One-third of the Beastie Boys, Adam Yauch (47), aka MCA, died earlier today. Yauch was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and had been undergoing treatments on and off for three years -- he was notably missing when the Beasties were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month.The Jewish b-boys survived the fall of MTV and thrived through gangsta rap and grunge. They began as joke rappers -- fun but nobody took them seriously. They became icons, giants of the genre who never stopped making great jams.
On their first proper album in seven years, last year's “Hot Sauce Committee Part Two,” the unlikely elder statesmen showed their age (they reference Crocs not Adidas and appropriate lyrics from “Subterranean Homesick Blues”). But they didn't grow up. Like every Beastie's landmark, the album sounds like a coke-and-Pop-Rocks-fueled house party hosted by Afrika Bambaataa, Lenny Bruce, Optimus Prime and the Ramones.Yauch's treatments repeatably put off the release of "Hot Sauce" and the band hadn't played live since the summer of 2009. Clearly, he was struggling, but it's still a shock the health food junkie, Buddhist and optimist couldn't beat the illness.If you have a copy of "Paul's Boutique," I suggest spinning it now. If you don't, go out and get the landmark album -- it's a face-melting mess of beats, flow and samples (105 songs were sampled on the album, 24 on the last track alone). By Jed Gottlieb
I first discovered the Beastie Boys when I was in high school. And their sound has stuck with me ever since. What I really admired about the Beastie Boys is they were all three equal parts of the band. There was no front man, they "were" the front men. Mike D, Ad Rock, and MCA, the three of them were equal collaborators, and one did not over-shine the other. I don't think their will ever be a Hip Hop group that will ever as significant as the Beastie Boys were in the history of american pop culture, and music.
So here as tribute to MCA and his mourning comrades, are my top 5 favorite Beastie Boys songs.
#5
Get It Together
I love this song. With the special appearance by Q-Tip, who is another Hip Hop favorite of mine. The timing of lyrics to the beat makes me instantly happy, and my head starts bobbing independent from my body.
#4
So What'cha Want
What makes me love this song is their attitude. These guys are dripping with ice cold coolness. What I get from the video and the music is that they are making fun of the grunge scene in the early 90's. Telling you "hey!, we are not to be ignored!" and America took notice.
#3
Ch-Check It Out
Coming back from a 7 year absence, they show that they still got it, and their beats and lyrics can be as fresh as ever.
#2
Sabotage
This was the first time I took notice to these three titans that made me take notice. And made want to hear more. Being very heavy in the punk scene in high school, these guys were a perfect vessil to introduce me to the hip hop world, and I love them for it. Plus this is an awesome video done by Spike Jones.
#1
Three MC's and One DJ
What I love about this song, as well of many other great Beastie Boys songs, is the DJ work of Mix Master Mike. I think he is the perfect match for this trio. Is off the wall beats, and sampling with the unorthodox lyrics by the Beastie Boys is a miracle combination that cannot be duplicated. This video shows me that they don't need a big stage, or fancy video effects to blow your mind. Their performance is all you need.
BONUS
Fight For Your Right (Revisited)
Directed by the man himself Adam "MCA" Yauch, for the 25th anniversary of the original video's release. The video serves as a short film for the single "Make Some Noise" from Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Try and catch all the cameos.
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