During a concert at The Hollywood Bowl last night, Chris Martin and Coldplay paid tribute to Adam Yauch , the Beastie Boys “MCA” who died at the age of 47 this week. “”We’re sending all our love to the Beastie Boys,” Martin said as he concluded the cover of the group’s classic “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party).” Yauch passed away Friday after a three-year battle with cancer. As the music industry and fans around the globe mourn, watch this emotional performance now: Coldplay – “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)” (Beastie Boys Tribute)
Coldplay, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the New York Mets also pay homage to the fallen music icon. By Rob Markman Adam Yauch Photo: Fred Duval/ Getty Images To his fans Adam “MCA” Yauch was a musical genus, who along with Mike D. and Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys , progressively changed the landscape of popular music, seamlessly mixing hip-hop, punk and Rock and Roll. To those that were lucky enough to call him friend, he was all of that, plus more. “The Beastie Boys were one of a kind! And so was Adam! They were all an important part of my musical history. And integral to the musical revolution that was happening at the time,” mega-star Madonna said in statement obtained by MTV News after Yauch passed away on Friday (May 4) after a long battle with cancer. “I’m very sad to hear about Adam’s passing. G*D bless him and his family.” Madge included the Beasties as an opening act on her 1985 The Virgin Tour. Madonna had already established herself as a formidable pop act with her first two LPs and the Beasties were just getting started. Their iconic debut album License To Ill wouldn’t come until a year later. Mix Master Mike didn’t start out a Beastie, but his legacy before his work with the Boys is well documented. A world champion turntabilist, Mike got the call to work with the Beastie Boys on their 1998 Grammy Award winning album Hello Nasty and has been rocking with the trio ever since. He too was hit particularly hard after Yauch’s death. “The music world has lost an Icon and i lost a brother. I give thanks to Adam Yauch for allowing me to be apart of the Beastie legacy. I am so honored to have graced the stage with my idols for 15 historic years,” he said in a statement issued to MTV News. “Thank U for your friendship and thank you for picking me to be your DJ. forever I will hold you close to my heart. My Condolences go out to the Yauch family.” There were a number of tributes on Friday night. During Coldplay’s concert at Hollywood Bowl last night, Chris Martin and company performed a slowed down, piano-laden rendition of of the Beastie Boys’ anthemic “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party).” The Red Hot Chili Peppers also paid their respects during their show at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Friday. “We’re playing this show tonight for Adam Yauch,” RHCP frontman Anthony Kiedis said to the crowd as reported by Rolling Stone . Yauch didn’t just inspire musicians, last night during their home baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks the entire New York Mets team paid tribute to the fallen Brooklynite by playing the Beastie’s music as they each walked up to the plate. How do you plan to honor Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch’? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Adam Yauch: Remembering A Beastie Boy Related Photos The Beastie Boys’ Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch: A Life In Photos Related Artists Beastie Boys Madonna Mix Master Mike
‘It’s given some meaning to me to be famous … if I can use that attention to help other people,’ late Beastie Boy tells MTV News. By Kara Warner Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch in 2000 Photo: Mick Hutson/ Getty Images The news of Adam Yauch’s untimely death on Friday continues to reverberate throughout the world and especially the music industry. From the multitude of reactions and expressions of sympathy from celebrities to the emotionally charged words from fans , Yauch’s death has many in mourning. MTV News took to the airwaves to express our appreciation for the influential artist with the one-hour special “Adam Yauch: Remembering a Beastie Boy,” during which we reflected on the legendary MC’s career and the indelible mark he made on music as a whole, as well as on society. One of the more poignant aspects of the 60-minute tribute was a look back at Yauch’s involvement in founding the Tibetan Freedom Concert, the first of which drew influential acts like the Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine and raised $800,000 to help support Tibetan social-justice causes. MTV News once spoke to Yauch about why he chose to get involved in promoting awareness for social issues. “Whatever involvement I’m able to put in it, it definitely makes me feel good to be able to help with that,” Yauch said about the Tibetan Freedom Concert. “It’s really everyone working together. It’s all the artists who put in their time and all the people who come down to the show that actually care about it, people involved in putting it on. “One thing Buddhism teaches is the only thing that brings us lasting happiness, that really makes us happy, is when we do things to benefit other people,” he explained. “Trying to make money, buy cool sneakers, those things don’t lead to any lasting happiness.” Yauch said what made him happiest was being able to use his fame in a positive way. “When you do things to benefit people from a pure place in your heart, that’s a feeling that lasts no matter what happens,” he said. “It’s given some meaning to me to be famous and be able to make music if I can use that attention to help other people — that gives some meaning to that.” Share your memories of Adam on Twitter using the hashtag #RIPMCA. Related Videos Adam Yauch: Remembering A Beastie Boy Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch: 1964-2012
