An unreleased Beastie Boys video, reportedly directed by Roman Coppola, made the rounds Monday. It features Nas and accompanies 2009 song “Too Many Rappers” from the band’s final album—2011’s Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. The clip was cut and posted to the website of editor Neal Usatin (a frequent Beastie collaborator) in 2012, but a fan on the Beastie Boys’ message board noted its existence this morning, and it’s been an opportunity for the world to dig it.
Nice moment to enjoy a legendary, defunct crew—even better considering how good it is. It’s bizarrely playful and runs on a series of astute, eight-measure verses from the four veteran rappers. Nas raps about how wet Russian women get; it’s melancholy to hear Adam Yauch rap “I never die, ’cause death is the cousin of sleep” (he passed away from cancer in 2012).
It’s also very easily the most exuberant Beasties video since the late ’90s Hello Nasty era. Proof positive: all of these places and things the Beastie Boys appear alongside. Here are the 10 best. You can watch the video below.
10) With tartar sauce
9) In a tree
8) With this tiny dog
7) Around the Parthenon
6) Appearing to fashion a bong from a prescription drug container
5) On this dope-ass bridge
4) By this dumpster
3) At Lee’s HAIR & DOLLAR store
2) Arby’s, son
1) The grocery store
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIOwFDPQgpc
Update 5:52pm CT, Jan. 13: The Beastie Boys and Nas are rapping at the Parthenon in Nashville.
Photo via Ian T. Edwards/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)