TT5B10

[YoungRemy]

To the 5 Boroughs is the sixth studio album by the Beastie Boys. The album was released on June 14, 2004 internationally, and a day later in the United States. The album debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 with 360,000 copies sold in its first week. To the 5 Boroughs was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 47th Grammy Awards, losing to Kanye West's The College Dropout.

[dave790]

Such fond memories of that time. Mid-teens, it was the first Beasties album that came out while I was a fully-fledged fan. I remember staying up late(ish!) listening to BBC Radio 1; Zane Lowe seemed to get the first interviews and certainly the first play of Ch-Check It Out. The single genuinely blew me away - it was exactly what I wanted. Old school beats, fresh rhymes; just to hear them on the mic after so many years without anything (bar IAWGM) was amazing. Their size / peak of popularity throughout the 90's still had an effect, because I remember it being big news everywhere that they were back (lots of magazine covers, lots of radio play and tv spots etc).

And the album? I loved it then and still do now. Took a few listens, and despite hearing C-CIO, TT, and AOLTNYC beforehand, I remember being initially startled by it's sparseness. But I just think it's a great, focused hip-hop record, and it sounded so at odds with the mainstream hip hop of the early 21st century. I still think that Rolling Stone 5-star review was fully justified, but as with any record, you either get it or you don't.

I was talking to a friend the other day who became a fan around that time, and we both realised we could easily recite the lyrics back-to-front from that record. I still think it's very strong lyrically! And everything that came with it: the stripped down hip-hop clubs shows, the Pageant Tour (first ever Beasties show for me, Wembley 2004 - shout out to Shazam_21 for the tickets!), the ever-changing Adidas tracksuits and, of course, it was such an exciting time to be on the board!

For me a great era but a much underrated album among many fans. The only thing I would change was the release of the singles: Yauch had it totally right in wanting to put AOLTNYC out as the second single. Great song, heartfelt but never cheesy, sad yet celebratory, and just a very sincere paean - should have been massive.

[Guy Incognito]

Wow, hadnt realised that. I think i shall give it a listen to see how time has affected it. I dont remember listening to it in full for at least 5 or 6 years. I dont know how its going to fair. The brouhaha will still be awesome though

[mate_spawn_die]

I remember buying it the day it was released. It was during the peak of my major beastie obsession. I waited years for them to release an album. I was disappointed by how weak, rushed and uninspired it sounded.... my thoughts still remain the same. They set the bar too high for themselves.

[YoungRemy]

fucking great recap dave790. mid-20's for me.

it still ranks high for me because of the same nostalgia factor. that began my full fledged obsessive touring period from 04-07, where I would seriously be mad at myself if I let an opportunity to see them live slip by.

the run between the album dropping,the MSG/AIFST show in October of that year, the Voodoo Fest a few weeks later in NOLA, and then to cap it off with the show in Long Island before they left for Europe in December, where they played No Sleep for the first time in 9 years, was one of the best times in my life and shaped my path moving forward.

and as a New Yorker at the time, I will always have a special place in my heart for the love that they poured out, the first time I heard the chorus for Open Letter I was instantly moved beyond words. it gave me chills then and it still does now.

the stripped down beats play in my head for any of the tracks on that album.

[Michelle*s_Farm]

To the 5 Boroughs is the sixth studio album by the Beastie Boys. The album was released on June 14, 2004 internationally, and a day later in the United States. The album debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 with 360,000 copies sold in its first week. To the 5 Boroughs was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 47th Grammy Awards, losing to Kanye West's The College Dropout.

I bought TT5B in NYC on vinyl the night before it came out. Still have not opened it yet alongside my unopened 12 inch of Too Many Rappers and unopened Country Mike's Greatest Hits (presumably the last one in the world). Just waiting to be able to afford the right turntable (Oracle) for the official unwrapping listening party.

[Drusyc]

Dropped during my teen years... was the first record they put out that was the soundtrack of my life for a time. It definitely compares poorly to the rest of their discography though. Some of those time-sensitive politically driven lyrics make some of the stuff hard to get into nowadays for me.

[Kid Presentable]

Was a massive occasion, and is now the perfect time capsule. As someone who only now really enjoys hello nasty, I appreciated the approach. They 'Kid A'd themselves, in a way.

