
In order for Capitol to allow the Beasties to press forward with their soon to be released (in the UK) concert movie, Awesome; I Shot That, they requested the bands MCA to compile a 15-track greatest hits collection in the run up to Xmas 2005.

But never mind the fact that this is a blatent record company idea. And never mind the fact that 1999's excellent Anthology (with most the hits, rarities, b-sides, and other songs the Beasties themsleves like and chose) already exists...if you're new to the boys or just a casual fan, this is absolutely perfect.

Every track really is solid gold, and each album is represented fairly, albeit obviously. So there's the early frat boy rocker anthems of Fight For Your Right and No Sleep Til Brooklyn, still sounding gloriously mega 20 years on, to the recent offerings including 98's Intergalactic (a UK best single chart-wise for the boys) and even more recently the Beasties comeback single Ch-Check It Out.

For a band who, in all honesty, offer so much on the individual records, taking the biggest singles over 20 years is always going to result in a decent collection. Sure Shot, perhaps a career highlight, is just absolutely perfect hip hop, as is 95's old school Jimmy Smith sampling Root Down. See Brass Monkey, a hip hop classic, slide along side later works such as the excellent Pass the Mic, or 2004's heavier toned An Open Letter to NYC.

The whole 15 track collection is littered with classic, classic Beastie Boys, old and new. It's no fair representation of all their work over the years, and the various styles they've incorporated in their music, but it's a collection of singles any rap group would die for. And I say rap, I use it in the credible sense. Today's artists at the top of the pile, say the Eminems or 50 Cents of this world, could never match the work here.

Superb.


Solid Gold, 16 Nov 2005
This is an absolute must for any Beastie Boys fan, one disc documenting their music over the last two decades or so, from Fight For Your Right to Ch-check It Out, with only one important omission in my opinion (3 Mc's and 1 DJ). Listen out for the very political, but also excellent "An open Letter To NYC". These guys have truly stood the test of time...Outstanding

The best of the boys !!, 28 Dec 2005
If you only buy 1 Beastie Boys album this has to be it...Full of the old school hip hop with some excellent classics.

Fight for your right, No sleep till brooklyn are amoung the classics on this great double album.

Diverse but class, 14 Jul 2004
Fight for your right to party! they've not had many studio albums over their 18yr period but they've dabbled in many genres, bringing their NY hiphop funk to them all. This CD give u shed load of tracks for your money and plenty to nod ya head to whilst in your car. Volkswagen medallion optional.

A must have for a complete music libary, 16 Dec 2003
Although I am not into hip-hop and all sorts a like. This album is a really good addition to any music libary. It has all the classics and is just a great cd to have for those times that you are in the mood for this kind of music. (If you are not a regular listener to this).

A great buy and with 42 tracks on one album you are sure getting the whole overview.

A great buy.

Eminem take note - this is how to build a hip-hop career, 16 Mar 2003
Across this 42 track collection, those white-boy nutcases show us how much evolution there has been in their career. Those early hits like Fight For Your Right lack sophistocation,a dn the early pre-fame tracks even more so, but the energy and exhuberance is a thrill to hear. Not including either Girls or She's Crafty is something of a strange decision though - it smacks of trying to airbrush out their misogynistic aspects and promote the mature social-conscience Tibet-supporting trio of today.

It was their second album Paul's Boutique which saw the band evolve into really respected innovators, and Check Your Head continued that. The mroe recent albums have been retreads rather than anything truly new, but have thrown up some stompers.

Intergalactic is probably the best rap song a white guy ahs ever done,w ith maybe Jump Around by Hosue Of Pain the only rival. The new track Alive is one of the standouts, with the tolerant inspirational lyrics and uptempo scratching. Kudos for including the Fatboy Slim remix of Body Movin' and the live version of 3 MCs and 1 DJ, as both are far superior to the original album cuts, even if it means the collection actually only has 2 of their 4 biggest singles.

This CD has something for everyone, ranging from Shadrach to Sabotage, Remote Control to Jimmy James and even to a ludicrous but somehow successful cover of Benny and the Jets (one of Elton John's best loved songs, especially in the US). The rare and unreleased tracks, Alive excepted, are mixed, but still worth the purchase price even if you have all the albums. Conversely, there are enough great tracks left on the albums (except maybe Ill COmmunication) to ensure that this needn't be the only Beasties album you buy.

