After several hard fought years Adam “MCA” Yauch from the Beastie Boys has tragically lost his battle with throat cancer. His death is especially sad for everyone within the hip-hop community – his insightful lyrics, witty rhymes & unique style & delivery influenced generations.
With fellow members Michael “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Adrock” Horovitz, the Beastie Boys sold over 40 million records, released four #1 albums (including the first hip hop album ever to top the Billboard 200) whilst their 1986 debut record “Licensed To Ill” won three Grammys.
Last month Beastie Boys were finally & rightfully inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Away from the stage though, Adam Yauch was a humanitarian who campaigned intensely to raise awareness and promoted the “Free Tibet” movement. He founded the Milarepa Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness and activism regarding the injustices perpetrated on native Tibetans by Chinese occupational government and military forces.
In 1996, Milarepa produced the first Tibetan Freedom Concert in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, which was attended by 100,000 people, making it the biggest benefit concert on U.S. soil since 1985′s Live Aid.
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke wrote:
“We looked up to the Beastie Boys a lot when we were starting out and how they maintained artistic control making wicked records but still were on a major label, and the Tibetan Freedom Concerts they organized had a very big influence on me personally and the way Adam conducted himself and dealt with it all impressed me a lot. He was a mellow and very smart guy. May he rest in peace”.
In honor of his efforts both on and off the mic, we’d thought we’d put up some of the best Beastie Boys tracks for you to all enjoy.
This one’s for you Adam, thank you for being the change you wanted to see in the world.
(If you don’t see the playlist below, click here to listen)
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