Loved the press, the boots of pageant shows with high plains drifter, I thought there was the KFC thing on the boards but could have my dates wrong. Brr Stick Em and TGNATU. It was all good. Will spin it today. Listened to it daily in 04, to the point of overkill.

Still got mad love for time to build!

[pesto pizza]

I love that era my 3rd favourite after PB and CYH,People were saying for ages give us more HIP HOP and when they did,people complained.
Check it out easily in their in their top ten best songs theyve made.
we got the.... is the only shit track on the album,should have been replaced with brr stick em or and then I.
I think the problem with the album people have is that it has one style and theme unlike other beastie albums are a mixture of ideas.
And yet thats really what most musicians do is have a theme/concept to each album they do.
I cant think of another band that puts lots of styles of music on an album like the beasties and if there are bands out that do they have copied the beasties.

[Uru-Nitro]

I remember the day that they uploaded to the web 3 snippets of the álbum... and the european pre-tour, with roman going forom russia to amsterdam(I think)... happy times, no doubt.
I got the album they day it dropped, and my first impression was that the beats were a bit... easy. hello nasty was very very elaborated, with a lot of sounds everywhere, that you still can listen one song and discover a new thing. but tt5b is quite simple, like it was made with a pc hardware and 5 or 6 tracks for each beat.

but of course i love it and i understand that it was what they were feeling by that time. keep it simple and make songs to tour just with a dj, not with a whole band.(y)

[Brother McDuff]

my beastie bubble didnt burst until just after hello nasty came out, so TT5B was the first release that I really got to anticipate, which felt like an eternity (because it basically was). it was the first and only midnight release ive ever pursued, and i had to drive out to bumble-fuck to do so.

good times. (y)

[Micodin]

The Beastie Boys performed at the club on June 17, 2004, after a five-year hiatus. This was a radio event sponsored by then WHFS 99.1 FM. The station gave away 1,200 passes for the event to listeners. The night did not go without incident; a major thunderstorm had delayed travel from New York City to Washington. Radio DJ's The Junkies and Tim Virgin read a statement from the Beastie Boys explaining the situation at about 8:30 p.m., including their assurance that they were on the train and that the show would go on at about 11:15 p.m. without a hitch. The crowd was disappointed, but the club immediately relaxed their re-admittance policy and allowed everyone to leave and have dinner if they so desired. In a move to help ease crowd tensions, the Beastie Boys' management had a number of pizzas delivered to the club for fans to eat while they were waiting. Mix Master Mike took the stage at 11:13 p.m. to warm up the crowd. The Beastie Boys came out minutes later on stage in front of a packed house, despite the delay. Posters of this late 9:30 club performance are in the Beastie Boys' video "Triple Trouble", pasted on the walls of the streets the group walk through at 2:13.

I'll never forget that show. Three days after TT5B dropped. My friend Seth and I drove through the night from Maine (without tickets) and managed to get in, (shout out to AWOL) center front row. Crazy night, amazing set in a small venue. MMM killed it, the B-Boys were on point per usual. I managed to cop the poster (which is now framed) and the dice that they gave out at the Vegas show.

Memories...

[pm0ney]

Can't believe it's been ten years. Easily the most hyped for a record that I've ever been in my entire life. The time period was so much fun, I saw them at the Garden and the Nassau Coliseum where they opened with No Sleep Till Brooklyn. Amazing.

As for the record, I pretended I liked it at the time more than I actually did. I wanted to like it so I made myself believe it was a great record. It wasn't. It sounded like a novice fucked around with some reason loops and then rapped about why George Bush stinks. You know how dated that sounds in 2014? They may as well had been rapping about Harry Truman at this point. I still love Ch Check it Out, Open Letter and 3 the Hard Way, though. To me it's easily the worst Beasties album ever.

[abbott]

this was my first album as a father.

It is the only album I don't listen to all the way through ... I skip a few tracks. I do enjoy several of the tracks and I am happy to have them.

It spends more time in rotation then LTI, but it would be 2nd last as far as play time in my ride. But shit I am happy when I play TT5B and LTI.

I am not a New Yorker, but open letter gave me chills the first time I played it. I remember playing it for my brother and he later called me and told me he got the album. the only one he has purchased. I have given him the rest as gifts. His favorite is The Mix Up.

