"Rock Hard" is a single by the Beastie Boys, released by Def Jam Records on 12" in 1984. The track contains samples from the AC/DC song "

Back in Black ''Back in Black'' is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. It was released on 25 July 1980 by Albert Productions and Atlantic Records. It is the band's first album to feature lead singer Brian Johnson, following the death ...

", which was used without obtaining legal permission, causing the record to be withdrawn. Later, when the group planned to include the out-of-print song on their 1999 compilation, '' Beastie Boys Anthology: The Sounds of Science'', AC/DC refused to allow the sample to be used.

Mike D Michael Louis Diamond (born November 20, 1965), better known as Mike D, is an American rapper, musician, and music producer. He is best known as a founding member of the hip hop group Beastie Boys. Early life Diamond was born in New York Cit ...

spoke to AC/DC's Malcolm Young personally on the phone when their lawyers refused to clear the sample, and later said that "AC/DC could not get with the sample concept. They were just like, 'Nothing against you guys, but we just don't endorse sampling.'"

Ad-Rock Adam Keefe Horovitz (born October 31, 1966), popularly known as Ad-Rock, is an American rapper, guitarist and actor. He was a member of the hip-hop group Beastie Boys. While Beastie Boys were active, Horovitz performed with a side project, BS ...

then added "So we told them that we don't endorse people playing guitars." The cover design is also famous for now being the official Def Jam records logo for vinyl releases; to this day, vinyl singles released by Def Jam have this design. Def Jam included the song on their 1987 ''Kick It! The Def Jam Sampler LP'', released in Europe (Cat. No. KIKIT1).

Track listing

References

1984 singles Song recordings produced by Rick Rubin Beastie Boys songs Songs written by Ad-Rock Songs written by Mike D Songs written by Adam Yauch Songs written by Rick Rubin {{1980s-hiphop-album-stub