Ill Communication Tracklist
Ill Communication is the fourth studio album by the hip-hop trio Beastie Boys. It was released on May 31, 1994, under Capitol Records and Grand Royal Records. Recording sessions for the album took place throughout 1993 and early 1994 in Tin Pan Alley Studios in New York City and G-Son Studios in Atwater Village, California. “Sabotage,” the album’s first single, was released on January 28, 1994. “Get It Together” and “Sure Shot,” the album’s second and third singles released on March 17, 1994, and May 31, 1994, respectively, later followed. “Root Down” was released in 1995 as a fourth single.
Ill Communication draws inspiration from a variety of different musical styles, and is a further exploration of the alternative styles Beastie Boys experimented with on 1992’s Check Your Head. The album incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk, punk, and the jazz rock/jazz fusion of Miles Davis as well as traditional hip-hop and alternative hip-hop.
The album became a commercial and critical success: Ill Communication peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and was eventually certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA on September 29, 1998. It was included in Rolling Stone’s list of Essential Recordings of the ‘90s and in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
“Ill Communication” Q&A
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What have the artists said about this album?
In 1998, MCA told Spin Magazine:
On Ill Communication, we just expanded what we did on Check Your Head, trying to perfect those styles.
Co-producer Mario Caldato shared:
After we finished touring (for Check Your Head) everyone was excited, like “Wow, let’s make another record.” So we went into the studio and did (Ill Communication) in six months.
