My favourite band is the American hip hop group from New York... the Beastie Boys!!! Know of them?
I have heard of them before - are they popular now or were they popular several years back?
Well they were formed in the 80's, 1981 to be exact and are no longer active as a group.
Ah, I see.  That would explain why I have heard of them because I was really into regular music back then.  Now I mostly listen to Christian contemporary and so am not "up with the times" so to speak.
So funny, speaking of genres, the Beastie Boys actually started as a hard core punk band! How do you go from punk to hip hop? 
Maybe they thought they would get more of a following that way?  That is pretty different genres!
Well, hip hop is more than just a genre- it is a culture! Maybe they wanted to engage in the practice of an amazing subculture!
Ah, I understand now.  Perhaps that is what they wanted - maybe someone influenced them during the time they were doing the hard core punk.
I mean-  they were cultured! They even toured with Madonna in the 80's!
Now her, I remember!  She was/is a force to be sure.