To the 5 Buroughs

[GRIFT]

Shit I spelled Boroughs wrong in the topic...

I just got home from a release party. The part was decent there was a ton of free pizza, a decent DJ and for whatever reason a mechanical bull that kicked my ass.

On the way home I listened to the entire CD. While I think that their older stuff is better, I thought this was pretty good and am hoping to get anyone elses take on it.

Edited June 15, 2004 by The Grifter

[Guest Angry Baboon]

Yeah. MCA and Adrock still sound awesome. It's definetely their best album since Paul's Botique, anyway.

I really like "Hey fuck you". Best diss song. Ever.

[Lord Nibbler]

Who is 'Hey Fuck You' aimed at?

Also, I can't put my finger on the sample on 'Triple Trouble'. Is it some TV show theme tune or something?

[Guest Angry Baboon]

It isn't specified. But most of us on the Beastie Boys fan board agree it's aimed at Eminem.

Which one of you schnooks took my rhyme book

Look give it back you're wicky wack

With your ticky tack calls I didn't touch you at all

I didn't touch your hand man you know it's all ball

You sold a few records but don't get slick

Cause you used a corked bat to get those hits

You've been in the game your career is long

But when you really break it down you only got two songs

MC's are like clay pigeons and I'm shootin' skeet

I just yell pull and MMM drops the beat

You people call yourselves MC's but you're garbage men

Takin' out the trash when you pull out the pen

And if you don't like then well FUCK YOU

I read about you up on page 6

They was trashin' your ass it's sad your getting dissed

Now talk about your face now don't get pissed

But I suggest you see a dermatologist

I keep the hot sauce hot not mild and weak

It's gonna burn your mouth until you wet your beak

I got millions and millions of rhymes to flex

Cause I got more rhymes than Carl Sagan's got turtlenecks

Your rhymes are fake like a Canal street watch

You're hearing me and it's like "Oh my God it's Sasquatch"

I'm walking on water while you're steppin' in shit

So put you're sewr boots on before your ass gets lit

And if you don't like that then Hey Fuck You

So put a quater in your ass cause you played yourself

Sucker MC's it's me they're resenting

In the animal kingdom they call it presenting

With the dipsy doodle the kit and caboodle

The truth is brutal you're grandma's kugel

Kings Country is my stomping ground

The Albee Square Mall, Brooklyn, Downtown

So don't ask me to wine and dine ya

I'm from Brooklyn your from Regina

You're like FogHorn LegHorn, Yosemite Sam

You're just yellin' and wildin' wondering who I am

With those lies you're telling you look like Tucan Sam

But my style's impregnable like the Hoover Damn

And if you don't like that then Hey Fuck YOU

[Lord Nibbler]

Why would they be dumb enough to diss Eminem?

[Guest Angry Baboon]

Because he's ummm...shite, and the Beasties have more talent and creativity in their little fingers than him?

Edited June 15, 2004 by Squancho McFap Fap

[Lord Nibbler]

Are you being serious? Eminem can, and probably will, demolish the Beasties.

It's a laughable attempt at a diss, especially against someone the calibre of Eminem.

[Guest Angry Baboon]

They have a quirky sense of humour, so what? The entire point is, the Beastie boys use creative, layered sources making inventive rap music, using original vocal patterning (Listen to any Eminem song, and there's only about 3 different variations in the way he sings. It's all the same pattern) whilst Eminem probably doesn't even know what a Mix deck looks like, given the fact that he raps over the same three looped chords in 99% of songs, and he's songs basically involve finding as many rhymes for the word "fuck" as humanly possible.

[Lord Nibbler]

They have a quirky sense of humour, so what? The entire point is, the Beastie boys use creative, layered sources making inventive rap music, using original vocal patterning (Listen to any Eminem song, and there's only about 3 different variations in the way he sings. It's all the same pattern) whilst Eminem probably doesn't even know what a Mix deck looks like, given the fact that he raps over the same three looped chords in 99% of songs, and he's songs basically involve finding as many rhymes for the word "fuck" as humanly possible.

