This Legendary Hip-Hop Group Made History 39 Years Ago Today

On March 7, 1987, the Beastie Boys' record-breaking debut album Licensed To Ill became the first-ever hip-hop album to chart at No. 1.

The album features hits such as "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" and "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)". The album quickly became one of Columbia Records' fastest-selling records to date, immediately cementing the Beastie Boys as legends of the genre.

'Licensed To Ill' Changed Hip-Hop Music Forever

Hip-hop had been around for a long time before the Beastie Boys—especially in the NYC scene—but it wasn't until Licensed To Ill that it finally became as commercial and accessible as most other genres.

The trio's blend of rock instrumentals, melodic hooks and high word-per-minute rapping was something that most audiences hadn't been exposed to before, and it instantly transformed hip-hop from a musical niche into something that listeners were actively seeking out.

Roughly around the same time as Licensed To Ill's release, hip-hop was also developing on the opposite coast. Groups such as N.W.A were using rap as a musical vehicle to explore different social issues, most notably gang violence in California.

The genre continued to evolve in very different forms on both American coastlines, with Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre dominating the West Coast, while Nas, Jay-Z, and The Notorious B.I.G. continued to develop the genre in New York.

None of these hip-hop legends would have been anywhere near as successful without the precedent set by Licensed To Ill. The album proved that hip-hop could be high-energy and fun—and most importantly, not limited to any particular audience.

The Beastie Boys followed up their internation success from License To Ill will Paul's Boutque in 1989, having left Def Jam following creative disputes with producer Rick Rubin. The trio's follow-up didn't quite achieve the same level of commercial success, but it continued their growing popularity among new and existing hip-hop fans.