Ill Communication

Ill Communication
Studio album by Beastie Boys
Released	May 23, 1994 (1994-05-23)[1]
Recorded	1993–1994
Studio	Tin Pan Alley (New York City) G-Son (Los Angeles)
Genre	Hip-hop punk rock jazz funk
Length	59:37
Label	Grand Royal Capitol
Producer	Beastie Boys Mario Caldato, Jr.
Beastie Boys chronology
Some Old Bullshit (1994) Ill Communication (1994) Root Down (EP) (1995)
Singles from Ill Communication
"Sabotage / Get It Together" Released: May 9, 1994[2] "Sure Shot" Released: November 14, 1994[3]

Ill Communication is the fourth studio album by the American hip-hop group Beastie Boys, released on May 23, 1994, by Grand Royal and Capitol Records. Co-produced by Beastie Boys and Mario Caldato, Jr., it is among the band's most varied releases, drawing from hip-hop, punk rock, jazz, and funk, and continues their trend away from sampling and towards live instruments, which began with their previous release, Check Your Head (1992). The album features musical contributions from Money Mark, Eric Bobo and Amery "AWOL" Smith, and vocal contributions from Q-Tip and Biz Markie. Beastie Boys were influenced by Miles Davis's jazz rock albums On the Corner (1972) and Agharta (1975) while recording Ill Communication.^[4]

The album became the band's second number-one album on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and their second album to be certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was supported by the single "Sabotage", which was accompanied by a music video directed by Spike Jonze that parodied 1970s cop shows.

Singles

"Sabotage" was the first single taken from Ill Communication. It was released to radio on May 9, 1994.^[5] The backing track of the song was laid down by the band members, driven by MCA's fuzzed and twangy bass, at Tin Pan Alley Studios in New York, and then sat unused for a year, with the working title of "Chris Rock", before vocals were added. According to Ad-Rock in the 2020 documentary Beastie Boys Story, the lyrics are a fictitious rant about how their producer "was the worst person ever and how he was always sabotaging us and holding us back."

It was released together with "Get It Together", which samples The Moog Machine's cover of "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In".

"Sure Shot" features a sample taken from jazz flautist Jeremy Steig's song "Howlin' For Judy" from the 1970 album Legwork as the main instrumental part of the song, and was released as a single in November 1994. The album's fourth single, "Root Down", was released in May 1995 as its own EP.

Artwork

Mike D and MCA collaborated with Gibran Evans, son of the artist and designer Jim Evans (who designed a hand-drawn typeface specifically for Ill Communication that was used throughout the promotion of the album), to create the album's packaging.^[6] The photograph they chose for the front cover was taken by Bruce Davidson in 1964 at a Los Angeles drive-in diner called Tiny Naylor's^[7] as part of an assignment for Esquire, but the magazine ultimately did not publish the photos.^[8] Although Davidson had not heard the Beastie Boys' music and did not understand it once he did—he later recalled thinking it sounded like a "secret language" when they sent him a demo tape—he agreed to let the band use his photo.^[9]

The booklet that came with the album features the artwork "Gaia" by Alex Grey on the middle pages.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]
The A.V. Club	A−[11]
Entertainment Weekly	B[12]
Los Angeles Times	[13]
NME	8/10[14]
Pitchfork	8.6/10[15]
Q	[16]
Rolling Stone	[17]
Select	4/5[18]
The Village Voice	A−[19]