One of the best, multifaceted albums I have heard, 15 Apr 2002
I consider this to be one of the best rock and roll albums I have ever heard. On it, The Beastie Boys, generally known more for their early eigthies, pre-pubescent stage partying, show that they have incredible talent.

You will find everything on this album you could ever want: ass-kicking rock with an incredibly cool baseline on down to smooth, subtle bossanova sounds.

Awesome. Just buy it.

Classic Old School cuts, 01 May 2004
Yet another superb collection from the Sessions people.

Smooth grooves from Tone Loc, Def Jef and Spoonie Gee mixed with harder numbers from KRS-One, Ultramagnetics etc. An excellent compilation of premier cuts from the Golden Age of Hip Hop. Worth buying alone for JVC Force's Strong Island.

When the stores are full of tired Old School compilations do yourself a favour and buy this instead. Great Tunes from back in the day before gangsta came along and made Rap the boring genre it sadly is today.

Essential, 11 Nov 2008
Can't add much to PJR's review. This is some of the most influential and important music of the last quarter of the 20th century, Buy it.

So good it HURTS!!!, 13 Aug 2008
The original Kut Up Wizard - Still equaled by none!

Classic all the way, 2 CDs full of pure genius. It's fun, It's funky, It's original, It's Brilliant!

BUY THIS NOW!!! It's a Bargain!!!

It's Overused, But This Is Genius, 12 Jul 2008
Once upon a time a sound engineer and a dj/advertising copywriter decided to enter a competition set up by Tommy Boy Records to remix a track called "Play That Beat Mr DJ" by G.L.O.B.E & Whizz Kid (2 members of The Soul Sonic Force) after spending a day at Dee's studio Double Dee & Steinski had their mix they entered the competition with "The Payoff Mix". Not only did they win but in the process changed the way people listened to and thought about hip hop.

There are certain times when you hear something totally insane and new, but not often. Double Dee & Steinski took the scratch mix formula familiar to hip hop listeners and sent it into the stratosphere. They used the old sound engineer technique of taking a razor blade to their tape and splicing together their track. Where as most people might add four or five tracks into their mix and use the breaks and scratches to spice it up by splicing in a studio the duo added 24 sound samples, creating not so much a remix but a sound collage of the like not heard before. It was pressed up as a promo and became legend. The sheer number of samples meant that Tommy Boy could never clear them all and release the track but the first great cut and paste track was born. Followed by 2 further mixes Lessons 1-3 are, quite literally the stuff of legend.

It's ridiculous to underestimate the importance and influence of them and this compilation is the most legitimate release of these tracks shows that these tracks from 1983-5 sound as fresh now as they did then. Documented here are pretty much all of Steinski's recordings (exculding his late 80's work for 4th & Broadway records) of the past 25 years. Listening to this is like hearing the best, most crazy mix you could ever wish to hear. Mixing familiar tunes with eclectic samples from films to dance instruction records, TV broadcasts of the Kennedy shooting to whatever the track requires for its subject, this is quite simply extraordinary. Disc 2 consists of a mix made for BBC Radio 1 and gives an idea of what his later incarnation as a radio dj sounds like.

If you have an interest in turntablism, mash up culture, sound collages, hip hop mixes, sampling, or simply adventurous music you probably need this album in your collection. Most of the tracks here are not easy to find and the early stuff has never been available in more pristine form. The first 3 tracks are some of the most influential things made in last part of the century. They have influenced a generation and still sound amazingly good. The consistency rarely drops across the tracks here. Genius is a very overused word in our culture of the hyperbole but here it almost doesn't do justice. Buy this and own a vital piece of musical history.