←

No, the point is they (allegedly) dissed Eminem for no apparent reason. Whether you use layered keyboards or original vocal patterning or a fucking didgeridoo, a diss is about the lyrics, a field in which Eminem is more than capable of massacring all three of them.

Came across this...

We caught up with Beastie Boys last week in New York City. The night before, they appeared on MTV premiering a clip of their ridiculous new video for "Ch-Check It Out," the first single from their long-anticipated sixth album To The 5 Boroughs, set for release in mid-June. Later that night, Eminem and his band D12 also performed. Somewhere during the evening, Em stopped by the Beastie Boys’ dressing room to show respect to the white rappers who paved the way for him. There was a mix-up, which, for the Beastie Boys, could turn out to be deadly.

"It was actually funny, ‘cause there was a little misunderstanding when he came to the dressing room," explains the group's MCA (a.k.a. Adam Yauch). "Because we’d been joking around, saying that we should have called our album Still Doin’ It, Huh? and we kept on saying that. And so, when Eminem came into our dressing room, he was like, ‘Yo, what’s up, just wanted to say what’s up to everybody‚’ and we shook his hand and stuff. And then he said to us, like, ‘Still doin’ it, man, still doin’ it.’ And we all just burst out laughing. He kind of looked puzzled and walked out."

"Nah, I don’t think he… it wasn’t that big of a deal," says Mike D (a.k.a. Mike Diamond).

"I wonder if he told his group," MCA ponders.

"He must have a sense of humour..." Diamond speculates.

Why would they go on to diss him after that?

[DMN in the House]

Why would they be dumb enough to diss Eminem?

←

I forgot, Eminem is the greatest rapper that ever lived and no one can touch his *snort* originality *snort* and skill... *bursts out laughing*

Eminem is good, I like him, but the Beasties are better.

[Lord Nibbler]

I forgot, Eminem is the greatest rapper that ever lived and no one can touch his *snort* originality *snort* and skill... *bursts out laughing*

Eminem is good, I like him, but the Beasties are better.

←

Eminems lyrical ability dwarfs that of the Beasties, like it or not.

"With the dipsy doodle the kit and caboodle

The truth is brutal you're grandma's kugel"

Genius

[GRIFT]

They are two totally different forms of rap!

That is like saying Poison the Well is a better rock group than The Rolling Stones.

Poison is a better hardcore rock group and Rolling is a better classic rock group...

both rock but with two distinctly different sounds that can't be compared

[GoGo Yubari]

Eminems lyrical ability dwarfs that of the Beasties, like it or not.

"With the dipsy doodle the kit and caboodle

The truth is brutal you're grandma's kugel"

Genius 

←

Mmmhm. And Eminem's traditional first new single dissfests are such intellectual odyssies.

[K]

FUCKING AMAZON STILL HASN'T DELIVERED MY COPY

[Lord Nibbler]

They are two totally different forms of rap!

That is like saying Poison the Well is a better rock group than The Rolling Stones.

Poison is a better hardcore rock group and Rolling is a better classic rock group...

both rock but with two distinctly different sounds that can't be compared

←

Exactly, but we're talking battle-wise. Eminem is a battle rapper, the Beastie Boys aren't. Ergo, Eminem would beat them. If he were to respond.

Mmmhm. And Eminem's traditional first new single dissfests are such intellectual odyssies.

←

*odysseys

Eminem releases a pop single from every album. It's not supposed to be a serious track. However, his disses to rappers are (usually) of a much higher calibre. See; The Sauce, Nail in the Coffin, Quitter, Hail Shady, Go To Sleep etc. etc.

[Heel Turn]

I snagged my copy of "To the Five Boroughs" today, and I've been listening to it for hours.

