| "Pass the Mic" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byBeastie Boys | ||||
| from the albumCheck Your Head | ||||
| B-side | "Time for Livin'", "Drunken Praying Mantis Style", "Netty's Girl" | |||
| Released | April 7, 1992 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop,rap rock | |||
| Length | 4:16 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Michael Diamond,Adam Horovitz,Adam Yauch,Mario Caldato Jr. | |||
| Producer(s) | Beastie Boys,Mario Caldato | |||
| Beastie Boys singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Pass the Mic" onYouTube | ||||
"Pass the Mic" is the first single from the third studio albumCheck Your Head by American rap group theBeastie Boys, released on April 7, 1992.
In 2003, Beastie Boys were involved in the landmarksampling decision,Newton v. Diamond. In that case, a federal judge ruled that the band was not liable for samplingJames Newton's "Choir" in their track, "Pass the Mic". The sample used is the six-second flute stab. In short, Beastie Boys cleared the sample but obtained only the rights to use the sound recording and not the composition rights to the song "Choir". In the decision, the judge found that:
when viewed in relation to Newton's composition as a whole, the portion is neither quantitatively nor qualitatively significant... Because Beastie Boys' use of the sound recording was authorized, the sole basis of Newton's infringement action is his remaining copyright interest in the 'Choir' composition. We hold today that Beastie Boys' use of a brief segment of that composition, consisting of three notes separated by a half-step over a background C note, is not sufficient to sustain a claim for copyright infringement.[1]
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[2] | 47 |
| U.S.BillboardHot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[3] | 38 |
