'Sabotage', widely regarded as the Beastie Boys' signature track, very nearly missed its place on their 1994 album Ill Communication. It was the last song completed for the record, with its now-iconic vocals only recorded two weeks before the album was finished, having originally existed purely as an instrumental jam.

The track began when Adam "Ad-Rock" Yauch developed a bass riff using a Superfuzz pedal, which was then built up by Eric Bobo on timbales and Mike D on drums. Producer Mario Caldato Jr recalled that the instrumental was nicknamed "Chris Rock" after an enthusiastic studio owner, and stayed untitled for some time until Ad-Rock, days before the record's completion, insisted on trying vocals again, recording them in one or two takes at Caldato's home studio before the band added the "Listen all y'all" refrain and scratches to finish it.