Synopsis

Set against the neon-lit streets of Tokyo, the Beastie Boys appear as construction workers while a giant robot arrives and begins tearing through the city. The machine soon faces an enormous octopus-headed monster, turning the clip into a playful miniature spectacle of destruction, dancing, and monster-movie combat. The trio's deadpan performance contrasts with the exaggerated action around them, creating a lively homage to Japanese kaiju and giant-robot cinema.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video draws heavily on Japanese kaiju and mecha movies, including the television series Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot.

• The giant robot was performed by Sweepy, a member of the Rock Steady Crew, while Joey Garfield played the octopus monster.

• The clip became a regular on MTV's Total Request Live and won Best Hip-Hop Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.

• "Intergalactic" also won the Beastie Boys the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

• A longer spin-off, The Robot vs. the Octopus Monster Saga, was included in the Beastie Boys Video Anthology. The special edition presented it as a director's-cut expansion of the video's monster-movie concept.