For some reason, when most people think about the first commercially successful white rapper, Vanilla Ice is the name that comes to mind. Other people give the nod to Eminem, as he was the first white rapper to be fully embraced by the culture. Sadly, the Beastie Boys rarely get the credit they deserve as successful white rappers despite preceding Snow and 3rd Base. More importantly, Def Jam records would've most likely died on the vine without the Beastie Boys' crossover hits.
Whether due to their significantly larger appeal in the white community or their jovial nature, the Beastie Boys have never had an easy road to acceptance within hip hop. However, the amount of props they receive is irrelevant because the Beasties are, without question, among the top three rap groups of all time. In the video linked above, Murs and Hip Hop DX defend a controversial position: that the Beasties are the greatest rap group in history.
