AppleTV+’s Beastie Boys Story: The Artists They Inspired

With the release of Spike Jonze’s new Apple TV+ documentary “Beastie Boys Story”, check out our top 5 list of artists who were inspired by the Beastie Boys!

Spike Jonze’s new documentary,  “Beastie Boys Story” brings the Beastie Boys Book to life with band members Ad-Rock and Mike D taking us through their 40-year music career and friendship while paying homage to the third band member Adam Yauch (“MCA”).  With its release, we’ve compiled a top 5 list of artists (in no particular order) who looked to the Beastie Boys as huge inspirations.  Check it out below!

• Jay-Z – When the Beastie Boys had to pull out of headlining the 2009 All Points West music festival due to Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch’s throat cancer, the now legendary Jay-Z was chosen to fill in. It was his first time headlining an American music festival, and he kicked off his set by paying tribute to the Beastie Boys with their hometown anthem “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.” Jay-Z’s 2007 song Hello Brooklyn 2.0, featuring Lil Wayne, contained a sample from “B-Boy Bouillabaisse” and was inspired by “Hello Brooklyn” from the band’s album Paul’s Boutique.  – Reference

• Lil Wayne – The rapper’s 2009 rock album Rebirth paid homage to “vintage Beastie Boys” through the rap track “Fix My Hat”, which was inspired by the Beastie Boys’ first album Licensed to Ill. Lil Wayne has also sampled several other Beastie Boys songs for his music, including Hello Brooklyn 2.0 with Jay-Z. – Reference

• Eminem – Slim Shady’s nostalgia for classic hip hop albums has shaped much of his work, and he has spoken out several times on the influence of the Beastie Boys. In a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, he discussed how much he resonated with the band as a fan and artist. The controversial cover for his 2018 surprise album Kamikaze was both an homage and spoof of the Beastie Boys 1986 debut album Licensed to Ill. – Reference 

• Nas – The Beastie Boys collaborated with hip hop icon Nas on the single “Too Many Rappers,” which was a part of their eighth studio album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. In 2015, an unreleased video of the collaboration surfaced online. Nas has said that one of his greatest moments in music was when he worked with the Beastie Boys, and he spoke about how he was influenced by MCA after his death in 2012. – Reference

• Kid Rock – Kid Rock’s 1990 debut album Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast was heavily influenced by the Beastie Boys classic album Licensed to Ill. He also played the part of MCA in the Beastie Boys medley at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2012. After MCA’s death, he published a heartfelt blog post about the impact the band had on him as a kid and aspiring rapper. – Reference“Beastie Boys Story”, directed by the legendary Spike Jonze, and produced alongside him by Grammy Award winner Jason Baum and Amanda Adelson is available right now on Apple TV+.  Check it out now!