Beastie Boys
Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
(Capitol Records)
IÂ know what you’re thinking, “Where’s part one?” It’s too complicated to get into and I’m not sure I understand it myself. Just be glad there’s a new Beastie Boys album at all. It’s been four years since they released an album (and seven since they released one with lyrics on it). Add to that MCA’s cancer scare and a loads of cancelled shows, and it was clear they needed to come back strong with this one.
Hot Sauce Committe Part Two has everything you want from a Beastie record. There’s great rhymes (”Hey yo yo soundman, make Mike’s mic louder/ Don’t make me sound cheap like a box of douche powder”), hot beats, killer samples, punk rock, trippy instrumentals, wacky skits, and a song called “Funky Donkey.” You’ve probably already heard “Make Some Noise,” with a synth groove so catchy and ridiculous I can’t help but dance like a spaz every time I hear it.
A few guests even show up to give props to hip-hop’s greatest white boys. Santigold sings the pretty cool “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win.” Even better though is “Too Many Rappers.” Here Nas drops by to helps the boys turn out a diss track. It’s a great moment when the old-school and new-school can get together to trash the new-new-school. They do this best though by example. Few rap careers last this long and still put out quality music. Like they say, “Grandpa been rappin’ since ’83.” They never followed trends, they just made the music they liked. That’s why they’re still here and still relevant. Indeed there are too many rappers and not enough MCs. This record should help thin out the population.