Tragic, shocking news out of New York just now: Adam Yauch — a.k.a. MCA, one-third of rap legends the Beastie Boys, influential filmmaker and music-video director, and founder of independent-film distributor Oscilloscope Laboratories — has died following his long battle with cancer. He was 47. Movieline will have more on Yauch’s passing, including official comment from Oscilloscope and appreciations of Yauch’s artistic legacy, throughout the day. Developing… [via Global Grind , Rolling Stone ] UPDATE [3:56 p.m. EDT]: Movieline received this statement from Yauch’s Oscilloscope Laboratories colleagues Dan Berger, David Fenkel and David Laub on behalf of the entire company: “We are deeply, deeply saddened by the passing of Adam Yauch – an amazing leader, a dear friend and an incredible human being. Today we are heartbroken at Oscilloscope as we take in this awful news and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. Adam’s legacy will remain a driving force at Oscilloscope – his indomitable spirit and his great passion for film, people, and hard work – always with a sense of humor and a lot of heart.” And this followed from the Beastie Boys’ management company Nasty Little Man: It is with great sadness that we confirm that musician, rapper, activist and director Adam “MCA” Yauch, founding member of Beastie Boys and also of the Milarepa Foundation that produced the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits, and film production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories, passed away in his native New York City this morning after a near-three-year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Yauch taught himself to play bass in high school, forming a band for his 17th birthday party that would later become known the world over as Beastie Boys. With fellow members Michael “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Adrock” Horovitz, Beastie Boys would go on to sell over 40 million records, release four #1 albums–including the first hip hop album ever to top the Billboard 200, the band’s 1986 debut full length, Licensed To Ill –win three Grammys, and the MTV Video Vanguard Lifetime Achievement award. Last month Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with Diamond and Horovitz reading an acceptance speech on behalf of Yauch, who was unable to attend. In addition to his hand in creating such historic Beastie Boys albums as Paul’s Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication, Hello Nasty and more, Yauch was a founder of the Milarepa Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness and activism regarding the injustices perpetrated on native Tibetans by Chinese occupational government and military forces. In 1996, Milarepa produced the first Tibetan Freedom Concert in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, which was attended by 100,000 people, making it the biggest benefit concert on U.S. soil since 1985’s Live Aid. The Tibetan Freedom Concert series would continue to stage some of the most significant benefit shows in the world for nearly a decade following in New York City, Washington DC, Tokyo, Sydney, Amsterdam, Taipei and other cities. In the wake of September 11, 2001, Milarepa organized New Yorkers Against Violence, a benefit headlined by Beastie Boys at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, with net proceeds disbursed to the New York Women’s Foundation Disaster Relief Fund and the New York Association for New Americans (NYANA) September 11th Fund for New Americans–each chosen for their efforts on behalf of 9/11 victims least likely to receive help from other sources. Under the alias of Nathanial Hörnblowér, Yauch directed iconic Beastie Boys videos including ‘So Whatcha Want,’ ‘Intergalactic,’ ‘Body Movin’ and ‘Ch-Check It Out.’ Under his own name, Yauch directed last year’s Fight For Your Right Revisited , an extended video for ‘Make Some Noise’ from Beastie Boys’ Hot Sauce Committee Part Two , starring Elijah Wood, Danny McBride and Seth Rogen as the 1986 Beastie Boys, making their way through a half hour of cameo-studded misadventures before squaring off against Jack Black, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as Beastie Boys of the future. Yauch’s passion and talent for filmmaking led to his founding of Oscilloscope Laboratories, which in 2008 released his directorial film debut, the basketball documentary Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot and has since become a major force in independent video distribution, amassing a catalogue of such acclaimed titles as Kelly Reichardt’s Wendy and Lucy , Oren Moverman’s The Messenger , Banksy’s Exit Through The Gift Shop , Lance Bangs and Spike Jonze’s Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait Of Maurice Sendak , and many more. Yauch is survived by his wife Dechen and his daughter Tenzin Losel, as well as his parents Frances and Noel Yauch. UPDATE [5:20 p.m. EDT] Here’s Movieline partner ENTV ‘s dispatch on Yauch:
