To begin, the rap world seems to forget the Beastie Boys. Despite one of the greatest rap albums of all time, Paul’s Boutique, and one of the best selling, Licensed to Ill, the Beasties’ rhyme style is probably too elementary to win over new fans, and the age of their fan base is reason enough that they are losing old fans. Still, with these things going against them, we cannot forget that the Beasties have only released dope albums. Further, each release has refused to follow any formula or blueprint. With this creativity, the Beastie Boys sought to make an album that paid tribute to 9/11 by showing a love to their home city of New York.

According to Pitchfork, the biggest failure of the album was its appreciation of New York City. Rolling Stone thought it was the album’s biggest success. Rap reviewers were less focused on the attention paid to New York, but instead on the dated sound the music had.

In short, Rolling Stone got it right. By harkening back to the sound of rap pioneers on their self-produced tracks (giving their music that old boom-bap), and by effortlessly lacing their rhymes with New York City references (mentioning people and places like Mike Piazza and the Albee Square Mall), the music takes on the regionalism that the Beasties seek. It is through this regional sound, that the Beasties pay tribute to New York.

Beyond the sound of their music, and scattered NYC references, the Beasties collect their thoughts about their city on the song, An Open Letter to NYC. Looking back on this masterpiece, with its subdued sample and the sound of nostalgia in the voices of the Beastie Boys, it is no stretch to say that this is one of the best songs the group has ever made, and amongst the best tributes to New York that music has heard. The song is filled with a genuine care for New York, as well as fond memories of times spent in the Big Apple. Also, the Beastie Boys talk about the effects of 9/11 from a political standpoint on several songs including Right Now and We Got The. In hindsight, these lyrics are poignant calls for action, although at the time, their topics were a bit redundant.

What the Beasties do best is make fun music, and there is no shortage of that either on To the 5 Boroughs. The album jumps off with the lead single, Ch-Check it Out and follows with other Beasties swagger-boasting songs like Hey Fuck You and Three the Hard Way. These songs feature heavy drum-machine beats, and are laced with a myriad pop culture references that range from Mr. Belvedere to Miss Piggy. While the Beasties may have matured in regards to the topics that affect them most, they still remain the party-eager dudes from Fight For Your Right to Party.

Despite the lukewarm reception that this album received when it was released, there is no excuse for To the 5 Boroughs to be forgotten. Amidst a flurry of 9/11 related artworks, To the 5 Boroughs stands out because it is genuine, and decidedly lighthearted. Hopefully, it does not take a similar tragedy to induce the next Beasties album.