Them Are Fightin' Words! - Prodigy Take Potshot at B Boys

[Miramanee]

Published today at Contactmusic.com (http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/0/9D65D2A38642151A80256EFB005A2D93!opendocument)

PRODIGY STAR SLAM 'DATED' BEASTIE BOYS

THE PRODIGY star LIAM HOWLETT has attacked electronic rivals the BEASTIE BOYS' new album, labelling it "dated" and "c*ap".

The pioneering British artist is disappointed the American rappers' new offering TO THE FIVE BOROUGHS fails to capture the sounds of contemporary music, even though their rhymes continue to astound him.

It's not the first time the two bands have traded bitter words - after The Prodigy released their single SMACK MY B*TCH UP in 1997, the Beastie Boys rang them up complaining the song incited violence against women.

Howlett says, "I thought the Beastie Boys' new one was a real let-down. They're great rhymers but the beats are no good, it's just weak and dated.

"They had a go at us about Smack My B*tch Up. One of them rang me up to tell me off, saying, 'Oh, this is encouraging violence.' I mean, I don't ring them up and tell them their album's c*ap, do I?'"

25/08/2004 17:24

[ToucanSpam]

The prodigy are washed up fuckfaces who sucked. period. Fuck Prodigy. Who has sold more albums? who has more crediblity? I hate it when stupid shitheads from bands try to bring down a better artist. The Prodigy dont deserve to me in any spotlight, except maybe one thats attatched to a machine gun turret in a death camp for shitty bands........Dated......shut the fuck up man, your music sucks and you are tone deaf.

[Extra Cheese]

TO THE FIVE BOROUGHS fails to capture the sounds of contemporary music,

have any of their albums ever captured the sounds of contemporary music??? i know licensed to ill didnt, paul's boutique definately didnt, check your head definately didnt, hello nasty didnt.

[Travis Bickle]

Good to know, because ever since I first listened to TT5B I have been constantly wondering what what's-his-name-from-that-group-that-made-that-fire-song-ten-years-ago thought of it.

Looking forward to a non-sleepless night tonight.

Finally.

Next.

[zoejones]

I just saw the video for the new Prodigy single today and I was quite disappointed. I don't know many of their songs but I liked Firestarter and even Smack My Bitch Up. Their new song isn't very good. I tried to like it but I couldn't. Then I came on here and saw this post.

And I love TT5B, by the bye.

[Miramanee]

I would like to point out that Contactmusic.com's article doesn't disclose the whole story about the disagreement between the two bands. This is the dealio as I recall it.

In August 1998, Beastie Boys headlined the Reading Festival (http://www.readingfestival.com) in England, where Prodigy was also on the festival line-up. They reportedly approached Liam Howlett and asked him to drop "Smack My Bitch Up" from Prodigy's set list because they felt it promoted violence against women.

Howlett's response to their request was to go out on stage and start with the song. From the stage, he shouted, "I do what the fuck I want!"

Later, when Beastie Boys took the stage, Adam Horovitz simply commented, "Where I come from, [saying] 'Smack my bitch up' isn't very cool."

The press picked up on the tension between the bands and made a big deal about it. What resulted was a lot of negative press for the Beastie Boys. The press took the position that the Beastie Boys should be the last band to lecture anyone about the treatment of women.

So there you go.

-Miramanee, who thinks Prodigy are a bunch of posers

[sureshot]

ain't prodigy just some one hit wonder band?

[iLL kID]

I WOULD LOVE A DISS TRACK CALLING PRODIGY OUT . THERE BITCHES ANYWAYS

[computer_action]

It's cheesy to quote but they really said it best on Pass The Mic:
"A lot of people get jealous, they're talking about me but that's just cause they haven't got a thing to say."

