Nearly three decades after its debut, the Beastie Boys’ Licensed To Ill album has been certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The seminal album, which was initially released in 1986 under Def Jam Records, has sold over 10 million copies as of March 4, 2015
In ’86, Licensed To Ill became the first Hip Hop album to top Billboard charts. One year later, it was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “MCA” Yauch and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz worked closely with producer Rick Rubin and the head of Def Jam at the time, Russell Simmons to complete the album. Both Run and DMC from Run DMC are credited as contributors to the album, as well.
The trio was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, becoming the third Hip Hop associated act to achieve the feat. One month later, Adam Yauch passed away due to cancer of the parotid salivary gland. Following his death, Licensed To Ill and other Beastie Boys’ albums saw an increase in sales and chart position on Billboard.
The Beastie Boys join Eminem, 2Pac, Outkast, MC Hammer and The Notorious B.I.G. as the only Hip Hop artists to reach diamond status.
For more Beastie Boys coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
Still bumping this album to this day. Beasties were one of a kind group in rap.
Migos easily shit on the white boys.
^ Is that a joke? Migos are trash aren’t better than the Beasties, not with songs about Versace and kids’ TV shows.
Migos shits on beatsie boys in every way. Beasties are just white hipster trash.
stop taking teethboy seriously, he knows migos havent sold 1 record yet and wont even see a gold plaque
Migos can’t even rap, so they can never shit on anyone, even the legendary Beasties.
White hipster trash? Were you born five days ago? They’ve been legends since Migos were sperm cells.
Outkast, B.I.G. and 2 Pac all cheated by releasing double albums so they only had to sell half as much.
truth
Didn’t 50 cent also have a diamond album?
Worldwide sales he is over 10 million but in the USA hes at around 8.5-9 mill (which is still more albums than Outkast, Biggie and Pac sold because they count double albums as 2 sales)
Nelly is up there too
Country Grammar is at 8.5 million.
50 is garbage
Wu-tang Forever will hit that Diamond shit
What about 50 hasn’t he gone diamond twice with his first two albums on Shady/Aftermath?
GRODT is around 8 million while The Massacre is around 5 million.
SALUTE
These honkies are nothing but guests in the house of hiphop. They have no right to do this
-Lord “Gay” Jamar
You can Add 50 Cent to that list also as GRDT when DIAMOND