[beasties#1fan]

I remember my dad playing this album A LOT. wow 2004.....

[Sir SkratchaLot]

unopened Country Mike's Greatest Hits (presumably the last one in the world).

Pshh, I've got, at least, one black still sealed and one red still sealed and maybe a few more reds still sealed to boot. I'm sure there are others who have the same situation.:D

[Sir SkratchaLot]

The production on TT5B just isn't hitting on all fronts for me. It's lacking that soul you get from heavy sampling and the album as a whole feels a little "left-brained" to me. Like they overthought it or something. It's still got some really great moments though.

I was going to shows since the early 90s and it's hard to touch the crazy crowds from those shows, but from a performance standpoint, Mix Master Mike upped the ante and by the time TT5B hit they were at the hieght of their powers as far as live shows are concerned (they smoothed things out considerbably compared to shows during the Hello Nasty era). The last show I saw was the rock the vote thing they did in Richmond VA and that was dope. I'm so glad I dropped everything and went. In fact, I skipped the Obama speach happening locally that day to see the Beasties on tour to (basically) promote him.

Hot Sauce Pt. II was a return to what I expected. Much more soul to that record (in my opinion) and MCA shines on it.

[YoungRemy]

from a performance standpoint, Mix Master Mike upped the ante and by the time TT5B hit they were at the hieght of their powers as far as live shows are concerned (they smoothed things out considerbably compared to shows during the Hello Nasty era)

well said, agree 100% and have stated the exact same thing here before...

[pshabi]

I was so amped I called around to record shops in my area until I found one that was willing (unknowingly?) selling it early. Drove 45 mins to cop it on the Friday before release date. That was a loud ride home.

[Michelle*s_Farm]

Pshh, I've got, at least, one black still sealed and one red still sealed and maybe a few more reds still sealed to boot. I'm sure there are others who have the same situation.:D

Awesome.

[Michelle*s_Farm]

by the time TT5B hit they were at the hieght of their powers as far as live shows are concerned

So true. I was amazed how much they improved on live performances.
I wonder if that was a function of practice and/or sobriety.

[Laver1969]

As the old fart here I was in my mid thirties when TT5B dropped. The website had gone down and they put the album cover skyline up with snippets of various songs hidden.

I remember somehow getting the album in a leaked version a few days before...so I got to play it over and over for the plane ride to California for the pre-pageant show a few days before it was officially released.

Loved it when it came out and still love it today. Rhyme the rhyme well is still my favorite track on that album. Exciting time on the board hearing fans posting reviews after each show!

The pageant show shoutouts! The Pootytang adventure is one of the best memories...give the boards a rest...damn.

Yauch occasionally posting... Good times for sure!

[pm0ney]

Best verse on Rhyme the Rhyme Well? I gotta go with money Mike D.

Haha, you fucking people on this message board. Now I'm listening to TT5B again and I'm like "hmmmm this sounds pretty nice."

Edit #3: And then I started listening to some songs on Hello Nasty. Not.Even.Close. Wow, I havent listened to Hello Nasty in way too long.

[abbott]

So it has been in my 5 disc changer for the past 3 months.

Was a 6 disk but number 1 disk fucks up so I just use 2 3 4 5 and 6

TT5B: my kids like that one that starts with. Shaba do. Shaba de. Then they sing it and laugh and then ask why I changed it

Then I'm like this Word song is my favorite. It is a good one I enjoy it and it has been my favorite at times.

Anyway can't help but say hscp2 is fucking sweet. I keep on saying/asking ... Is that adrock on guitar. I hope so

[Micodin]

If I made a top 10 B-Boys playlist I'm not sure if anything on TT5B or HSCP2 would make it...

I have fonder memories of TT5B due to the tour and promotion of the record. It was nice hearing them play out That's It, That's All at Coachella (with different lyrics) before the album dropped.

HSCP2 was a much better record but it was tougher for me to enjoy with hardly any promotion and with Yauch's health being so mysterious. After he passed it was hard for me to listen to the record at all.

I do enjoy Check It Out, Right Right Now Now, It Takes Time to Build, Rhyme the Rhyme Well, Triple Trouble, That's It, That's All, and Brr Stick Em. The rest are kind weak.

The record starts out pretty strong and the back half fizzles out for me.

