Beastie Boys - Sure Shot

What this video is

Released in 1994 as the third single from Ill Communication, 'Sure Shot' arrived at a cultural inflection point: Beastie Boys had completed a widely noted artistic and ethical evolution from their Licensed to Ill-era provocations. The song's lyrical content — including an explicit acknowledgment of and apology for past disrespect toward women — made it a notable document of mid-90s hip-hop's grappling with…

Why it matters

A canonical artifact of mid-90s alternative hip-hop visual culture, Sure Shot demonstrates how hip-hop and skate subcultures were converging in both sound and image by 1994. Jonze's documentary-inflected, performance-first approach contrasted sharply with the glossy production values of mainstream…

The director

Born Adam Spiegel on October 22, 1969, in Rockville, Maryland. Began career photographing BMX and skateboarding for Freestylin' Magazine and Transworld Skateboarding. Co-founded youth culture magazine Dirt and skateboard company Girl Skateboards (1993).…