Adam “MCA” Yauch of New York’s, the Beastie Boys, one of the seminal groups in hip-hop, died on Friday at the age of 47. According to his representatives, Yauch died in New York after a nearly three year battle with cancer. Yauch had been diagnosed with a cancerous salivary gland in 2009. He had not performed in public since 2009 and was absent when the Beastie Boys were put into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month.
The Beastie Boys’ groundbreaking act helped bring hip-hop to the mainstream. President of the Recording Academy Neil Portnow said, “The group’s music crossed genres and color lines and helped bring rap to a wider audience. Yauch was an immense talent and creative visionary.” Yauch was a devoted Buddhist and led his group in performing concerts to benefit Tibet, and as a filmmaker, he helped grow their imagery. He is survived by his wife, Dechen Wangdu, and his daughter, Tenzin Losel Yauch.
