The Beastie Boys are revisiting the ups and downs of their early career in a new 14-minute documentary short.
The “Sabotage” rappers are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their hit album, “Ill Communication” and taking fans for a walk down memory lane in “Still Ill: 25 Years of Ill Communication,” produced with Amazon Music.
The group’s surviving members Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond join keyboardist Mark Nishita and producer Mario Caldato reflect on their hits — “Check Your Head” — and their flops — “Paul’s Boutique.”
Horovitz remembers how that 1989 album, now a classic, was originally panned by both critics and fans. Diamond takes viewers through the group’s move to Los Angeles to make their next album, 1992’s “Check Your Head,” on a tight budget.
The group disbanded after member Adam “MCA” Yauch died of cancer in 2012. The documentary also remembers his contribution to the group and covers the spiritual journey he took later in his life.
Horovitz and Diamond have been eager to speak publicly about the group’s legacy over the past few years. Together they released a memoir, “Beastie Boys Book,” and have toured small venues.
Accompanying the short film is a 38-minute audio documentary, available on Amazon Music.
