Adam Yauch
August 5, 1964 – May 4, 2012
Known on stage as MCA, Adam Yauch was a founding member of influential hip hop trio, the Beastie Boys. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Yauch taught himself how to play the bass and formed the Beastie Boys while still in high school. Initially a hardcore punk band, the Beasties began transitioning toward hip hop with their 1983 12-inch record, “Cookie Puss” – which quickly became an underground dance hit in New York City. Within a year, they were full-on hip hop. In 1986, the group released their debut full length, Licensed To Ill, which, with a little help from MTV, made them international stars. The raucous video for the album’s “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)” is one of MTV’s most popular videos of all time. Licensed To Ill went on to sell over 40 million albums worldwide and is considered one of the most influential albums of its era. The Beasties released several more charting albums over the next two decades and in 2012 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Yauch directed many of the group’s videos along with their groundbreaking concert film, Awesome, I Fuckin’ Shot That, which was released in 2006. Away from the Beasties, Yauch produced such albums as Bad Brains‘ Build A Nation. His likeness appeared in video games like NBA Street V3, Tony Hawks Proving Ground, and NBA Jam. In 2009, Adam Yauch learned began treatment for cancerous gland. He ultimately died of cancer on May 4, 2012. He was 47.
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