Adam Yauch biography

Synopsis

Early Career

For more than three decades, Adam Yauch—also known as MCA—created irreverent and imaginative music that fused rap with funk and rock as a member of the Beastie Boys. He started out as a teenager, playing hardcore punk with Mike D (Michael Diamond), Kate Schellenbach, and John Berry. The band soon evolved, shedding members Schellenbach and Berry and bringing in Adam Horovitz, also known as Ad-Rock.

This trio showcased their legendary sense of humor on one of their early tracks, "Cooky Puss." Named after a popular Carvel ice cream novelty cake, this rap single featured crack calls to an ice cream shop. Before long, Yauch and his band mates met Rick Rubin who served as their DJ for a time. Rubin and Russell Simmons, the co-founders of the Def Jam record label, started working with the trio. In 1984, Def Jam released the Beastie Boys' single, "Rock Hard."

The following year, Yauch and his band mates went on tour with pop star Madonna. The pairing proved to be a terrible mismatch with Madonna fans, booing the loud and rowdy rappers. The group fared much better the following year with the release of their first album.

Musical Breakthrough

In 1986, Yauch went through a tremendous career transformation, from little-known performer to MTV darling. The Beastie Boys' first album Licensed to Ill (1986) featured the youth anthem "Fight for Your Right (To Party)," which was a Top 10 hit. The song's video, which depicted the trio as party animals, ended up in heavy rotation on MTV. And on the tour for the album, they did their best to live up to their reputation. Licensed to Ill went on to sell more than 4 million copies.

Splitting with Def Jam in the 1980s, the Beastie Boys continued their musical evolution with Paul's Boutique (1989). Dropping some of their early bravado, the group showed their abilities as careful musical craftsmen without losing their sense of fun and good humor. Unfortunately, the recording did not get the respect it deserved at the time.

Later Successes

Over the years, the Beastie Boys continued to rework and re-imagine their sound. They returned to the top of the charts with 1994's Ill Communication, which contained such songs as "Sure Shot" and "Sabotage." One of the more unusual samples found on the album was the sound of Tibetan monks, which reflected Yauch's interest in Buddhism. He became very active in the fight for Tibetan independence, helping to stage a series of rock shows known as the Tibetan Freedom Concerts. These concerts were held across the globe, beginning in 1996 with a performance in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.