Back in 1998 Hip Hop music was at a creative and mainstream popularity high. Still within the parameters of the Golden Age of Hip Hop, a few carryovers from classic ‘80s era of the genre were still making a huge impact, and one was Beastie Boys out of NYC.
An interesting group of creators, originally born out of Punk and Hardcore roots, the ‘80s period of Beastie Boys was painted with success heard on albums such as 1986’s Licensed to Ill and 1989’s Paul’s Boutique. Primarily utilizing samples for most of the aforementioned Paul’s Boutique, by 1992’s Check Your Head Beastie Boys spun everything around, utilizing live instrumentation as their primary foundation, thus making them pioneers in Alternative Hip Hop. From here, 1994’s Ill Communication only expanded on the group’s sound with influences that included everything from Heavy Metal to Jazz. Which led to an extremely important point in Beastie Boys’ history as 1998 rolled around with the release of Hello Nasty.
An album which came out on July 14th of that year, the release of the single “Intergalactic” a month earlier proved to be a massive first impression. Climbing charts all over the world, and later earning Beastie Boys a Grammy, it was only the tip of the iceberg of what Hello Nasty would offer. An extremely experimental record, Hello Nasty is arguably one of Beastie Boys most interesting, engaging albums ever. Sonically out of this world, the mix of great production at the hands of the group and Mario Caldato, Jr. (Mario C), matched with electric sounds, and old school vibes made Hello Nasty incontestably one of the best releases of 1998.
Now twenty-five years later, Hello Nasty still stands tall as a fresh, inventive, and smart album. That is why it is exciting to see that UME is honoring the anniversary of the album with a magnificent reissue. Released on September 8, 2023, the newest release is a reissue of the highly sought after and long out-of-print limited deluxe edition 4 LP box set originally put out as a limited artist store run in 2009. So, if you were unable to get your hands on the set back in ’09, now you have a chance to grab it for the first time!
All this in mind, for those a little unsure what it is, the 25th anniversary limited edition Hello Nasty set features twenty-one bonus tracks including rarities, remixes, and b-sides. A 4 LP set, pressed on 180 gram vinyl, and presented in an eight-panel gatefold package, it is housed in a hardcover “coffee table book” slipcase with a removable sew-on patch. If nothing less than beautifully designed, what is inside the set when you open it is what really sells the goods. First, you have the original Hello Nasty, consisting of twenty-two tracks, and the listening experience is nothing less than breathtaking on vinyl. From here, you can dive into a mass of rarities that are not throwaways, but really quite enjoyable. Showcasing Beastie Boys will to experiment at ease, a listening session of this Hello Nasty set will only make you appreciate their efforts more.
When it is all said and done, if you are a fan of Beastie Boys, love Hello Nasty, and want to own a piece of Hip Hop history, you should absolutely invest in this set. That is why Cryptic Rock gives the 4 LP Deluxe Edition of Hello Nasty 5 out of 5 stars.
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