Beastie Boys: Brooklyn/Manhattan?

Factual Questions
1

A friend and I are having a running friendly argument that seemed perfect for SDMB:

Are the members of the Beastie Boys more from Brooklyn or Manhattan? My friend, who’s a fan (and Jewish), insists they’re more stereotypical Brooklyn Jews and I (not a fan, not Jewish) had the impression that at least some of them had family in the record industry and likely grew up wealthy in “the City.” My take on them is that at least some of them come from some money in Midtown and started in the Lower East Side punk scene, my friend is running on the assumption they’re more of a neighborhood success story who made well. My friend wants to believe the latter as a sort of Horatio alger for the Hebrew story and and I… am probably just cynical! :stuck_out_tongue: We’re both aware that different members could be from different boroughs.

Searching this the traditional way is difficult because they make a lot of NYC references in lyrics and lyric pages are mostly what the relevant keywords return via the usual search engines.

2

Their song "No sleep ‘til Brooklyn’ would suggest Brooklyn. The song is about not sleeping at all until returning home from a tour. However, it may come as some surprise to you, but you can’t always trust the Beastie Boys.

3

Yes… see, this is the problem! My friend cites lyrics like that one and I point out that a rap group isn’t exactly going to brag about how they’re returning to the mean streets of…um… the Upper West Side. Plus there’s the complicating factor that in the past several years parts of Brooklyn like Willaimsburg have gotten hip and markedly less tough, they could be new arrivals.

4

Well Adrock is the son of Isreal Horoviz and noted playwrite/author/director. He was born in New Jersey and I believe grew up in Manhattan. I’m to lazy to look up more right now.

5

In the song “Get it Together” Mike D says:

“I’m from Manhattan
MCA’s from Brooklyn”

I dunno where AdRock says he’s from…

6

In "Oh Word’ off To the 5 Boroughs, Adrock and Mike D both say they are from New York, and MCA says he’s from Brooklyn.

I knew already that Mike D were from Manhattan and that MCA is from Brooklyn.

I’m assuming that Adrock is from Manhattan as well, because he and Mike D both say the same place, and when addressing mail to NYC, you only use New York, NY for Manhattan.

7

Thanks folks! I continue to be amazed by the range of what people know at SDMB.

8

An Open Letter to NYC from To The Five Boroughs by the Beastie Boys

Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen

Brownstones, water towers, trees, skyscrapers
Writers, prize fighters and Wall Street traders
We come together on the subway cars
Diversity unified, whoever you are
We’re doing fine on the One and Nine line
On the L we’re doin’ swell
On the number Ten bus we fight and fuss
'Cause we’re thorough in the boroughs and that’s a must
I remember when the Duece was all porno flicks
Running home after school to play PIX * 1
At lunch I’d go to Blimpies down on Montague Street
And hit the Fulton Street Mall for the sneakers on my feet
Dear New York I hope you’re doing well
I know a lot’s happen and you’ve been through hell
So, we give thanks for providing a home
Through your gates at Ellis Island we passed in droves

Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen

The L.I.E. the B.Q.E
Hippies at the band shell with the L.S.D.
Get my BVD’s from VIM
You know I’m reppin’ Manhattan the best I can
Stopped off at Bleeker Bob’s got thrown out
Sneakin’ in at 4:00 am after going out
You didn’t rob me in the park at Dianna Ross
But everybody started looting when the light went off
From the South South Bronx on out to Queens Bridge
From Hollis Queens right down to Bay Ridge
From Castle Hill to the Lower East Side
From 1010 WINS to Live At Five
Dear New York this is a love letter
To you and how you brought us together
We can’t say enough about all you do
'Cause in the city were ourselves and electric too

Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen

Shout out the South Bronx where my mom hails from
Right next to High Bridge across from Harlem
To the Grand Concourse where my mom and dad met
Before they moved on down to the Upper West
I see you’re still strong after all that’s gone on
Life long we dedicate this song
Just a little something to show some respect
To the city that blends and mends and tests
Since 911 we’re still livin’
And lovin’ life we’ve been given
Ain’t nothing gonna take that away from us
Were lookin’ pretty and gritty 'cause in the city we trust
Dear New York I know a lot has changed
2 towers down but you’re still in the game
Home to many rejecting know one
Accepting peoples of all places, wherever they’re from

Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen

Each verse is by a different Beastie, not ahving the CD on me and easily getting them confused means I can’t tell you which is which, but it seems to show that 2 are in manhattan(or at least one’s parents settled there), and one is from Brooklyn, shopping at the Fulton Street Mall.

9

Great… thanks! The worst part is that my friend has this CD and apparently hasn’t been able to piece anything together out of that! (I don’t think he knows NYC landmarks beyond the obvious that well.)

I meant my comment in a previous post about rappers from the Upper West Side to be sarcastic, but it sounds like reality outstrips sarcasm once again!