Smooth operators operating correctly, 14 Nov 2008
This album is, undeniably, a classic. It is my favourite hip-hop album ever. If you're expecting something that sounds up to date, then you'll be disappointed, but who cares - this album was made in 1987 and sounds EXACTLY like it was made in that year. Rakim's lyrics and flow are second to none in my opinion, and from his opening line of "I ain't no joke, I used to let the mic smoke, now I slam it when it's done and make sure it's broke" he rhymes effortlessly through this entire album. In comparison he makes most other MCs sound like they are struggling (the only other MCs who have achieved considerable mainstream success who are up there with him in terms of effortless flow, in my opinion, are Nas and Gza). Eric B's beats - pretty minimal and tidy, are fully reminiscent of the 80's (especially "Move The Crowd"). The production is slick and classy. Together they make an unstoppable team. It's like a missing link between the synth-heavy electro of the early 80's and the sample-laden, jazz-funk beats of the late 80's/early 90's, plus with one of the greatest vocal performances in hip-hop laid on top. The album contains a number of classic cuts to name but a few - "I Ain't no Joke", "My Melody", "I Know You Got Soul", plus A Tribe Called Quest's favourite jam back in the day, "Eric B Is President". But every track is great, and the album works well as a whole. It is compulsory listening for anyone wanting to find out what hip-hop sounded like in the late 80's. Actually, it's compulsory listening for anyone who loves hip-hop.

Ain't No Joke (but it ain't no classic, either), 04 Aug 2006
This is another one of these albums which is rated as an all-time classic, then you listen to it, and wonder what all the fuss is about. Paid In Full isnt even a proper album- its just a collection of singles with some cuts of beats'n'scratches by Eric B to pad it out. There's a few great tracks here- I Know You Got Soul is clearly one of THE classic hip-hop tracks of the era, and Move the Crowd is equally good (although there's a better mix on "Hip Hop Don't Stop vol.2"). The title track's also pretty cool. Otherwise, there's not much else here to justify the album's reputation. Rakim's delivery is smooth, but his lyrics aren't too hot- I'll bet Chuck D wouldn't come up with rhymes like

"Fish/is my favourite dish/but without my money its still a wish"

The sound quality isn't good either- the album has that skeletal, slightly degraded sound of early hip-hop, which would be OK but the CD isn't remastered, so the beats don't really kick like they should. All in all, it's not bad, but don't compare this to prime-time Public Enemy or De La Soul, cos it's just not that hot.

Classic, 26 Feb 2005
This album is a classic. In my opinion, the content isn't amazing, and I actually prefer Rakim in his later days, but this old skool, pioneering CD is ledgendary.
It's back when Rakim and Eric B were close, and together they helped create hiphop.
May not be excellent (although it is good), it is a classic

Rakim - Simply The Best, 05 Feb 2004
I have madly followed hip hop since my early teens in the early 80s, meaning I got to enjoy the best of the best by the LL Cool Js, Kool Moe Dees, Grandmaster Flashs, Big Daddy Kanes and Kurtis Blows. Tell you what though, and this is real hard for me to admit considering I loved all of the above-named, no one could touch the lyrical master himself, Rakim. All of the guys named have their unique appeal, but for me, lyrically, Rakim Allah is simply the best.

A small gripe, 30 Apr 2003
Ok this album is outstanding. Rakims lyrics are still 100 times more relevant, even now, than 99% of todays popstars, sorry, 'rappers'. oh, and 'vic from Watford' id like to know what you were thinking when writing that when compared to todays music, gangstarr and rakim dont stand up. Just think about what you've said. Thats like saying Nelly is better than Rakim, or Ja Rule is better than Guru. NO! Your so wrong.

Any real hip hop fans know the score. This album is top notch. An absolute classic, even by 'todays standards'.

A TIMELESS AND AGELESS CLASSIC!, 01 Dec 2007
What more needs to be said about what is probably one of the top five, perhaps top three rap albums of all time. It's just packed to bursting point with beats and ryhmes that are as "FRESH" today as they were twenty odd years ago. If you have any respect for classic old school rap you have to own this album!

wow, 17 Mar 2006
getting older but never tired, this album of 13 tracks has nearly 13 styles on it displaying a range of sounds and rhythms. this album still makes me laugh and remains one of my all time favourites. if you don't own it, then buy it today. if only to hear 'she's crafty". thanks beastie boys.

