How the Beastie Boys Took Hip-Hop From New York to the Nation

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early days of hip-hop, the music grew out of Black and Latino communities in New York City. It was local, raw, and deeply rooted in the neighborhoods where it began. So when three white, Jewish kids from New York entered that world, it raised more than a few eyebrows.

Greg Hengler shares the story of the Beastie Boys, how they found their place in a culture that wasn’t originally their own, and how their music helped carry hip-hop to audiences far beyond the city. It’s a story about risk, identity, and the unexpected ways American music can grow and change.

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