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The Details

The Beastie Boys

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

No one wants the Beastie Boys to grow up. Thankfully, though the group members are now in their mid-40s and MCA is recovering from cancer, new album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is youthfully giddy. Unlike previous non-instrumental album To the 5 Boroughs, it manages to update the group’s sound without veering too far away from its beloved, early-’90s approach.

It’s largely a pastiche, culling from old-school rap and non-rap artists alike, and is as likely to shout out Bob Dylan as Afrika Bambaataa. Sonically, it straddles a line between commercial and arty; there are moments of radio pop, punk and even noise rock, with a plethora of obscure samples holding the whole thing together. The guys are not as hilarious as they once were (that’s a nice way of saying they’re less obnoxious), but they still get off some memorable lines. “Can’t tell me nothing/ Can’t tell me nada,” rhymes Ad-Rock on standout single “Make Some Noise,” “Don’t quote me now because I’m doing the lambada.” The Santigold-assisted “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win” is another highlight, and it says a lot that the Jamaican ska-influenced cut doesn’t sound out of place next to “Too Many Rappers,” a battle-ready track featuring Nas. Dense, fun and satisfying with repeated spins, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two seems likely to send the Beasties into a rewarding next phase. A middle-aged rap renaissance—who could have guessed?