The music world was rocked today when it was revealed that the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch (aka MCA) had succumbed to cancer at the age of 47. The Beastie Boys have now posted a message about their bandmate.
"It is with great sadness that we confirm that musician, rapper, activist and director Adam 'MCA' Yauch, founding member of Beastie Boys and also of the Milarepa Foundation that produced the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits, and film production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories, passed away in his native New York City this morning after a near-three-year battle with cancer," the group said in a statement. The official obituary goes on to highlight Yauch's astounding career, from his accomplishments with the Beastie Boys, to his charity work, to his directing career. You can read the statement in full here.
Shortly after news of Yauch's passing broke, friends, fans and musicians shocked by his death took to their Twitter accounts to pay tribute to the hip-hop pioneer.
Among the outpouring of support were many of the group's past collaborators and tour mates, including A Tribe Called Quest spitter Q-Tip, who posted "RIP yauch and thank u mike and adam n adam 4 all of your help, the tours, the bball games, n great times. a humanitarian a tru friend."
Biz Markie, who appeared on Check Your Head's "The Biz vs. The Nuge" wrote "A VERY SPECIAL R.I.P. TO ADAM YAUCH FROM THEBEASTIE BOYS MY BROTHER YOU ARE GONNA BE TRULY MISSED MY HEART IS HEAVY."
Def Jam owner Russell Simmons, who helped launch the Beastie's career by releasing their 1986 debut License to Ill posted on his Global Grind blog "I was always inspired by his work. He will be missed by all of us," while his brother Rev Run of Run DMC, who took the band on their Raising Hell tour in 1987, tweeted "R I P Adam… I'm devastated. Praying for Adam Yauch's family from the legendary Beastie Boys. You'll be missed!"
Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic wrote, "Adam Yauch #RIPMCA. Thank you for Sabotage bass riff and many other great grooves. Adam also worked for justice and peace consciousness."
Other tributary tweets came from the Roots' Questlove, Estelle, Common, Tom Morello, among others.
A number of Canadian musicians were also affected by Yauch's death. Cadence Weapon weighed in by revealing "paul's boutique is my favorite album ever." Broken Social Scene, meanwhile, delivered the following tribute: "unbelievable loss. A force in Hip Hop that sounds like no other. He made so many incredible records with the boys. RIP"
A-Trak confided "'So What Cha Want' made me get into hip hop, straight up. We used to dress like those dudes. Study the album art, the samples," while Tiga explained that "Beasties single handedly introduced irony to a generation. Not to mention hip hop. And humor. And DIY. And mullets. And....the list goes on."
Fans and friends will no doubt offer their love and respect to the end. R.I.P. MCA.
"It is with great sadness that we confirm that musician, rapper, activist and director Adam 'MCA' Yauch, founding member of Beastie Boys and also of the Milarepa Foundation that produced the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits, and film production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories, passed away in his native New York City this morning after a near-three-year battle with cancer," the group said in a statement. The official obituary goes on to highlight Yauch's astounding career, from his accomplishments with the Beastie Boys, to his charity work, to his directing career. You can read the statement in full here.
Shortly after news of Yauch's passing broke, friends, fans and musicians shocked by his death took to their Twitter accounts to pay tribute to the hip-hop pioneer.
Among the outpouring of support were many of the group's past collaborators and tour mates, including A Tribe Called Quest spitter Q-Tip, who posted "RIP yauch and thank u mike and adam n adam 4 all of your help, the tours, the bball games, n great times. a humanitarian a tru friend."
Biz Markie, who appeared on Check Your Head's "The Biz vs. The Nuge" wrote "A VERY SPECIAL R.I.P. TO ADAM YAUCH FROM THEBEASTIE BOYS MY BROTHER YOU ARE GONNA BE TRULY MISSED MY HEART IS HEAVY."
Def Jam owner Russell Simmons, who helped launch the Beastie's career by releasing their 1986 debut License to Ill posted on his Global Grind blog "I was always inspired by his work. He will be missed by all of us," while his brother Rev Run of Run DMC, who took the band on their Raising Hell tour in 1987, tweeted "R I P Adam… I'm devastated. Praying for Adam Yauch's family from the legendary Beastie Boys. You'll be missed!"
Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic wrote, "Adam Yauch #RIPMCA. Thank you for Sabotage bass riff and many other great grooves. Adam also worked for justice and peace consciousness."
Other tributary tweets came from the Roots' Questlove, Estelle, Common, Tom Morello, among others.
A number of Canadian musicians were also affected by Yauch's death. Cadence Weapon weighed in by revealing "paul's boutique is my favorite album ever." Broken Social Scene, meanwhile, delivered the following tribute: "unbelievable loss. A force in Hip Hop that sounds like no other. He made so many incredible records with the boys. RIP"
A-Trak confided "'So What Cha Want' made me get into hip hop, straight up. We used to dress like those dudes. Study the album art, the samples," while Tiga explained that "Beasties single handedly introduced irony to a generation. Not to mention hip hop. And humor. And DIY. And mullets. And....the list goes on."
Fans and friends will no doubt offer their love and respect to the end. R.I.P. MCA.
