Opening 1986's seminal Licensed to Ill with authority, this song shows how rap did for drums what rock did for guitar. Everything else in the song is subservient to that giant, echo-ey drum beat designed to rattle windows. A close listen reveals that the guitar is actually supporting the drum beat. It is like Quincy Jones and James Brown made sweet love and had three white, Jewish babies.
For a tune made in 1986, it shows a impressive degree of lyrical complexity, not necessarily in the rhymes (this song worship verbs ending in ___in') but it does possess a nifty pirate theme throughout and an effective yet restrained use of samples to support the metaphor. The execution highlights what made the Beastie Boys special, unique, and important. They took their punk rock learnin' and fused it with that early rap that centered on creating music from nothing. They deliver their verses by yelling at us and the whole "Ali Baba and the forty thieves" interlude is an Oi chant if it is anything. At the same time, they employ the technique (which probably has a name but I don't know what it is) of using all three voices on select words and phrases of the verses to add emphasis, support the beat, and add volume. It works especially well for the Beasties because they have such distinct voices. The Beastie Boys would go on to revolutionize the sound of rap with Paul's Boutique but "Rhymin' and Stealin'" is a simple testament to mid 80s hip hop.
"Rhymin' and Stealin'"
For a tune made in 1986, it shows a impressive degree of lyrical complexity, not necessarily in the rhymes (this song worship verbs ending in ___in') but it does possess a nifty pirate theme throughout and an effective yet restrained use of samples to support the metaphor. The execution highlights what made the Beastie Boys special, unique, and important. They took their punk rock learnin' and fused it with that early rap that centered on creating music from nothing. They deliver their verses by yelling at us and the whole "Ali Baba and the forty thieves" interlude is an Oi chant if it is anything. At the same time, they employ the technique (which probably has a name but I don't know what it is) of using all three voices on select words and phrases of the verses to add emphasis, support the beat, and add volume. It works especially well for the Beasties because they have such distinct voices. The Beastie Boys would go on to revolutionize the sound of rap with Paul's Boutique but "Rhymin' and Stealin'" is a simple testament to mid 80s hip hop.
"Rhymin' and Stealin'"