The 1983 joke song that made Rick Rubin sell 20,000,000 records: “Funny novelty”

A prank song helped Rick Rubin get his start working with the Beastie Boys, leading to his role producing their debut album, *Licensed to Ill*. The story matters because the group’s irreverent early experiment helped launch a major collaboration, and the album later became a huge commercial success.

Rubin recalled that “Cookie Puss” was a funny novelty song popular on college radio, and that the Beastie Boys asked him to be their DJ after making it. He says that connection led to *Licensed to Ill*, which the article says sold 20 million copies. The band later developed its own production approach on albums including *Check Your Head* and *Ill Communication*.