Adam Yauch, Co-Founder of the influential Hip Hop group the Beastie Boys and Oscilloscope Pictures passed away on last Friday. To most people, fans especially, he was known as MCA. A witty and in your face rapper who's later life passions were Buddhism and Tibetan Independence. Yauch, along with AD-Rock and Mike D, started out briefly as a punk band but swiftly converted to Hip-Hop, a new genre at the time. It probably would have been safer for three Jewish boys from New York to take the punk route, but instead they decided to break new ground. We should be thankful that they did. Their debut album "License to Ill" is one the of the most successful Rap debut albums of all time and for the next several years Adam made more albums with the Beastie Boys along with directing most of their music videos under the pseudonym Nathaniel Hornblower. By 1992, MCA was growing tired of the Party Animal persona that was created with License to Ill (and partially Paul's Boutique). In search for something fresh for himself and his music, he traveled to Nepal on a snowboarding trip and discovered the struggles of the Tibetan people as well as the teachings of the Dali Lama. When he came back, MCA was on his way to becoming a world leading activist for Tibetan Liberation. As Adam pursued interest in Buddhism, he was able to put it to words and music... and not come off as some faux enlightened celebrity taking a ride on his own ego.In 2009 Yauch was diagnosed with a cancerous parotid gland and was treated immediately with positive results. MCA was able to appear on the Beastie Boys last album "Hot Sauce Committee Part. 2" which scored rave reviews, but did not tour or appear in videos. Needless to say, the Egg Man went out with a bang and is missed dearly by family, friends, bandmates, fans, and fellow musicians... who are all kinda the same thing.. Adam Yauch is survived by his wife, Dechen; his daughter, Tenzin Losel; and his parents, Frances and Noel Yauch.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-me-adam-yauch-20120505,0,27689.story