Still awsome but showing signs of ageing, 22 Aug 2005
Although this was the first Beastie Boys recording I really listened to, I only heard it for the first time in 2003. I was born the year after this recording was made and it beggars belief that a band like this could ever last until the present day.
Initially, I was put off by the whiney-nazel voices I was hearing, but the Beastie Boys is as much about just listening (or deciphering) the lyrics as it is about the music. The offbeat lyrics remind me a little of Beck, just because they can be so random at times but still with a direction within the songs.
This album has obviously remained popular due to the infamous 'Fight for Your Right' song, but is actually so much more. try to get the CD + DVD version available on amazon (keep searching, it's quite far back!) so you can check out the ill videos for 'No Sleep til Brooklyn', 'She's Crafty' and 'Fight for Your Right'. As I said in the summary, the album is finally starting to show signs of ageing, but the power of nostalgia just keeps bringing me back for more. Enjoy.

Still licensed still brass monkeyed, 02 Apr 2005
I remember buying this on vinyl when i was 16. Run DMC and Public Enemy were mashing things up when this hit my record deck.
My stepdad banned me from playing it in the house, due to all the media crap when they arrived in the uk with Run DMC. when they were out shopping Friday night though the whole street was rocking to tracks like Brass Monkey, No Sleep till Brooklyn and paul Revere. Inspiring stuff this album and even though they were dismissed as a joke band they are more hip hop today than many of these so called "gangsters" Retro- yes but if you heard it the first time around you are still going to want to blow it up full watts. Grab your vw signs and your tins of bud, Cus im out on my little horsey named Paul Revere, me an my horsey and a quart of beer........

Raw and Nasty, as it should be, 13 Jan 2004
To say that this was a defining album in the history of rap would be an understatement. I remember buying the original vinyl LP as a 16 year old, putting it on the turntable and being completely blown away. The mix of metal, funk and heavy drum tracks throughout was very original and coupled with them being one of the only white rappers around made them stand out from the crowd. Tracks such as the new style, hold it now hit it, she's crafty and no sleep till Brooklyn come to epitomise exactly what the boys were about. OK, they were not good rappers like say Snoop or Eminem are but that was not what they were about. Remember they were white, Jewish, middleclass boys who were out to joke and fantasise about being babe magnets and living the life of a hardcore gansta. Although I remain a fan of the group, this hardcore, tongue in cheek hip hop album definitly remains my all time favourite. Buy this and LLCoolJ's I can't live without my radio album and you will have 2 of the most raw and basic hip hop albums of all time. One thing is for sure, VolksWagen's will never be the same again.

You Couldn't Ask For More (For a 1 disk best-of), 27 Mar 2008
Here we have the definative collection of the best (white) hip-hop band ever and probably in the top 5 of any race along with Wu, Public Enemy and Run DMC.

This is what I would say is probably the coolest best-of I've heard in years, that is chock full of songs that you would instanly recognise and some you probably didn't know were by the Beasties'!

It starts off with 'So What You Want' a rocky rap tune that is one of my favourate songs by this group that instantly shows them as innovators of the game with no fear as they tear through any beat.

The interesting thing I found about this album is you could listen to most of it and not be able to tell when it was recorded because they all still sound fresh as they did when they were first released.

From the 20 songs my fave songs that I would particularly recommend are -

So What You Want
Shake Your Rump
Intergalactic
Sabotage
An Open Letter To NYC

So all in all I would highly recommend if you are a fan of any genre of music because when something is this diverse and innovative, it is hard to not like + ITS THE BEASTIES!

Buy it now, love it forever.

Hope this has been helpful for you, have a good 1!

beastie boys are pure solid gold.., 22 Feb 2007
fantastic albulm, pure solid gold as the title suggests..

a must for all beastie & old school hip hop fans.

best track has to be the awesome "an open letter letter to new york"...this is one of the beastie's newer contempory stuff and is about post 9/11.....as i say AWESOME.

the only minus bit is that they could of included more cuts from their best selling albulm to date, from 1986: licensed to ill.

other than that though a top drawer classic hip hop greatest hits albulm from one of the early new york pioneers...

respect.

alright, 08 Jul 2006
This is a good old school album, but with modern beats.
Beastie boys are capable rappers and on this are some good songs, brass monkey being the best.
The sound quality leaves a lot to be desired, but it really is an essential