They're entitled to their opinion but in the end...who really cares what they think? As far as I'm concerned, who the fuck is Prodigy anyway? Yeah. :)

[Deep_Sea_Rain]

Well, I won't be able to sleep tonight knowing that Prodigy dislikes the latest Beastie Boys album. Thanks. :D

Prodigy is a joke, always has been. Their opinion of the album matters to me about as much as my grandmother's.

[BeastyGurl]

Prodigy has always sucked!! they are one hit wonders and come to think about it what song did they sing? No one cares and they are just jelous that the Beastie are remembered for more then "fight for your right" and they didn't live past their "big start"

so fuck prodigy

[Land Park]

Didn't the prodigy even sample the beasties? I think it was mike d...

[Miramanee]

Didn't the prodigy even sample the beasties? I think it was mike d...

Yes, Prodigy sampled "Root Down" in their song "Funky Shit."

A sample of Mike saying "Oh my god, that's the funky shit!" is repeated throughout the song. I believe the song also uses a drum loop from "Root Down."


-Miramanee

[tpk]

that's adrock that says oh my god that's the funky shit.

anyway, no prodigy is definitely not a one hit wonder band. they've done some good stuff on both their previous albums. (y)

but i'm still not a fan or anything.

[pm0ney]

When the Beasties look at their platinum plaque for TT5B, I'm sure Prodigy is the last thing on their mind.

[ASHLEY]

Prodigy sucks, who cares what they say anyway (n)

[Elusive]

"Smack my Bitch Up" is actually an ultramagnetic M.C.s song, and native new york artist Kool Keith is the one said it, and was sampled. It was origionally hip hop. British dance scene used alot of Ultramagnetic M.C.s and other late 80's hip hop beats to make their dance music in the 90's. So, that was giving props back to who they got ideas from. "Smack my bitch up" is really about a GIRL who beaks shit and slaps people, according to the video. Any one who smacks their bitch up because a song said it was going to smack their bitch up anyway (and is also a peice of shit). But, I can understand why the B-Boys and women in general would find it very offensive. But, it was supposed to be offensive, and only a joke. Freedom of speach. Beastie boys had violence in thier songs to, and it was just joking. Is violence against a man not as bad as violence against a woman? But, that song is dated now. Both of them. Oh yea, and prodigy also have those dancers who look like mutant idiots.

[sethomas]

prodigy is anything but a one hit wonder....do ya homework.

[Elusive]

Prodigy did start things, and were ripped off by many peoples, including Chemical Brotheres, Crystal Method, all that type stuff. They had dark kinda stuff and others came along and added to or watered down their thing. I'm not a big fan, but credit is due where it is (due).

[Miramanee]

No matter how Prodigy intended the song title to be interpreted, the phrase "smack my bitch up" is offensive terminology and derogatory to women. Such a title could only have been chosen for the purpose of shocking people, which lacks wit IMO.

Another stupid thing Prodigy did on the album that lame song was on was quote Herman Goering, founder of the Gestapo, in the liner notes. Losers.

-Miramanee

[Lilb]

No matter how Prodigy intended the song title to be interpreted, the phrase "smack my bitch up" is offensive terminology and derogatory to women. Such a title could only have been chosen for the purpose of shocking people, which lacks wit IMO.

Another stupid thing Prodigy did on the album that lame song was on was quote Herman Goering, founder of the Gestapo, in the liner notes. Losers.

-Miramanee


Oh, and this is America, where you could say what you want, art is not the same to everyone...
We are entitled to like what we want to like...and say what we want to say, right?
But, just because you may find "Smack my bitch up" offensive and derogatory doesn't mean others do, quit trying to fight about it so hard...
get over it... :cool:

[ShortyGurly624]

alright, i'm gonna straight up say this, i don't know who the fuck prodigy is, but having a song entitled smack my bitch up is rediculous. yeah i know, the beasties have said stuff about violence and whatever, but for prodigy to go and say that tt5b has no beat or whatever, that's just dumb. cause it does. ok, i'm done. lol :D

[Elusive]

What if it was called "punch my friend in the face?" or "hit some random guy"
everyone would love it. Ahh... I don't even want to argue first amendment and such....nevermind....

