The Beastie Boys Flop That Became a Cult Classic | Paul’s Boutique
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It’s 80s Week at Camp Digs we’ve been listening to The Beastie Boys’ 1989 Album “Paul’s Boutique”, so now it’s time to break it down. We’ll dive into the story behind this album, the reception, the legacy, and of course, the samples.
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THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER TIER ON PATREON
Sam Deka
Josh Nelson
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SOURCES
Paul’s Boutique 33 1/3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQH1heaHYQU
https://youtu.be/J8ybDELXv-g?t=99
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvpjGrwrDAc
https://www.soundonsound.com/people/dust-brothers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNBdBQw6tF0&t=4s – jimmy fallon interview
https://classicalbumsundays.com/album-of-the-month-beastie-boys-pauls-boutique/
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TOPICS COVERED
Beastie Boys
Paul’s Boutique
Run DMC
Fight for your Right
Rick Rubin
Dust Brothers
Breakdown
Egg Man
Shake Your Rump
Hey Ladies
Samples
#beastieboys #musichistory #hiphop
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:43 About Camp Digs
01:30 About Van Gogh
02:18 Beginnings
04:45 Getting Tired
06:00 Matt Dike and Dust Bros
07:15 Keep Foldin’ Foldin’ Foldin Foldin’ (HA)
07:55 Shake Your Rump
10:51 Egg Man
11:38 Hey Ladies
13:20 The 3 Headed Monster
15:06 Starry Night
19:11 What Happened After
20:13 Camper Stories
21:06 Campfire Livestream
@diggingthegreats
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Join Camp Digs for Free: http://www.patreon.com/diggingthegreats
@johnortega4502
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Really liked this shared liked N subscribed …
@cwebb6647
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
At moment don’t really remember this album as I was 10 r 11 ,Loved licensed to ill remember, watching the video on MTV at my dads house, as we sure as shit did not have cable at my moms, and I think my neighbor had the cassette tape, and I eventually had license to ill. It was the shit. I may have been one of those who were let down by PB but at the moment I don’t recall I’m gonna have to check it out.
@gregrryt
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Classic Album, love how this discusses the sampling landscape before the lawsuits, which was started by Madonna stealing from It takes a Nation of millions, but a fourth controversial sample heavy album from the same year that wasn't mentioned is the Diabolical Biz Markie.
@TheLoneMutant
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
When that album came out in 1989, I remember there being very little air or radio play for it. Everyone was confused. Like with Nirvana when they released 'In Utero,' everyone was hoping for a sequel that was akin to the Beasty Boys' first record. What they got was so vastly different, that most people were turned off. The reason 'Check Your Head' was a success was because of time and the drastic changes going on in the musical landscape.
@jimj4206
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Loved this whole album from the gate ! Learned every word guick 🔥🔥🔥
@kenabi
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
my favorite album the guys released. even at the time.
@sirvilhelmofyonderland
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I was the BIGGEST License to ILL fan on this earth. 🌍. I did not like PB, I was in the 8th grade. Ten years later in college I re discovered PB and fell in love. License to ILL was middle school and PB was college. ❤️
@mathewshaw1111
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I was a bit young for this in 89, but by the time I got to it in about 95 I just assumed it was universally accepted that this was their best album.
@reincarnated95
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Lyrically Paul’s Boutique is by far without a doubt THEE best rap album of all time, definitely a masterpiece.
@mockbattles
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I think the 360° photo was taken in 1987.
@mendodave
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I loved it right out of the gate. Didn’t have the record album but had the bright yellow cassette tape with the fold out 360° camera shot of that street in Brooklyn and the lyrics on the other side. Don’t know what ever happened to the tape, but I have it downloaded in my library these days.
@patriot1685
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Unfortunately, Paul's B. Didn't hit as hard as I wanted back in 89. I remember thinking Hey Ladies was cool but I couldn't put my finger on it and I was hitting hard in my own genre. It wasn't until 94 or so that I had my eyes opened by a roadie who spun it in the car I was riding in. I was hooked.
@TheRasiani
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Flop? Who ever called it a flop?
It was hotly anticipated by fans – and it blew our minds
@shers338
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
FWIW, Miles Davis love for Paul’s Boutique isn’t a rumor. There’s a clip of him on the Arsenio Hall show saying that. (90% sure it was Arsenio)
@Vlabar
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Lack of samples today is why modern rap is dead to me
@Mr.Dobalina113
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I made a Spotify playlist of every song the Beasties Sampled in every album and the remixes.