Cinco de Mayo weekend will surely belong to Marvel’s The Avengers , which has already racked up $18.7 million in U.S. grosses courtesy of last night’s midnight screenings. The superhero filled adventure has been pegged as possibly this year’s biggest box office draw — time will tell . But for those who want to check out something else besides superheroes (or want to resuscitate from its aftermath) there are plenty of specialty releases opening this weekend including Fox Searchlight’s India-set The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel , Sundance Selects’ dance doc First Position , ATO’s water doc Last Call at the Oasis , Kathleen Turner starrer The Perfect Family . And, if you need a little more Samuel L. Jackson in your life post- Avengers , check out his other opener Meeting Evil . Marvel’s The Avengers (Opening Wide) Director: Joss Whedon Writers Zak Penn (story), Joss Whedon (story and screenplay), Stan Lee (comic book), Jack Kirby (comic book) Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson Destined to be the big box office draw of 2012 (so far), Marvel’s The Avengers features a “Super Hero team of a lifetime. Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow battle an enemy that threatens global safety. The director of the international peacekeeping agency – S.H.I.E.L.D. – assembles the team to save the world from certain disaster. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Limited Release) Director John Madden Writers: Ol Parker (screenplay), Deborah Moggach (novel) Cast: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith Distributor: Fox Searchlight The feature revolves around a group of British retirees who move to India to “outsource” their retirement in a less expensive but exotic locale. They’re drawn by advertisements to the newly refurbished Marigold Hotel, but arrive to find it less than they envisioned. Less luxurious than they had oped, they’re nevertheless transformed by their shared experience, “discovering that life and love can begin again when you let go of the past.” Marigold shot in October 2010 in India, which producer Graham Broadbent described as an “extraordinary, bewildering place.” They arrived with a small crew from the U.K., which was met by a massive team from India during their 45-day stay. “There were 350 people in the crew,” said Broadbent. “In the U.K. we’d expect maybe 120.” First Position (Limited Release) Director: Bess Kargman Subjects: Aran Bell, Gaya Bommer Yemini, Michaela Deprince Distributor: Sundance Selects Check out Movieline’s exclusive clip from First Position : (http://movieline.com/2012/05/04/first-position-clip-whats-it-take-to-be-a-boy-in-ballet-exclusive/) The doc is an inspirational look at six ballet dancers ages 9 to 19 who sacrifice physically and emotionally on their way to one of the most prestigious youth ballet competitions in the world. First Position takes a year-long look at children around the world who strive to master an art form despite the odds. “We fell in love with these kids who are striving to do their best with the pressures they’re facing,” Sundance Selects exec Ryan Werner said about the film. His company picked up the title at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and since then it has won awards at Doc NYC and at festivals in Portland, Dallas and San Francisco. Also sure to give the doc a push is the fact that one of its characters is on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars . Nightline and Good Morning America are doing stories on the film. First Position is available on demand and will open in theaters in New York and L.A. this weekend. “We’re actively pursuing the dance community as we did for [our other recent dance doc] Pina, but also people who are interested in a ‘great story.'” Last Call At The Oasis Director: Jessica Yu Writer: Jessica Yu Subjects: Erin Brockovich-Ellis, Jay Famiglietti, Peter H. Gleick Distributor: ATO Pictures in partnership with Participant Media This doc is a wakeup call about the worldwide water crisis. Featuring activists Erin Brockovich and others, the film exposes how water will become one of the biggest challenges society will face this century and offers up solutions. Selling a documentary about the world’s looming water crisis may be a tough sell at best. But there are potential solutions to drum up interest at low to no cost and the film’s distributor has been working those avenues. Director Jessica Yu joined a packed house at the Ford Foundation in Manhattan last month for a screening of the film which kicked off the 4th annual “Envision” conference, which focuses on issues relating to a “sustainable future,” co-hosted by the U.N. and the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP). “Part of the publicity is reaching out to NGOs,” said ATO Pictures co-president Jonathan Dorfman. “And [partner] Participant ( An Inconvenient Truth, Waiting for Superman ) has a lot of great relationships with those groups…They deliver on the docs.” ATO first saw the film last year in Toronto