Adam Yauch (August 5, 1964 – May 4, 2012), MCA of The Beastie Boys, rapper, bassist, activist. In middle school, my friends and I would lip-sync every word to “Paul Revere.” In high school, Paul’s Boutique changed the way I thought about musical construction, and nothing was as satisfying to play on my bass guitar as MCA’s killer line from “Gratitude.” And in college, tracks from Hello Nasty were always in the air.
In addition to his musical pursuits, Adam founded the independent film company Oscilloscope Laboratories. Using the pseudonym Nathaniel Hornblower, he directed many of the Beastie Boys’ videos. A practicing Buddhist, he supported the Tibetan independence movement. He succumbed to salivary gland cancer at age 47.
Thanks for the music MCA, and may we never rock the mic with the pantyhose.