It says a lot about America that the first rap album to reach No. 1 on the charts was made by three loudmouthed, obnoxious white dudes. "Licensed to Ill" didn't tackle social issues or feature R&B or funk samples that were typical of the genre in that era. In many ways, the album veered on the edge of hip hop parody. But behind the schtick was substance, which is why the Beastie Boys aren't one-hit wonders, but a huge influence in hip hop history.