Which beastie boy died

Adam Yauch a. Adam Yauch , one-third of the pioneering hip-hop group the Beastie Boys , has died at the age of 47, Rolling Stone has learned. Yauch, also known as MCA, had been in treatment for cancer since The rapper was diagnosed in after discovering a tumor in his salivary gland. The band started off as a hardcore punk group, but soon began experimenting with hip-hop. Powell would eventually become a regular touring photographer for the trio and even turned up in their videos from time to time.

The group even immortalized their friend in a line from the song "Car Thief" — on the Paul's Boutique album — rapping, "Homeboy throw in the towel, Your girl got d—ed by Ricky Powell. So many good times with this guy right here. We toured the world together during our time with the Beastie Boys and had a cool friendship. This one hurts. Rest easy my friend!! Top Charts. Hot Songs.

Billboard Top Videos. Top Articles. I also followed their lead in later years, after I became my own person, in believing I could really help a lot of people out. MCA I know was at the forefront of this in the group, and for that I am forever indebted," said Rock. Jane's Addiction 's Perry Farrell also offered a touching eulogy, recalling to Rolling Stone , "I kind of felt like they were family, but once removed. He was a really good guy trying to help people, and all about being innocent and wild, and even immature if you want to be.

He was really such a part of our party vernacular -- our musical vernacular. As stated by Rock and Farrell, there was much more to Yauch than just the Beasties' music. His humanitarian efforts were well documented. He was a practicing Buddhist and did his part for the Tibetan independence movement by staging the Tibetan Freedom Concert and launching the Milarepa Fund.

He gradually incorporated that into the music. He was the first to realize we had this soapbox and we needed to do something with it. Yauch also was a key player in the success of the Beastie Boys, taking on the moniker Nathaniel Hornblower while directing a number of the band's videos. He also constructed the Oscilloscope Laboratories studio in New York for the band's recording and later would found an indie film company called Oscilloscope Pictures that would issue the Awesome; I F--in' Shot That!