[ChrisLove]

Prodigy are no one hit wonder but they have certainly had their day. I dont think Liam Howlett is in a position to call anyones album crap, after their last single (Can't remember what it was called but it was about Rohypnol) was so slated by the music press the prodigy scrapped their next album.

By all accounts their new one is pretty weak too.

I was at that Reading gig - funny shit (y)

Also interesting fact about the Prodigy, Keith Flint who is in many ways the 'face' of the prodigy and thought of as lead vocalist has only ever actually appeared on 5 Prodigy tracks.None on the new album either.

[Kid Presentable]

Liam Howlett had to take time to find out what he was about on this album. Thank fuck his wife and her dumbass sister weren't on this shit.. Still it's wacker than anything I've heard in a long time, it doesn't capture the sound of contemporary music at all, just sounds like a mid-90's big-beat time warp. Eat a dick Liam Howlett, your time's up.........

[Extra Cheese]

"Smack my Bitch Up" is actually an ultramagnetic M.C.s song,


its just a line not a whole song

[Miramanee]

just because you may find "Smack my bitch up" offensive and derogatory doesn't mean others do, quit trying to fight about it so hard...get over it

Read critically. I'm not fighting for anything here. I simply am attempting to explain the position that the Beastie Boys and a lot of other people took at the time the song was released. And by "a lot of other people," I mean all the retailers in America who removed the album from the shelves; MTV, who at first would not show the video except in the wee hours and then later banned it; the BBC, who banned the song on their radio stations and the video on TV; and various women groups worldwide who spoke out against the song.

I never said that I personally was offended by the song; I said what people didn't like was the title, which is offensive and derogatory in its composition (which I do agree with). Words + words = a negative effect.

Maybe a simple comparison will help you to better understand the opposition to the song title? You might be able to get away with saying, "Fuck you, asshole" (pardon my French) to your best friend and not offend him or her if you say it a certain way. However, say the same thing to a policeman, the cashier at the supermarket, the postman, etc. and you're likely going to get a different response. For an audience larger than one or one with whom you are not intimate, such a phrase is not really suitable. It's generally considered inflammatory. So was the case and reaction to the Prodigy song.

My own opinion, as I stated earlier, is the title is not very clever. It was chosen for the purpose of creating controversy. Controversy should result from something natural -- not be contrived by the artist for the explicit purpose of getting attention.

-Miramanee

[Lilb]

Read critically. I'm not fighting for anything here. I simply am attempting to explain the position that the Beastie Boys and a lot of other people took at the time the song was released. And by "a lot of other people," I mean all the retailers in America who removed the album from the shelves; MTV, who at first would not show the video except in the wee hours and then later banned it; the BBC, who banned the song on their radio stations and the video on TV; and various women groups worldwide who spoke out against the song.

I never said that I personally was offended by the song; I said what people didn't like was the title, which is offensive and derogatory in its composition (which I do agree with). Words + words = a negative effect.

Maybe a simple comparison will help you to better understand the opposition to the song title? You might be able to get away with saying, "Fuck you, asshole" (pardon my French) to your best friend and not offend him or her if you say it a certain way. However, say the same thing to a policeman, the cashier at the supermarket, the postman, etc. and you're likely going to get a different response. For an audience larger than one or one with whom you are not intimate, such a phrase is not really suitable. It's generally considered inflammatory. So was the case and reaction to the Prodigy song.

My own opinion, as I stated earlier, is the title is not very clever. It was chosen for the purpose of creating controversy. Controversy should result from something natural -- not be contrived by the artist for the explicit purpose of getting attention.

-Miramanee

What the fuck is art?
Is art not meant with a purpose of gettting attention? Has art not always caused controversy. What would art be if it never caused controversy?