Ill Communication received critical acclaim, placing at number 15 on The Village Voice's 1994 Pazz & Jop critics' poll,^[20] number 19 on Spin's list of the "20 Best Albums of '94",^[21] number three on NME's list of the "Top 50 Albums of 1994",^[22] and number 13 on The Wire's annual critics' poll.^[23] Guitar World included the album in its "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.^[24] Rolling Stone included the album in its list of "Essential Recordings of the 90s",^[25] and Q included the album in its list of the "90 Best Albums of the 1990s".^[26] Mojo ranked the album number 54 on its list of "100 Modern Classics".^[27] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[28]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Beastie Boys and Mario Caldato, Jr.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Sure Shot"	Beastie Boys Caldato DJ Hurricane	3:19
2.	"Tough Guy"	Beastie Boys Amery Smith	0:57
3.	"B-Boys Makin' with the Freak Freak"	Beastie Boys	3:36
4.	"Bobo on the Corner"	Beastie Boys "Money" Mark Nishita Eric Bobo	1:13
5.	"Root Down"	Beastie Boys	3:32
6.	"Sabotage"	Beastie Boys	2:58
7.	"Get It Together" (featuring Q-Tip)	Beastie Boys Q-Tip	4:05
8.	"Sabrosa"	Beastie Boys Nishita Bobo	3:29
9.	"The Update"	Beastie Boys Nishita Caldato	3:15
10.	"Futterman's Rule"	Beastie Boys Nishita	3:42
11.	"Alright Hear This"	Beastie Boys	3:06
12.	"Eugene's Lament"	Beastie Boys Nishita Bobo Eugene Gore	2:12
13.	"Flute Loop"	Beastie Boys Caldato	1:54
14.	"Do It" (featuring Biz Markie)	Beastie Boys Nishita Caldato Biz Markie	3:16
15.	"Ricky's Theme"	Beastie Boys Nishita Bobo	3:43
16.	"Heart Attack Man"	Beastie Boys Smith	2:14
17.	"The Scoop"	Beastie Boys Caldato	3:36
18.	"Shambala"	Beastie Boys Nishita Bobo	3:40
19.	"Bodhisattva Vow"	Beastie Boys Caldato	3:08
20.	"Transitions"	Beastie Boys Nishita	2:31
Total length:			59:37

Japanese edition bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
21.	"Dope Little Song"	1:51
22.	"Resolution Time"	2:49
23.	"Mullet Head"	2:52
24.	"The Vibes"	3:06

2009 Remastered Edition Bonus Disc

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Root Down" (Free Zone Mix)	3:49
2.	"Resolution Time"	2:49
3.	"Get It Together" (Buck-Wild Remix)	4:18
4.	"Dope Little Song"	1:50
5.	"Sure Shot" (European B-Boy Mix)	2:59
6.	"Heart Attack Man" (Unplugged)	2:22
7.	"The Vibes"	3:07
8.	"Atwater Basketball Association File No. 172-C"	1:27
9.	"Heart Attack Man" (Live)	2:10
10.	"The Maestro" (Live)	3:16
11.	"Mullet Head"	2:53
12.	"Sure Shot" (European B-Boy Instrumental)	2:58

Personnel

• Beastie Boys – producers
  • Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz – vocals, guitar
  • Adam "MCA" Yauch – vocals, electric bass, double bass
  • Michael "Mike D" Diamond – vocals, drums
• Money Mark – keyboards, organ
• Eric Bobo – percussion; drums on "Ricky's Theme"
• Amery Smith – drums on "Tough Guy" & "Heart Attack Man"
• Eugene Gore – violin on "Eugene's Lament"
• Q-Tip – vocals on "Get It Together"
• Biz Markie – vocals on "Do It"
• Mario Caldato, Jr. – producer

Charts

Weekly charts Initial weekly chart performance for Ill Communication Chart (1994–95) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[29] 8 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[30] 10 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[31] 8 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[32] 31 European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)[33] 11 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[34] 19 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[35] 11 Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[36] 28 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[37] 6 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 7 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 12 UK Albums (OCC)[40] 10 US Billboard 200[41] 1 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[42] 2

Year-end charts 1994 year-end chart performance for Ill Communication Chart (1994) Position Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[43] 37 European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)[33] 61 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[44] 32 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[45] 80 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[46] 43 US Billboard 200[47] 63 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[48] 60 1995 year-end chart performance for Ill Communication Chart (1995) Position US Billboard 200[49] 186

