Fam I don't know anyone who was listening to the Beasties and I'm from that era. Every time EPMD put an album out it was the hottest thing in the streets. I respect the BB's but they weren't a part of the culture like that.
LL and Chuck D vouch for them being part of the culture. Can't get more credible than that.
They also not ignorable like 3rd Bass or House of Pain.
Beasties are part of the reason the game went mainstream in a positive non Vanilla Ice kind of way because they were actual artists.
White girls have always paid Hip Hop's bills by actually buying the music.
If it wasnt for the mainstream, rap would have probably remained a regional thing and most rappers wouldnt have had the financial incentive to dedicate their lives to it.
It's an uncomfortable truth, I know.