And many people have been banned from the playing videos on television,
but did you also forget that many people have been banned from the radio to? Louie, Louie was once banned from the radio, why? Because people misperceived the connotation of the lyrics....

Anyway, Smack can mean a kiss
and bitch can mean female dog right? lol

Controversy should result from something natural -- not be contrived by the artist for the explicit purpose of getting attention.......hahahahaha you don't
make sense...How could controversy ever be contrived from something natural? How could that really happen? It can't.

And your "french" sucks.. ;) :)

[Happyrunr]

THIS is Hilarious!:

Have you heard about the Reading 98 Wars? What happened was that the Beastie Boys asked the Prodigy not to play Smack My Bitch Up at Reading Festival 1998, and when they did play it, the whole thing became a minor scandal. You read the full story on the Stories Page. NME has published an article making fun of Liam and Adam Yauch – it contained funny versions of the letters the two people wrote to each other. So, here they are:
To Liam
Hi Liam. Adam Yauch here. Hey, cool that we’re gonna be sharing the main stage at Reading, we think your stuff is cool, but we’ve just got one little problem. That ’Smack My Bitch Up’ single. See, we learned some months ago that it isn’t cool to treat women as objects. You certainly aren’t allowed to hit them. They can hit you, but you can’t hit them. You can’t even pat them on the ass any more. Although they can you. Anyway, those are the rules, guys, we have to respect one another these days. You might disagree, but if we didn’t have rules, what would we have left? Yes, that’s right, anarchy! So in that spirit, we’d ask you not to play ’Smack My Bitch Up’ and pretend the song never existed.
Yours, Adam Yauch.

To Adam Yauch
I’m totally, totally sickened by your letter. No-one, totally no-one tells the Prodigy what to do and anyway it’s totally obvious to anyone that listens to the song in its total totality that it’s totally not about what you might think it’s about at all, it’s totally about what it’s about and I think that’s totally clear to anyone who isn’t totally brain-dead and I’m totally unprepared to explain myself because no-one, totally no-one tells me what to do because this is Essex not Nazi Germany and once people are telling you not to hit women the next thing that happens is total totalitarianism, eg. HITLER and all that and anyway, for all you know, the song could be about something totally different, eg. a dog!
Yours totally, Liam

To Liam
Sorry, I’m not really buying the dog explanation and in any case that’s almost as bad because you shouldn’t be cruel to animals either, particularly not to dogs, especially not female dogs, although they’re allowed to bite you sometimes. That’s how it is, but we’re prepared to be reasonable. Maybe you could, like, play the song with a slightly different title. The guys and I came up with a couple of suggestions: 1) ’Scratch My Itch Up’ 2) ’Smack My Ketchup’. I think that’s stuff everybody can relate to, especially the ketchup one, y’know when it takes a ton of time to ooze out and you have to, like, smack the bottle. I think that’s stuff you can sing without compromising your kick-ass, pissed-off attitude. C’mon, let’s rock’n’roll! But let’s rock’n’roll responsibly, Ketchup. Think about it.
Yours, Adam Yauch
PS. It might be cool if, in addition, one of you guys wore a dress to show your solidarity with, and respect for women.

To Yauch
Ketchup? Totally fuck off! We’re totally playing the song in its totality! If we don’t that’s censorship and disgusting fascism and in a way that’s worse than smacking bitches up. But Keith says he’s bonkers for the dress idea.
Yours, Liam

[DJ_Skrilla]

Beastie Diss Track against Prodigy

Um you guys didnt hear that Hey Fuck You is actually meant towards Prodigy?

Damn you all must be out of the game.

Pick up an XXL one of these days.

gotta bounce eminem is on the celly...

[funkycains]

The Prodigy were dope once upon a time, their (I say their, but there's only one guy in the group now) new CD is pretty cool but only has like 3 strong tracks on it. TT5B is a far better CD and clever with its lyrics. Pick a fight you can win prodigy!

