The actual cause Beastie Boys reduce ties with Def Jam

The Beastie Boys have been a phenomenon after they first emerged within the Nineteen Eighties. Bursting into the mainstream from the streets of New York, the trio, backed by Def Jam, hit the charts and produced one of many highest-selling rap albums of all time, Licensed To Sick.

Comprised of Michael ‘Mike D’ Diamond, Adam ‘Ad-Rock’ Horovitz, and the late Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch, in 2020, the trio launched an Apple TV+ documentary entitled The Beastie Boys Story, which, directed by Spike Jonze informed the story of how the group rose to prominence. 

That includes the 2 surviving members of the New York Metropolis collective, Advert-Rock and Mike D mirrored on their careers and recalled the fallout with Def Jam co-founders Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, which in the end led to their gradual decline.

Throughout the documentary, Advert-Rock recalled that after the success of Licensed To Sick and its tour, Russell Simmons started pressuring them to do extra reveals and different “clown shit”, so he informed Simmons, “I quit!” He continued, “During all this madness, we stopped being paid royalties. We made money for playing shows — big shows like Madison Square Garden shows, but zero dollars for the multiplatinum, smash hit Licensed To Ill.“

Following the allegations, Simmons took to social media to address the fallout with a statement, writing, “Watching the Beastie Boys documentary ….Emotional roller coaster, beautiful story mirroring the coming of age for many in hip-hop, plus a great story of the three men’s personal evolution and spiritual growth.”

It continued, “They were my dear friends, and we (mostly them) created some inspiring, fun moments. I can’t tell you in words how much I really Loved the documentary. The best parts for me are amongst the greatest memories in my entire life.”

Simmons, who co-founded the legendary label, confessed that a part of his actions regarding the Beastie Boys was because of his immaturity and lack of expertise writing, “I just wasn’t mature, sensitive or human enough to do better. But now I see these two incredibly talented beautiful people who are music legends, and again I get to mourn the loss of the great Adam (MCA) … #ripadamyauch”

He concluded. “This is a beautiful documentary about the shared experiences of 3 iconic artists and amazing people SEE THIS and celebrate these hip hop, rock and multitalented pioneers’ journey.” You’ll be able to watch The Beastie Boys Story trailer under.