Adam Yauch, who rocked the mic for more the 30 years as a founding member of the platinum-selling hip-hop act the Beastie Boys, has died. The rapper, who also went by the stage name MCA, was 47.
The news was initially made public by Russell Simmons, the hip-hop honcho
whose Def Jam label released the Beasties' landmark 1986 debut, "Licensed to
Ill" -- a work that greatly helped popularize rap music in America.
Although the cause of death was not immediately known, Yauch's lengthy
battle with cancer had been in the news for years. He was diagnosed with
cancer in his parotid gland and a lymph node in 2009, which led to radiation
treatments and surgery.
Yauch initially expressed hope that his cancer was "very treatable," but
it began to have a huge impact on the band's career. His illness led to
canceled shows and a nearly two-year delay in the release of the Beastie Boys'
eighth studio effort, "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two," which eventually hit
stores in May 2011. (The Beastie Boys, known as much for their sense of humor
as anything else, never released a "Hot Sauce Committee Part One.")
Most recently, Yauch also wasn't able to attend the Beastie Boys'
induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April. Fellow founding
members Mike D (Michael Diamond) and Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz) were on hand to
accept the honor, and they reportedly read a letter from Yauch thanking the
band's many fans.
The Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock Hall as part of a diversely
impressive cast that also included hard-rockers Guns N' Roses, '60s icon
Donovan, funk-rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers and acclaimed songwriter Laura
Nyro. The Beasties were chosen for both their versatility and their importance
in bringing hip-hop to a wider audience, among other reasons.
"At different times over the past three decades, the Beastie Boys have
been shaven-head punks, hip-hop bad boys, '70s-funk students, political
activists and style icons," reads the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction
memo. "Most important: They have had one of the richest, most important
careers in hip-hop and rock, introducing rap to a huge new audience and then
pushing the frontiers of what a hip-hop group could do."
Founded in 1979, the Beastie Boys debut album, "Licensed to Ill," became
hip-hop's first No. 1 record. The album married rap and rock styles like few
before, or since, and that relationship reached its pinnacle on the bratty,
delightfully obnoxious single "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)."
"Paul Revere," "Brass Monkey" and a number of other tunes from that album are
now considered hip-hop classics.
Impressively, the Beastie Boys -- a trio of white Jewish kids -- were
able to establish themselves as one of the most respected groups in hip-hop at
a time when white rappers were few. Introducing the group at the Rock Hall,
Public Enemy rapper Chuck D said the Beastie Boys "broke the mold."
"The Beastie Boys are indeed three bad brothers who made history," said
Chuck D. "They brought a whole new look to rap and hip-hop. They proved that
rap could come from any street -- not just a few."
After the commercial success of "License to Ill," the Beastie Boys
established themselves as critics' darlings with 1989's "Paul's Boutique," a
work that rewrote the rules of sampling -- in terms of what was fair game for
source material -- and has long been considered one of the greatest hip-hop
albums ever released. The group continued to release groundbreaking,
adventurous albums, including 1994's "Ill Communication" and 1998's "Hello
Nasty," throughout its career. For the past 20 years the release of a Beastie
Boys album was seen as a big occasion in the pop music world.
The Beastie Boys have sold more than 40 million records worldwide, which
makes them one of the most popular hip-hop acts of all time.
Besides rapping, Yauch also had a great interest in film and other media.
He used the pseudonym "Nathanial Hornblower" when directing many of the
Beastie Boys videos. He also directed the Beastie's acclaimed 2006 concert
film, "Awesome; I (Expletive) Shot That!," and the 2008 film "Gunnin' for That
#1 Spot," which dealt with high school basketball prospects.
Yauch is survived by his wife, Dechen Wangdu, and his daughter, Tenzin
Losel Yauch.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
