Adam’s mom, Doris Keefe Horovitz, ran a thrift shop on West 10th St. in Greenwich Village called “Gee the Kids Need Clothes.” Back in the 1970s, few stores sold children’s threads, let alone affordable and second-hand clothes.

Doris was well-loved in the neighborhood. Parents and kids could walk out of the store with armloads of clothes for practically nothing, and runaways were helped with no questions asked. –crabapple

Most of the merchandise was second-hand, refurbished with cool patches that said things like “Keep On Truckin'” and “Peace” as well as swatches of calico and velvet. I remember the interior was painted a bright yellow, and there was probably a mural or at least stencils of some sort decorating the walls. It had that happy sunny kid-friendly feel, and how I loved going in to try on clothes. –Christine Califra-Schiff

All the mothers in the neighborhood knew her because none of us had any money and she’d let you sort of walk out of there with armloads of clothing for practically nothing. She was so great. If you were hungry, you could just go there; if you ran away from home there were never any questions asked. She was so supportive of Adam and came to all the shows with us. –Nadia Dajani, from Alan Light’s 1995 book, The Skills to Pay the Bills

As always, we’re indebted to our compadres over at Beastiemania for compiling the world’s most comprehensive database for all things Beastie. Really, you guys fuckin' rock. So without further adieu, here is Mike D’s explanation of a mofo named Mojo:

Mojo was this huge guy we all knew who was kind of like a nightclub chameleon. You’d see him out at a club and he’d be ska, then the next week he’d be new romantic, and the week after that he’d be punk rock. Then he started working on the door at nightclubs and being a real dick, not wanting to let us in because we were underage. So we had to take matters into our own hands, and bring out the heavy artillery…"

In Dan LeRoy’s 33 1/3 Series book, Paul’s Boutique, Mike Simpson (one half of the production team Dust Brothers) says that egging “began to dominate our free time,” adding:

Yauch had purchased this super macked-out, crazy ass car from the seventies – a Lincoln Continental, or a Cadillac. So we would drive around town in that thing – it had a sunroof – and bring a couple dozen eggs.

A reference is also being made to “drive-by shootings” which were becoming a mass media watchword for the gang violence, particularly in Los Angeles.

Thanks to evann for recognizing that the 2nd line was supposed to be: “Acting' like life is a big rehearsal.” Nate Patrin’s April 14, 2009 review of the CYH: Deluxe Edition for Pitchfork is pretty harsh, but makes some interesting points:

Well, if you look at it in terms of what they lost from their previous two albums, the biggest thing going against Check Your Head is its strange lack of the smart-assed, literate, quick-witted playfulness that had previously informed their lyrics. Never mind its most infamously-quotable lyric, from “Pass the Mic”– “Everybody’s rappin' like it’s a commercial/ Actin' like life is a big commercial,” which was supposed to rhyme “rehearsal” instead and got left in as a joke at Mike D’s expense.

Life… It’s not a commercial…

Stop Posing

source: drusyc

Yauch’s mom, Frances, hails from the Lower East Side, often abbreviated as LES. In the southeastern borough of Manhattan, it is roughly bounded by these streets: Allen, East Houston, Essex, Canal, Eldridge, East Broadway, & Grand…

Traditionally it’s been an immigrant, working-class neighborhood. Since 2005, however, the Lower East Side has undergone rapid gentrification, becoming home to dining establishments and boutiques along Clinton St.

From “The O.J. Chronicles,” an episode of The Joe Frank Show by Joe Frank and David Cross

Sample of “Gucci Time,” by Philadelphia’s own, Jesse B. Weaver, Jr. a.k.a Schoolly D. The track appeared on Schoolly’s 1986 eponymous debut.

Phife Dawg is only 5' 3" (1.60 m).

Reelin' & Rockin' is a Chuck Berry song, released as a 7" Single in 1972 on Chess Records.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5NwvAiRmvw