Synopses & Reviews
In 1987, three white Jewish boys from New York City were the most fascinating phenomenon in the burgeoning rap music scene. No, really. The Beastie Boys, barely out of their teens, had just released
Licensed to Ill, which quickly became the first hip-hop album to reach number one on the charts. Pairing vulgar and hilarious lyrics with heavy-metal-derived musical backing and a punk DIY attitude, the BeastiesMCA (Adam Yauch), King Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz), and Mike D (Michael Diamond)changed the face of rap forever by bringing it into the mainstream. In the years that followed, they would change it again and againmusically, culturally, and politically.
To create The Skills to Pay the Bills, Alan Light spent years taping conversations with the group, their friends, roommates, producers, engineers, collaborators, and other artists from Madonna to Chuck D. Here, as told from the inside, is the fascinating tale of three rump-shaking, innovative rappers whose albums still go platinum and whose tours continue to fill arenas after more than two decades of making music. The Skills to Pay the Bills chronicles the Beasties unique journey from the hardcore New York underground to the top of the Billboard charts. It is a story of larger-than-life personalities, noble causes, funky beats, and truly one of the most influential and ambitious groups of all time.
I said, Whered you get your information from, huh?
“The first time I met them, I thought I was on Candid Camera.” D.M.C.
“I think I made out with Adam Yauch once in their dressing room.” Madonna
“One of my favorite groups is the Beastie Boys.” Bono
About the Author
Alan Light is the former editor in chief of Vibe, Spin, and Tracks magazines, and a former senior writer for Rolling Stone. He is the editor of the New York Times bestseller Tupac Shakur and The Vibe History of Hip Hop.