Beastie Boys’ ‘To The 5 Boroughs’ Receives a Vinyl Reissue
The new edition of the rap group’s sixth album will also feature remixes and B-sides.
Beastie Boys’ To The 5 Boroughs is returning to vinyl. A catalogue staple for veteran hip-hop lovers, it is set for an April 26 release on limited-edition 3LP and 2CD sets.
The 3LP reissue will be pressed on 180-gram vinyl in a triple gatefold jacket with pop-up elements and a subway map lithograph, all housed in a firm slipcase. The 2CD will be housed in a multi-paneled soft pack, marking the first time the 2019 digital deluxe edition will be made available in physical form. Both editions will feature 11 bonus tracks, including B-sides and various remixes of “Ch-Check It Out” and “Triple Trouble.”
Originally released in 2004, To The 5 Boroughs is the rap group’s sixth album and was their grand comeback following 1998’s Hello Nasty. As reflected in its title, To The 5 Boroughs is a love letter to the Beastie Boys’ hometown of NYC and comments on the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The album highlights the MC collective’s lyrical range that balances humor and social commentary, from the pop culture references in tracks like “Shazam!” and “Ch-Check It Out,” to the more serious social and political issues discussed on “Right Right Now Now,” “It Takes Time To Build,” and “An Open Letter To NYC.”
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To The 5 Boroughs topped a handful of charts, including the Billboard 200, Top Rap Albums, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Current Albums, Rap Album Sales, and Top Album Sales charts. It’s been certified Platinum by the RIAA and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. The album was also hailed by PopMatters as “their best album since [1989’s] Paul’s Boutique,” Rolling Stone as “an exciting, astonishing balancing act: fast, funny and sobering,” with Pitchfork stating “the album’s easy air speaks to veteran, nothing-to-lose attitude of both the city and the group.”
The Beastie Boys’ legacy lives on. Last month, Kim Gordon and Kathleen Hanna’s The Best Summer premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The documentary captures footage from Australia’s Summersault festival from December 1995-January 1996, and includes interviews with Beastie Boys, Bikini Kill, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, and more.