[Bourgie]

This is just a guess...but..uh this Liam Howlett says "totally" a lot doesn't he?

[like2_drink]

man who the hells prodigy to be dissin the b.boys? .. for that matter who the hell are prodigy?

[cypressphil]

The Prodigy are quality!
'Smack My Bitch Up' is a great track with or without the sample. It aint a song, there aint no lyrics, justa sample of Kool Keith from the song 'Give The Drummer Some' from Critical Beatdown - 'Change my pitch up, smack my bitch up, like a pimp'. Kool Keith appears on several Pordigy tracks.
The original is played at the start of the Prodigy's mix album - The Dirt Chamber Sessions Vol 1 which is quality & includes lots of hip hop inc the BBoys.
The BBoys shouldnt have told the Prodigy or anyone else what to or not to play at a gig. I was there @ Reading '98 & both bands rocked, BBoys played straight after the Prodigy.
Liam Howlett should nt have bad mouthed the TT5B's, all it accomplished is this - bringing up the past which was blown out of proportion anyway.
Liam Howlett wanted to work with the BBoys prior to the incident being a fan himself but now doesnt, a shame I think.
Anyway who knows what Kool Keith originally meant, bitch can refer to more than a woman.

[Parkey]

Prodigy, one hit wonders? Jesus wept. They caputured a generation with their Jilted album in the UK. I was at Reading that year and I can assure you that the Beasties came out of that whole thing looking like knobheads. The Prodigy are by no means Proust, but they made a fair point about censorship and the Beasties have apologised numerous time in print for what they said at the time.

Also Prodigy always open with Smack My Bitch Up. It wasn't a finger up to the Beasties.

[Abe Froman]

All always choose FOTL vs TT5B anyday.

[dankdaddy jorun]

The press took the position that the Beastie Boys should be the last band to lecture anyone about the treatment of women.

im not a fan of prodigy or anything, but y'know...he's right...

Mike D has spoken up against censorship years ago... and well, the Beasties used to have huge inflatable penises onstage during the 'license to ill" tour and yes.... on "ask for Janice", they said "i took her to the place/ put the mattress in her face/... took off her shirt/...took off her bra/...took off her pants/...u know what i saw?". I think the beasties are being very hypocritical here. Asking someone else to change their lyrics about shit they talked about in their past is just dumb.

sorry i love the beasties, but i gotta call a spade a spade

[Monsieur Decuts]

cr*p?

are we kidding ourselves? are we in an "A" shortage? I though cr*p was what you said when you didnt want to say sh*t.

What's the new cr*p? We need to inform these people so they can have their conversations transcribed without asterixs.

[bartosz]

But truly Prodigy new album is really good and created for small group of people....

[iLL kID]

FUCK PRODIGY , FUCKIN BITCHES

[Yauch]

THIS is Hilarious!:

Have you heard about the Reading 98 Wars? What happened was that the Beastie Boys asked the Prodigy not to play Smack My Bitch Up at Reading Festival 1998, and when they did play it, the whole thing became a minor scandal. You read the full story on the Stories Page. NME has published an article making fun of Liam and Adam Yauch – it contained funny versions of the letters the two people wrote to each other. So, here they are:
To Liam
Hi Liam. Adam Yauch here. Hey, cool that we’re gonna be sharing the main stage at Reading, we think your stuff is cool, but we’ve just got one little problem. That ’Smack My Bitch Up’ single. See, we learned some months ago that it isn’t cool to treat women as objects. You certainly aren’t allowed to hit them. They can hit you, but you can’t hit them. You can’t even pat them on the ass any more. Although they can you. Anyway, those are the rules, guys, we have to respect one another these days. You might disagree, but if we didn’t have rules, what would we have left? Yes, that’s right, anarchy! So in that spirit, we’d ask you not to play ’Smack My Bitch Up’ and pretend the song never existed.
Yours, Adam Yauch.