First of all, this is easily the most stripped down Beasties album since Licensed to Ill. While Paul's Botique featured a ridiculous number of samples, and Hello Nasty was full of layered beats, TTFB is pretty straightforward: some nice beats with the occasional sample, and the Beasties spitting their customary, impeccable flow over all of it. The emphasis on this CD is squarely on the boys themselves; their flow takes center stage in nearly every song. Mixmaster Mike gets in his usual awesome cuts, but his is a supporting role compared to many of the sublime beats and hooks he crafted on Hello Nasty.

Another notable charactertistic of TTFB is how much more laid back it is than any previous Beasties albums, which were energetic, thoughtful, and always frenetic. The Beasties seem much more relaxed, perhaps having finally accepted their role in the hip hop pantheon. That isn't to say that they're resting on their laurels; far from it. Their lyrics and flow are tighter and more complex than any other Beasties CD, and are delivered with an almost effortless ease.

Thematically, TTFB lives up to its title and could almost be considered a concept album. The entire CD is almost a paen to New York City, from the Beasties' trademark obscure references, to the many multi-cultural and ethnic lines throughout the album. This is supported by the style of the CD as well, as it's given a feel that's deliberately retro and evocative of the 80s hiphop scene in NYC, while staying innovative and catchy.

While I fully expect this to be the last Beasties CD (they're 40, right now), the Beasties certainly still have the talent, skill, and obvious love of the artform to keep making CDs for as long as they want to. It's amusing that guys who have been in the game for as long as the Beasties have are still capable of topping almost any other artist with virtually no effort, and can show, at the drop of the hat, how oldschool beats and flow can outshine today's modern, harder edged artists.

In conclusion, I fucking love this CD. The Beasties have always been PERFECT at channeling (some would say predicting) the social zeitgeist, and creating a CD that meshes perfectly with it. TTFB is no exception to this rule. Given the turbulent happenings in NYC, and the ensuing conflict that has engulfed the world as a result, the Beasties profess their love for a city in a constant state of flux, whose future is increasingly uncertain as the days pass. The retro feel of this CD almost feels like a retrospective of their career, of getting back to basics. And the end result are some top notch songs, including (but not limited to) Right Right Now Now, Rhyme the Rhyme Well, Oh Word?, Hey Fuck You, All Lifestyles, and An Open Letter to NYC.

Rating: 10/10 for the still reigning kings of hip hop.

And while I don't want to touch on this, I feel I ought to. Jimmy, you're confusing the ability to write biting diss songs with the need to. The Beasties are more than capable of crafting a caustic, profanity-laced track which would shut down Eminem or any other rapper who was foolish enough to try to take on the Beasties in a showdown. Check out Paul's Boutique for evidence of that. The thing is that they don't need to. They're capable of being subtle and nuanced in their disses, something that Eminem has no clue how to be. Sure, Eminem can make jokes about someone's sexuality, calling them a pussy and saying that they can't sell records, but that's ultimately weak, because ANY other rapper can do that on a regular basis (and plenty do, also). To use an analogy, Eminem's disses are like malt liquor: harsh and brutal, to be certain, but still unrefined and pedestrian. The Beasties disses, on the other hand, are like fine wine: understated, but crafted with obvious skill, appreciable by a discriminating palatte as superior...and more than capable of knocking you on your ass given half a chance. Simply because the Beasties are sardonic in their rhymes doesn't mean that they're not capable of throwing down when they need to.

Further, though, the Beasties are above getting into a war with someone like Eminem. They've been in the game since 1986, for christ's sake. They were the first rapper to hit #1 on the Billboard music charts. No rapper, dead or alive, can claim that kind of longevity. And it's not like they've been on the periphery, either: they've gone platinum on every single CD they've released. They've influenced and structured the hip hop landscape like no artist before them, and singlehandedly set the tone of hip hop for years to come. They're essentially the Beatles of our generation, constantly reinventing themselves while remaining true to their roots, and currying favor with both the mainstream media and the discerning music critic alike all the while. Duplicating what they've done is virtually impossible, and to insult it is foolish and ignorant. Simply put, any diss track against the Beasties would reflect worse upon the rapper in question than it ever would on them.