Couldn’t find one that was as complete or as accurate as I wanted, so I did it myself.
26 hours of dope music.
MiltownKBs
Beastie Boys – The Samples
@svenllr
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I was 19 when I purchased PB the day it released and I popped that CD into my car and blasted it immediately…only to turn it down and ask, 'What the hell is this?' I was thinking it was going to be License to Ill 2 and was heavily disappointed by what I heard. I think I listened to it two or three times the whole way through and then shelved it. It wouldn't be for a few years later that I listened to it again from start to finish and then, then I got it. I was kicking myself for not realizing what geniuses the Boys were and how ahead of their time they were. Paul's Boutique was nothing like anything else. Not even Nation, which by the way, I had and also loved on Day 1 of release.
@TickleFingers
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Car thief. That's the jam!
@user-ij7mg1wf1p
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
This was middle school for me I know it word for word by far my favorite Beastie boys album thanks for doing this
@juliusseizure324
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
This album is insanely perfect.
@nuffaction5464
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
This album WAS NOT A FLOP.
@sisseeboy
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I thought pollywog stew was their first album
@ThePokroys
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I grew on License to Ill. I knew (still know) every lyric, every groove, every sample. A foundational album in my life. And still, Paul's Boutique is my favorite BB album by far. It's like dating an 18 year old girl. Hot. Fast. Every curve. And then meeting her again when she's fully matured. Grown into herself. Lush. All that potential fulfilled and expressed. I am one of those 500,000 who bought it the first time around. And it took me a few spins to get it. But I love it more every time I listen.
@Khultan
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I arrived to Los Angeles a couple of months after Beastie Boys which I learned from a magazine called THRASHER.
@alejandroaguilar9038
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I HEAR COWBOY BEE BOP / SAMURAI CHAMPLOO
@bobfort8023
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Love drumming to this and lince to ill. Funner to drum to Paul’s Boutique! Good cleaning music when I do it once a year! I’m a drummer dammit!😂😂😂
@bobfort8023
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Classic! Their isn’t many classic rap albums compared to Rock. This is special… blew my mind first time I heard it!
@RobMacQ
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Anyone who won't admit Mmm Bop is a jam is kidding themselves.
@ATHigh
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I bought it!! Played the hell out of it!!
@benvasilinda9729
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
They didn’t just find Rick Ruben, he was their DJ before he became their manager and owner of Def Jam.
@jenhasken
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Spin gave this a good review that I got it. It was good.
@thebigchopvideomemoriescol8060
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Ill Communication is one of the greatest albums of all time
@NotSoNarrowCast
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Loved Paul's Boutique since it came out, a legit classic – my only criticism is that the mix on the whole album is muddled, sort of early grunge style – it makes it more trippy & stoner, and they wanted it that way – but when I listen to it now, I wish they would release a 'cleaned up' mix of it that is clearer
@kayleighllyn8253
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Got my og copy back in the days and still got it on spin almost every week❤
@ragar4790
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I was a beastie boys fan and bought it immediately on release but it was not what I expected, I also wanted a license to ill part 2. I loved the big 808 beat and rock riffs on Ill. This album threw me off at first, initially only liking shake your rump, shadrach, get on the mic, hello brooklyn, mike on the mic & awol. but being 17 and not having a lot of money I would play the tape over and over. The album grew on me, catching all the samples in the songs and enjoying the creativity to make it.
@KingdomOfNoise1
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Not sure why he didn't choose better albums when there was better one's out there.
@MichaelGroggII
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
“I killed a man in Brooklyn!!!” And Johnny Cash…”. Just to watch him die.” Loved it.
@MichaelGroggII
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
This and Check Your Head are my two favorites from the B Boys.
@calebbasile2219
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Your starry night analogy, is your starry night of analogy making, hahaha that was dope and the 100 year anniversary connection that was drawn is dope
@truckstop4873
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Went on a road trip with my 3 children lost phone signal slid the PB CD. Immediately got Dad what is this? It's Awesome! 3 new BB fans were born in that moment. It was beautiful.
@bamboozle3990
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
This album was so special to the Beasties. So much going on. They didnt just whip it out. So thoughtful and so much time spent.
@bigginsg8711
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 pm
A flop according to who?
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