[Kid Presentable]

If I made a top 10 B-Boys playlist I'm not sure if anything on TT5B or HSCP2 would make it...

I have fonder memories of TT5B due to the tour and promotion of the record. It was nice hearing them play out That's It, That's All at Coachella (with different lyrics) before the album dropped.

HSCP2 was a much better record but it was tougher for me to enjoy with hardly any promotion and with Yauch's health being so mysterious. After he passed it was hard for me to listen to the record at all.

I do enjoy Check It Out, Right Right Now Now, It Takes Time to Build, Rhyme the Rhyme Well, Triple Trouble, That's It, That's All, and Brr Stick Em. The rest are kind weak.

The record starts out pretty strong and the back half fizzles out for me.

You gotta revisit that HSC perspective, man. I agree, painful record (of them all, the most painful - imagine how brutal a posthumous release would be!), but there is stuff that's worth a top 10 nod. Top 20 at worst.

[Michelle*s_Farm]

HSCP2 was a much better record but it was tougher for me to enjoy with hardly any promotion and with Yauch's health being so mysterious. After he passed it was hard for me to listen to the record at all.



That sums up how I feel surprisingly well. I was surprised how dependent I was on them being healthy, releasing interesting videos (with the three of them in the videos) and live shows, in order to fully enjoy their new albim. I know HSCP2 is very good, but due to the context surrounding the LP it hurt it for me in a way that is difficult to describe.

[Lyman Zerga]

The production on TT5B just isn't hitting on all fronts for me. It's lacking that soul you get from heavy sampling and the album as a whole feels a little "left-brained" to me. Like they overthought it or something. It's still got some really great moments though.

Hot Sauce Pt. II was a return to what I expected. Much more soul to that record (in my opinion) and MCA shines on it.

thats how it feels to me too

[Brass Monk]

Best verse on Rhyme the Rhyme Well? I gotta go with money Mike D.


Yauch's verse for sure! One of his best verses ever. It made their only sub par album completely worthwhile.

[pshabi]

Mike D killed that verse on RTRW. On another note, I just pulled the track up on spotify and it was apparently an edited version.

"Oooh that Yossi with those freshhhhhhh muffins!"

Never heard that edit before. Whack

[Micodin]

Mike D killed that verse on RTRW. On another note, I just pulled the track up on spotify and it was apparently an edited version.

"Oooh that Yossi with those freshhhhhhh muffins!"

Never heard that edit before. Whack

Yeah, I have the edited version of TT5B kicking around somewhere. I used to play it at work non-stop when it dropped. We couldn't play songs with the swears.

[Bernard Goetz]

I got married in July of 2004 and my gift to all my groomsmen was a CD of TT5B. Fucking love this record.

[Kid Presentable]

I got married in July of 2004 and my gift to all my groomsmen was a CD of TT5B. Fucking love this record.

(y)

[roosta]

i remember buying it clear as day, the whole trip into town, getting it, reading the liner notes.

I quite like it. It's probably their worst album, but the worst of the beastie boys is pretty good to me. The first half is pretty strong. I don't listen to it near as much as others, but i still like it.

the whole time period was exciting. new album, tour, etc.

ten years.....

[Bernard Goetz]

Anyone got a copy of the clean version of TT5B? I had the CD back when I still had CDs but for some reason I apparently flaked on burning it to my drive. "I got zits to pop."
EDIT: Beastiemania describes it as "The offending sections have been scratched and mixed into the songs." but there are definitely instances where they rapped clean lyrics over the curses. Grandma's house and the aforementioned zits for example.

[Micodin]

Anyone got a copy of the clean version of TT5B?

I have it on one of my iPods that I used for work. I can upload it to my Dropbox in the next day or so.

[Bernard Goetz]

That is great news. I'll try and think of something reciprocate with.

[beasties#1fan]

Anyone got a copy of the clean version of TT5B? I had the CD back when I still had CDs but for some reason I apparently flaked on burning it to my drive. "I got zits to pop."
EDIT: Beastiemania describes it as "The offending sections have been scratched and mixed into the songs." but there are definitely instances where they rapped clean lyrics over the curses. Grandma's house and the aforementioned zits for example.

yup i think i have 2 clean version cds. I almost like the clean better- its hilarious.