Truly awful news. After a two-year battle with cancer, Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys has passed, at age 47. Yauch, known to fans by his stage-name MCA, co-founded the group with friends Michael (Mike D) Diamond and Adam (Ad-Rock) Horovitz in 1979 as a punk band, before transitioning into rap in the mid-80s. Yauch announced he had a tumor in 2009.
Yauch also founded the Tibetan Freedom Concert series which helped bring the plight of Tibet into the world consciousness. He was a practicing Buddhist. He directed many of the Beastie Boys’ videos under his filmmaker alter-ego Nathaniel Hornblower. He founded the music and independent film distribution label Oscilloscope Laboratories in 2002.
He also helped bring a lot of joy to my life. Their music means a lot to me and has since I was a pup cruising the suburbs on my BMX, blasting “Check your Head” on my walkman. I have so many good memories courtesy of the Beasties.
Our prayers go out to Yauch’s family and the entire Beastie Boys family.
One Fat Frog • 11473 S. Orange Blossom Trail • Orlando, FL • 407-480-3409