Brooklyn's own Beastie Boys are getting honored by the City of New York with an official street naming at the site where their album cover for 1989's fan-favorite Paul's Boutique was photographed.
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The effort to have the corner named for the Beasties was headed by LeRoy McCarthy, who had previously commemorated the 25th anniversary of Paul’s Boutique with a special mural. The longtime Hip Hop fan and activist has, over the years, also campaigned to honor other legends of the genre, including Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul among others.
Eight years after approval had been requested, the now famous street corner at Ludlow and Rivington Streets in New York City's Lower East Side, previously named for Rabbi Yaakov Spiegel, whose First Roumanian-American Orthodox Jewish congregation occupied the historic building at 89–93 Rivington Street for over 100 years, will be officially named "Beastie Boys Square" in honor of Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, and the late Adam “MCA” Yauch pending a signature by Mayor Eric Adams.
According to reports, city council member Christopher Marte said of the decision, "As many of us know, once the Beastie Boys hit the scene, it really changed the Hip Hop game," adding, "I see it as a celebration. A celebration for the Lower East Side, a celebration for Hip Hop, and especially a celebration for our community who has been organizing for a really long time to make this happen."
The Beasties' sophomore record, released in July of 1989 was produced by the Dust Brothers (E.Z. Mike and King Gizmo) and is lovingly known among fans as the "Sgt. Peppers' of Hip Hop." Packed with all the samples and funky musicianship followers would come to love and admire, the album also shows perfectly the duality between each of the members' Hip Hop and Punk Rock roots.
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Earlier this year, May 4, marked a full decade since the untimely loss of rapper, bassist, and founding Beastie Boy MCA (Adam Yauch) who passed in 2012 at the age of 47 after a battle with cancer. Celebrate the Beastie Boys' classics and much more from your favorite Hip Hop and Alternative artists related to and inspired by Brooklyn's Finest -- like The Pharcyde, Beck, Fishbone, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and so much more. LISTEN to Audacy's Beastie Boys Radio NOW.
Plus, browse and favorite more of your favorite podcasts and music including Audacy's all-new Beastie Boys Radio, Drivin' Alt, Alterna 90s, Alterna 00s, Conscious Hip Hop, Punk Party, and ALT Roots stations -- plus check out our talent-hosted Ed Lover's Timeless Throwbacks, Kevan Kenney's Music Discovery, Megan Holiday's My So Called '90s Playlist, and Scott Lowe on the Go's Post Modern Music Box!
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