Editing Beastie Boys (section)

===Formation and Early Years (1981–1985)===

The Beastie Boys began as a hardcore punk band in New York City in 1981, founded by Michael Diamond, John Berry, Adam Yauch, and Kate Schellenbach. Their early releases were rooted firmly in the downtown NYC punk scene, most notably the 1982 EP ''Polly Wog Stew''. Adam Horovitz replaced John Berry on guitar in 1982, and the group began shifting toward hip-hop — a transition that reflected the cross-pollination of punk and rap culture happening in New York at the time.

Their 1983 hip-hop single "Cooky Puss" marked a decisive turn, sampling a prank phone call and attracting early underground attention. By 1984, Kate Schellenbach had departed and the classic trio of Yauch, Horovitz, and Diamond was cemented. The group caught the attention of [[Rick Rubin]] and [[Russell Simmons]], signing to [[Def Jam Recordings]] and beginning work on what would become a landmark debut album.