On this day, April 21, is hip-hop history...

Capitol Records
Capitol Records
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1992: On April 21, 1992, New York City based hip-hop group the Beastie Boys dropped their third album, Check Your Head.

The Beastie Boys originally formed as a punk rock group in the 1980's before breaking through as an experimental hip-hop group under Def Jam Recordings. Three years after their last album, Paul's Boutique and six years after their debut, License to Ill, the trio had begun to revert back to their punk rock roots on Check Your Head. Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock played their own instruments on the 20-track LP, and the samples that characterized the instrumentals of their earlier efforts are largely absent. Further distinguishing itself from previous entries into the Beastie Boys' catalog, the project included an eclectic mix of guest appearances from Ted Nugent, Biz Markie and Sly & the Family Stone. All together, it was a hearty mix of all the clique's influences—past and present.

Check Your Head was met with mixed reviews upon its release, but it did achieve commercial success. The album peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 but was met with mixed reviews initially. Rolling Stone gave the album 3 out of 5 stars in 1992 while Entertainment Weekly graded it a D. Upon releasing a remastered version in 2009, EW changed their tune, giving the genre-twisting effort an A.

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