Certifications

Certifications and sales for Ill Communication

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[50]	3× Platinum	300,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[51]	Gold	100,000^
United States (RIAA)[52]	3× Platinum	3,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1994

References

1. "RIAA".
2. Billboard May 7, 1994, page 12
3. "Beastie Boys singles".
4. Reynolds 2011, p. 182.
5. Billboard May 7, 1994, p. 12
6. "Hand lettering for Ill Communication". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2017. @jimevanstaz: Yeah, it was a special hand-drawn alphabet just for this album – it is used throughout the booklet.
7. "Change in the air: Rare images of 1964 Los Angeles". CNN.com. September 22, 2015. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017.
8. "Bruce Davidson: Los Angeles 1964". Steidl Books. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017.
9. "'Ill Communication' at 20: An Everything Guide to the Beastie Boys Masterpiece". Grantland.com. May 27, 2014. Archived from the original on February 12, 2017.
10. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ill Communication – Beastie Boys". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012.
11. Rabin, Nathan (July 14, 2009). "Beastie Boys". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 2, 2016.
12. Browne, David (June 3, 1994). "Ill Communication". Entertainment Weekly. No. 225. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
13. Gold, Jonathan (May 29, 1994). "Boys' One-Note Bray Is Still Fun". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016.
14. "Beastie Boys: Ill Communication". NME. May 29, 1994. p. 35.
15. Patrin, Nate (July 14, 2009). "Beastie Boys: Ill Communication [Deluxe Edition]". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 5, 2011.
16. "Beastie Boys: Ill Communication". Q. No. 276. July 2009. p. 134.
17. Diehl, Matt (June 2, 1994). "Ill Communication". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011.
18. Grundy, Gareth (July 1994). "Beastie Boys: Ill Communication". Select. No. 49. p. 82.
19. Christgau, Robert (July 26, 1994). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014.
20. "The 1994 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. New York. February 28, 1995. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020.
21. "20 Best Albums of '94". Spin. Vol. 10, no. 9. December 1994. pp. 76–78.
22. "Top 50 Albums of 1994". NME. December 24, 1994. p. 22.
23. "Critics Choice: Record of the Year". The Wire. No. 131. London. January 1995. p. 29. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018 – via Exact Editions.
24. "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994". GuitarWorld.com. July 14, 2014. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014.
25. "Essential Recordings of the 90s". Rolling Stone. May 13, 1999. p. 54.
26. "90 Best Albums of the 1990s". Q. No. 159. December 1999. p. 82.
27. "100 Modern Classics". Mojo. No. 150. May 2006. p. 60.
28. Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (March 23, 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
29. "Australiancharts.com – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
30. "Austriancharts.at – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
31. "Top RPM Albums: Image 2522". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
32. "Dutchcharts.nl – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
33. "1994 in Review: Sale Charts" (PDF). Music & Media 1994 in Review. December 24, 1994. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 3, 2020 – via World Radio History.
34. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Beastie Boys". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 27. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 22, 2022.
35. "Offiziellecharts.de – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
36. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1994. 37. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
37. "Charts.nz – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
38. "Swedishcharts.com – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
39. "Swisscharts.com – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
40. "Beastie Boys Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
41. "Beastie Boys Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
42. "Beastie Boys Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
43. "Top RPM Albums: Image 2686". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
44. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015.
45. "Årslista Album (inkl samlingar), 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021.
46. "Jahreshitparade 1994: Alben". Hitparade.ch (in German). Archived from the original on November 3, 2021.
47. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015.
48. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019.
49. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015.
50. "Canadian album certifications – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication". Music Canada.
51. "British album certifications – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Ill Communication Beastie Boys in the "Search:" field.
52. "American album certifications – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication". Recording Industry Association of America.

Works cited

• Reynolds, Simon (2011). Bring the Noise: 20 Years of Writing About Hip Rock and Hip Hop. Soft Skull Press. ISBN 978-1-59376-460-9.

External links

• Ill Communication at Discogs (list of releases)