Licensed to Ill

Licensed to Ill is a hip hop album by The Beastie Boys, released in 1986 (see 1986 in music). It was the first rap album to become popular among mainstream audiences, as well as the first full-length by a white hip hop group.

Licensed to Ill was the first hip hop LP to top Billboard's Pop Albums chart. It also peaked at #2 on the Top Hip Hop/R&B Albums chart.

Kerry King of Slayer made an appearance on the album playing lead guitar on "No Sleep Till Brooklyn", and appeared in the video, which is a spoof of heavy metal music. The name of the song itself is a spoof on Motorhead's No Sleep Till Hammersmith album. King's appearance on the track came about because Rick Rubin was producing both bands simultaneously.

Track listing

1. "Rhymin' & Stealin'" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 4:08
2. "The New Style" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 4:36
3. "She's Crafty" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 3:35
4. "Posse in Effect" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 2:27
5. "Slow Ride" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 2:56
6. "Girls" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 3:14
7. "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right" (To Party) (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 3:28
8. "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 4:07
9. "Paul Revere" (King Ad Rock/McDaniels/Rubin/Simmons) - 3:41
10. "Hold It Now, Hit It" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 3:26
11. "Brass Monkey" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 2:37
12. "Slow and Low" (McDaniels/Rubin/Simmons) - 3:38
13. "Time to Get Ill" (Beastie Boys/Rubin) - 3:37

Personnel

• Beastie Boys - Group, Producer
• Joe Blaney - Mixing
• Steven Ett - Engineer
• Kerry King - Guitar
• Rick Rubin - Producer
• Howie Weinberg - Mastering
• Steve Byram - Art Direction
• Sunny Bak - Photography
• World B. Omes - Cover Art

Charting singles

 1986  Hold It, Now Hit It	        Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks    No. 55
 1986  It s The New Style	        Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Trackd    No. 22
 1986  Hold It, Now Hit It	        Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales  No. 41
 1986  It s The New Style/Paul Revere	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales  No. 20
 1987  Fight For Your Right (To Party!) The Billboard Hot 100	            No. 7
 1987  Brass Monkey	                The Billboard Hot 100	            No. 48
 1987  Brass Monkey	                Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks    No. 83
 1987  Paul Revere	                Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks    No. 34
 1987  It s The New Style/Paul Revere	Hot Dance Music/Club Play	    No. 41