Edited June 15, 2004 by Heel Turn

[K]

If we are to take Futurama as an accurate representation of the future, and I think we shall, The Beastie Boys will be performing for at least a thousand years.

[RPS]

Why would The Beasties attack Eminem?

Well, I do remember a song the Beastie Boys wrote;

"Homophobics ain't alright,

If you learn to love you might love life."

I love the album. Every song is strong and it shows that they can still seem to grow up and alter their sound throughout the years, keeping up with the times.

[Lord Nibbler]

And while I don't want to touch on this, I feel I ought to.  Jimmy, you're confusing the ability to write biting diss songs with the need to.  The Beasties are more than capable of crafting a caustic, profanity-laced track which would shut down Eminem or any other rapper who was foolish enough to try to take on the Beasties in a showdown.  Check out Paul's Boutique for evidence of that.  The thing is that they don't need to.  They're capable of being subtle and nuanced in their disses, something that Eminem has no clue how to be.  Sure, Eminem can make jokes about someone's sexuality, calling them a pussy and saying that they can't sell records, but that's ultimately weak, because ANY other rapper can do that on a regular basis (and plenty do, also).  To use an analogy, Eminem's disses are like malt liquor: harsh and brutal, to be certain, but still unrefined and pedestrian.  The Beasties disses, on the other hand, are like fine wine: understated, but crafted with obvious skill, appreciable by a discriminating palatte as superior...and more than capable of knocking you on your ass given half a chance.  Simply because the Beasties are sardonic in their rhymes doesn't mean that they're not capable of throwing down when they need to.

Further, though, the Beasties are above getting into a war with someone like Eminem.  They've been in the game since 1986, for christ's sake.  They were the first rapper to hit #1 on the Billboard music charts.  No rapper, dead or alive, can claim that kind of longevity.  And it's not like they've been on the periphery, either: they've gone platinum on every single CD they've released.  They've influenced and structured the hip hop landscape like no artist before them, and singlehandedly set the tone of hip hop for years to come.  They're essentially the Beatles of our generation, constantly reinventing themselves while remaining true to their roots, and currying favor with both the mainstream media and the discerning music critic alike all the while.  Duplicating what they've done is virtually impossible, and to insult it is foolish and ignorant.  Simply put, any diss track against the Beasties would reflect worse upon the rapper in question than it ever would on them.

←

I'm not debating the Beasties talent, but as a diss, "Hey, Fuck You" rates incredibly poorly. There's not a single punch on the track that comes close to connect. There aren't any genuinely clever rhymes in the whole track. The Beasties fanbase is comprised mostly of the alternative crowd and backpackers, who don't generally interest themselves in beefs. The Beasties have an old school rhyme style, which - though entertaining - doesn't lend itself well to battles.

Eminem is a pure-bred battler. He knows exactly what the battle crowd expect. When a hip hop head listens to a diss track, he or she judges it on certain criteria. They want to see rappers embarass each other with personal attacks and using metaphors, similes, polysyllabic rhymes, multis, internals etc. etc.

Eminem brings these in his diss tracks. whereas that Beasties song does not. Yes, it's not the Beasties style, but that's exactly why they shouldn't diss people, especially not a battler like Marshall.

I'm not convinced it is a diss to Eminem, but if it is then it's nothing more than a gentle warning shot. If they were to out-and-out diss him, they'd have to come a lot harder than that.

[RPS]

"They want to see rappers embarass each other with personal attacks and using metaphors, similes, polysyllabic rhymes, multis, internals etc. etc."

You.

"Your rhymes are fake like a Canal street watch

You're hearing me and it's like "Oh my God it's Sasquatch"

That is a metaphor right there. And who develops a "diss track criteria"? The point of a diss track is to diss your opponent, and I do believe the Beastie Boys do a valid job of dissing Eminem. I'd much rather hear say someone is fake like a Canal street watch rather than hear Eminem diss black girls because he got dumped by one.