Trailblazing hip hop group formed by three Jewish kids from New York City (Brooklyn and Manhattan). Though best known for their hip hop revivalism which draws from early hip hop like Run DMC and Grandmaster Flash, the group doubled as a raw hardcore act and spent some of their early days performing with bands like Bad Brains.

The band's hardcore material remains a staple of their live performances though it has not appeared on their recordings since the 1995 release of Ill Communication.

The main members are Mike D (Michael Diamond), MCA (Adam Yauch) and Ad–Rock (Adam Horovitz).