S8 EP6: Mike D discusses breaking rap into the mainstream, the infamous hydraulic penis, and disbanding the Beastie Boys
7/13/20261 hr 16 min
Louis sits down with Grammy award-winning rapper, producer and former Beastie Boy Mike D. Speaking ahead of the release of his first solo album, Thank You, Mike tells Louis about breaking rap into the mainstream, the mechanics behind the Beastie Boys’ 20 foot hydraulic penis, and breaking up the band after Adam Yauch’s death.
Warnings: Strong language and adult themes.
Links/Attachments:
Song: Rapture, Blondie (1980)
https://open.spotify.com/track/1hQr0D1ZXbGHFcWLhusijv
Book: Everybody’s Fly, Fat Five Freddy with Mark Rozzo (2026)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/775871/everybodys-fly-by-fab-5-freddy-with-mark-rozzo/
Song: Cooky Puss, Beastie Boys (1983)
https://open.spotify.com/track/7DZSImZVNfImxqehwNtPuB
Song: Rapper’s Delight, Sugarhill Gang (1979)
https://open.spotify.com/track/7sZDbHZiuHEzS00vzCuhqS
Song: Good Times, Chic (1979)
https://open.spotify.com/track/0PQFPcSK1gnBGlbV4CZCG0
Song: The Message, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (1982)
https://open.spotify.com/album/4dEczweFPXeLMMVD1zIdi7
Song: Sucker M.C.’s, Run-D.M.C. (1983)
https://open.spotify.com/track/3hx5R8nOKu5zvhlfDNSIQC
Album: Licensed to Ill, Beastie Boys (1986)
https://open.spotify.com/album/11oR0ZuqB3ucZwb5TGbZxb
Radio Show: The Goon Show (1951-1960) - BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0072vdz
Film: National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077975/
Film: Caddyshack (1980)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080487/
Album: Paul’s Boutique, Beastie Boys (1989)
https://open.spotify.com/album/1kmyirVya5fRxdjsPFDM05
Song: Shadrach, Beastie Boys (1989)
https://open.spotify.com/track/1vIJBVsuMouxSuDxRtTaYI
Album: Hello Nasty, Beastie Boys (1998)
https://open.spotify.com/album/1HhBu55aklCwIus7KffIji
Song: Intergalactic, Beastie Boys (1998)
https://open.spotify.com/track/5fpizYGbi5IQoEraj6FP0R
Song: What We Got, Mike D (2026)
https://open.spotify.com/track/3UeGo2iTVN98fWW96iRL5p
Song: Switch Up, Mike D (2026)
https://open.spotify.com/track/1FHSvpvNWmJcpDcmsxrtbH
Credits:
Producer: Millie Chu
Assistant Producer: Beth Johnstone
Audio Mixer: Tom Guest
Video Mixer: Scott Edwards
Production Manager: Francesca Bassett
Music: Miguel D’Oliveira
Executive Producer: Arron Fellows
A Mindhouse Studios Production for Spotify
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsLouis Theroux· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Hello, and welcome back to the Louis Theroux Podcast. Today I'm joined in the studio by rapper, musician, and founding member of Beastie Boys, Mike D. In the early '80s, Mike co-founded the seminal hip-hop group with his bandmates, Adam Yauch, MCA, and Adam Horovitz, Ad-Rock. They signed with Def Jam Records and collaborated with infamous producer Rick Rubin on their first album, Licensed to Ill, in 1986. The album included instant classics like Fight For Your Right (To Party) and No Sleep Till Brooklyn, and became the first rap album to top the Billboard 200. In those days, they embraced a kind of obnoxious frat boy persona, which led to lots of headlines and, along with the success, an understandable amount of stress. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and wanting to move on from that iteration, they made a follow-up album that, actually it's a brilliant album, we talk about it, Paul's Boutique, and several others, that sold less well but set them up for longevity in the industry and a lot of musical success. After Adam Yauch's death from cancer in 2012, Mike and Ad-Rock confirmed they would never perform or record as Beastie Boys again,