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Starting as a hardcore punk group in 1981, Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “MCA” Yauch, and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz of the group now known as The Beastie Boys infiltrated the hip-hop scene with their post-punk musical stylings. The three New York natives achieved local success and officially transitioned from hardcore punks into hip-hop with the release of their 1993 single “Cooky Puss.” Their 1984 12-inch single “Rock Hard” would be the band’s first major label rap effort, released by Def Jam. The group released their debut album Licensed to Ill in 1986, which became the best-selling rap album of the ’80s and the first rap album to go No. 1 on the Billboard 200 charts. The Beastie Boys are one of the longest lived hip-hop acts worldwide and continue to enjoy commercial and critical success. In 2012, they became the third rap group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; that same year, Adam “MCA” Yauch died of cancer. As of today, The Beastie Boys have released seven Platinum-selling albums.