In 2009, MCA announced he was being treated for a cancerous parotid gland and a lymph node (below). He has since undergone surgery and radiation therapy.
So far, it's not clear if the death is related to the rapper's battle with cancer.
Russell Simmons' website GlobalGrind.com first reported the death. We have spoken to people independently connected to the rapper who also say he is dead.
MCA co-founded Beastie Boys in 1979 with Mike D, and Ad Rock ... and went on to churn out some of the most iconic albums in hip-hop ... including License to Ill, Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head and Ill Communication. The group has won multiple Grammys and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year.
The Beastie Boys haven't performed live since summer 2009 -- and during one of their last ever performances at Bonnaroo that June, MCA appeared noticeably less energetic than his group mates. MCA recently became a vegan at the recommendation of his Tibetan doctors.
The Beastie Boys' most recent music video was released last year for the song "Make Some Noise" -- and it stars a laundry list of A-listers, including Rashida Jones, Will Arnett, Rainn Wilson, Amy Poehler, Steve Buscemi, Kirsten Dunst, Zach Galifianakis, Orlando Bloom, Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, and Jack Black.
Yauch is survived by his wife and daughter. He was 47.
5 comments:
Drag, only 47! That bites.
If you're like me, you understand that the post-Ill Communication Beastie Boys quickly evolved into extremely talented musicians, but you have a hard time listening to them for more than a song or two= because the vocals sound harsh. In that case, check out The In Sound From Way Out. It's a collection of the mellower instrumental tunes from their first several albums and one of my oft-listened to albums.
We are currently listening to that exact album. I love it.
One time in 2001 I was at a big rager in the Berkshires that my sister brought me to, in a huge amazing house that my sister's friend was housesitting. (So of course he had a huge party, like in the movies). I kept going over to the stereo and putting on "Hello Nasty," which was just hitting the perfect vibe...and then somebody would take it off. So I would just go over to the CD player and put it on again, starting at the beginning, and then right around the second track somebody took it off (and put on some fucking Marley or something). Finally after about four times I decided to lie in wait and see who the fuck was taking off the Beasties. And it was my sister! I was like, you know, "What the hell are you doing?" She was very peevish. Anyway I love that album, and "The In Sound From Way Out," and all of it. I'm sad.
Somehow that is classic Jordan and Logan. What a great B-Boys story.
You know those Greek style "We are happy to serve you" coffee cups that you see everywhere in the millions of stores that sell cheap coffee? For several weeks in NYC, all the shops in the vicinity of Times Squares replaced those with Hello Nasty-promoting coffee cups. I'm pretty sure I still have a couple somewhere.
Ah. Just saw this: "For the appearance on Saturday Night Live in New York City, coffee vendors around the studio had appropriately themed paper cups."
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