The Beastie Boys have never taken themselves too seriously. Take a look at the preview for the 30-minute music video for their new single “Make Some Noise.” The rap trio, played in the video by Seth Rogen, Danny McBride and Elijah Wood, is confronted by their future selves, played by John C. Reilly, Jack Black and Will Ferrell. All-in-all a self-mocking affair. But even if the Boys take themselves lightly, they show on “Hot Sauce Committee Part Two” why the rest of the hip-hop world reveres them.
The first hint is the appearance of Nas in the album’s first single, “Too Many Rappers.” The song earned a Grammy nomination in 2010 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo/Group (the album has been a while in the making). Adam “Ad-rock” Horovitz jokes of himself on the track, “Grandpa been rappin’ since ’83.” Nas, otherwise a less humorous figure, throws his support behind the group in the hook, declaring there were “too many rappers and there’s still not enough emcees,” lumping the Beasties in the latter category.
The group doesn’t need Nas’s help to prove its hip-hop legitimacy however. The album is full of the elements that have long merited praise. Tracks like “Nonstop Disco Powerpack” and “Lee Majors Comes Again” feature percussion-driven beats typical of the group that make the listener bob their heads without the need for electronic trickery.
The group is as goofy as ever, not overly confrontational and constantly referencing obscure topics, like a hip-hop version of “Family Guy.” Among the curiously cracked-up tracks are “Crazy Ass S—” and “Funky Donkey,” with the beat on the latter emphasizing the “funky” part.
The group has been successful with its tendency to release albums few and far between. However, “Part One” of this series is set to release soon. Can it live up to its prequel/sequel?
