Released April 15, 1986 Recorded Spring 1986 Length 3:27 | Format 7", 12" Genre Hip hop Label Def Jam/Columbia | |
"Hold It Now, Hit It" is a song by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released as the first single from their debut album Licensed to Ill. It is also remixed on the album New York State of Mind.
Contents
In 2008, it was ranked number 27 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
Samples and use in sampling
The song contains samples from "The Return of Leroy" by The Jimmy Castor Bunch, "Drop the Bomb" and "Let's Get Small" by Trouble Funk, "Funky Stuff" by Kool & The Gang, "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" by Bob James, "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow and "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh and MC Ricky D.
The line "Pump it up, homeboy" was sampled by Eric B. & Rakim on their song "As the Rhyme Goes On". The line "Beer drinking, breath stinking, sniffing glue" was sampled by Eazy-E in his song "Boyz-n-the-Hood".
7" single
- "Hold It Now, Hit It" - 3:30
- "Hold It Now, Hit It" (A cappella) - 3:20
12" single
- "Hold It Now, Hit It" - 3:30
- "Hold It Now, Hit It" (Instrumental) - 3:30
- "Hold It Now, Hit It" (A cappella) - 3:20