To Adam Yauch
I’m totally, totally sickened by your letter. No-one, totally no-one tells the Prodigy what to do and anyway it’s totally obvious to anyone that listens to the song in its total totality that it’s totally not about what you might think it’s about at all, it’s totally about what it’s about and I think that’s totally clear to anyone who isn’t totally brain-dead and I’m totally unprepared to explain myself because no-one, totally no-one tells me what to do because this is Essex not Nazi Germany and once people are telling you not to hit women the next thing that happens is total totalitarianism, eg. HITLER and all that and anyway, for all you know, the song could be about something totally different, eg. a dog!
Yours totally, Liam

To Liam
Sorry, I’m not really buying the dog explanation and in any case that’s almost as bad because you shouldn’t be cruel to animals either, particularly not to dogs, especially not female dogs, although they’re allowed to bite you sometimes. That’s how it is, but we’re prepared to be reasonable. Maybe you could, like, play the song with a slightly different title. The guys and I came up with a couple of suggestions: 1) ’Scratch My Itch Up’ 2) ’Smack My Ketchup’. I think that’s stuff everybody can relate to, especially the ketchup one, y’know when it takes a ton of time to ooze out and you have to, like, smack the bottle. I think that’s stuff you can sing without compromising your kick-ass, pissed-off attitude. C’mon, let’s rock’n’roll! But let’s rock’n’roll responsibly, Ketchup. Think about it.
Yours, Adam Yauch
PS. It might be cool if, in addition, one of you guys wore a dress to show your solidarity with, and respect for women.

To Yauch
Ketchup? Totally fuck off! We’re totally playing the song in its totality! If we don’t that’s censorship and disgusting fascism and in a way that’s worse than smacking bitches up. But Keith says he’s bonkers for the dress idea.
Yours, Liam


that's some funny shit, but i wasn't even the one that talked to him. it was horovitz that called him up.

[Extra Cheese]

i think you're supposed to be on the radio right now... dont be late

[Parkey]

that's some funny shit, but i wasn't even the one that talked to him. it was horovitz that called him up.
see that's ruined my mental image of the whole thing. I was hoping it was some kind of conference call with the Prodigy's Essex accents and you Noow Yorkers having an argey bargey all at once...

[Miramanee]

i wasn't even the one that talked to him. it was horovitz that called him up.
I suspected so. Thanks for clarifying that matter.

-M

[Gabriely]

see that's ruined my mental image of the whole thing. I was hoping it was some kind of conference call with the Prodigy's Essex accents and you Noow Yorkers having an argey bargey all at once...
hahaha

[soulglow78]

personally i thought "charlie" was one of the most indepth songs of the 90s and you must all sit up and listen when liam wots his puss gives his ;) well judged reveiw on an album

[SpuffyRJ]

Smack My Ketchup’. I think that’s stuff everybody can relate to, especially the ketchup one, y’know when it takes a ton of time to ooze out and you have to, like, smack the bottle. I think that’s stuff you can sing without compromising your kick-ass, pissed-off attitude. C’mon, let’s rock’n’roll! But let’s rock’n’roll responsibly, Ketchup. Think about it.

LOl that's halarious!! Totally tho I can totally relate to that.. when the ketchup doesn't feel like coming out.

[DutchDisaster]

Anyone tried to listen to this "always outnumbered never outgunned" disaster?
Well I did , can hardly call this music, what a piece of crap.
Shitheads like this commenting on the best album of 2004 can not be taken serious if you ask me.
Bunch of jealous junkies they are,Fuck 'm.

[beastieibe]

this is kind of a cool beef....nice of yauch to respond too

if you read into it alot tho lots of beastie boys songs could have been directed to prodigy...prodigy is allright but nothing compared to the beastie boys
and if your down with prodigy then fuck you to

[gist]

hopefully, a beastie boys album will never sound like contemporary music. liam's an idiot.