Sad, sad news this afternoon…
Beastie Boys rapper Adam Yauch, better known to his fans as ”MCA”, has passed away.
He was 47.
Yauch was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his left salivary gland in July 2009.
“So this is crazy,” he said in a video statement at the time on the band’s official website. “I have some pretty heavy news … I actually have a form of cancer.”
In 2011 it had been reported that Yauch had beaten the disease, but he claimed these reprots were “exaggerated”. On the band’s website he wrote:
“Hello My Friends While I’m grateful for all the positive energy people are sending my way, reports of my being totally cancer free are exaggerated. I’m continuing treatment, staying optimistic and hoping to be cancer free in the near future.”
It appeared in recent months, that his health took a turn for the worst, and he was notably absent at the Beastie Boys’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on March 14.
Yauch co-founded the group with friends Michael (Mike D) Diamond and Adam (Ad-Rock) Horovitz in 1979 as a punk band, before transitioning into rap in the mid-80s.
Russell Simmons’ website GlobalGrind.com were the first to report the news of Yauch’s sad passing
R.I.P
[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rDklqPG5pU']
What do you think?