and were impressed by its quality and the highly regarded people who appear in the feature. “There are serious experts like Erin Brokovich and others who know [a lot] about this,” noted Dorfamn who added that the famed environmental advocate made famous by Julia Roberts portrayal of her back in 2000 will be heading to Los Angeles post-screening Q&As at the Landmark on Friday and has also been doing press to promote the film. Meeting Evil (Limited Release) Director: Chris Fisher Writers: Thomas Berger (novel), Chris Fisher Cast: Luke Wilson, Samuel L. Jackson, Leslie Bibb, Peyton List It’s not just The Avengers actor Samuel L. Jackson has going on this weekend, he’s also starring in this weekend’s crime thriller, Meeting Evil . The film centers on John (Luke Wilson) a depressed suburban family man who is recently unemployed. After he stops to help a stranger with his car, he’s forced into a surreal murder-filled ride that forces him to confront everything about his life. The Perfect Family Director: Anne Renton Writers: Paula Goldberg, Claire V. Riley Cast: Kathleen Turner, Emily Deschanel, Jason Ritter Religious mom Eileen Cleary (Kathleen Turner) is nominated for the coveted Catholic Woman of the Year Award at her local parish, but she has one challenge – her non-conformist family. Her gay daughter Shannon (Emily Deschanel) want to marry her partner and her unhappily married son Frank Jr. (Jason Ritter) is hooking up with a local manicurist. Meanwhile, her own marriage to a recovering alcoholic is less than ideal. With a budget of less than $1 million and a script, they turned to actress Kathleen Turner for the main role. “We were trying to put together as good of a cast as we possibly could to maximize attention and press,” producer Cora Olson said. After implementing some script changes Turner requested Olson and her producing partner Jennifer Dubin reached out to Emily Deschanel who they knew socially to join the cast and they also sought out Jason Ritter, who worked on their previous project Good Dick, which they also produced and released. The Perfect Family shot 19 days in Los Angeles, which she said ran pretty smoothly. “Jen and I have done a lot of these types of films and it’s important to get crews who understand this kind of schedule,” she said. The film debuted last year at Tribeca and Present Pictures has partnered with Variance Pictures for the theatrical release. [Comments and other portions of this article were previously published in Brian Brooks’ weekly specialty preview article on Deadline .]
The late Adam Yauch made history as Beastie Boys rapper MCA, but he also leaves behind a rich legacy in filmmaking: Recall his work helming a number of the trio’s music videos (as Nathaniel Hörnblowér), releasing envelope-pushing (and Oscar-nominated) documentaries and features via his production/distribution label Oscilloscope Labs, and directing his own acclaimed films, notably the 2006 concert doc Awesome; I Fuckin’ Shot That! . Take a look back at Yauch’s work behind the camera, with and without fellow Beasties Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz, as Movieline runs down the 9 best films and videos he made as a director. “Shadrach” (1989) Live performance footage was rotoscoped over resulting in the gorgeous and surreal hand-painted music video for “Shadrach,” off the Beasties’ second studio album, Paul’s Boutique . “So What’cha Want” (1992) Mike D, Ad-rock, and MCA traipse the woods as rapping, destructive forces of nature in one of my favorite Beastie Boys videos, made eerily sinister (and strangely perfect) by photo negative effects and speed-tweaked lip synching. “Intergalactic” (1998) A tribute to/send-up of Japanese kaiju monster movies and one of the best music videos of all time. “Body Movin’” (1998) More film nerdery from MCA — “Body Movin'” as parody of the Dino De Laurentiis-produced Italian cult spy flick Danger Diabolik . “Three MCs and One DJ” (1999) A loving nod to DJ Mix Master Mike, who marked his first Beastie Boys collaboration on 1999’s Hello Nasty ; without him around to drop the beat, our MCs are frozen and helpless.
The Beastie Boys’ MCA, real name Adam Yauch, has died. The hip hop pioneer was 47. In 2009, MCA announced he was being treated for cancer of the parotid gland and a lymph node. He underwent surgery and radiation therapy. It is unclear as of this posting whether Yauch’s death was related to cancer. MCA co-founded Beastie Boys in 1979 (yes, 1979) with Mike D, and Ad Rock, and went on to churn out some of the most iconic albums in hip-hop. They trio landed their big break after working with young producer Rick Rubin, who would sign them to his newly-formed Def Jam Recordings in 1984. License to Ill, Paul’s Boutique, Check Your Head and Ill Communication won the group multiple Grammys and a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Yauch is survived by his wife and daughter. He will be missed by many. Russell Simmons’ site GlobalGrind (dot) com first reported his death. What are your favorite memories of Yauch, and of the Beastie Boys in general? Beastie Boys – Sure Shot
Nas, Cee Lo, Jack Black, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and more remember the Beastie Boys’ MCA. By Jocelyn Vena Adam Yauch in 1999 Photo: Mick Hutson/ Getty Images Soon after news broke of Beastie Boys rapper Adam Yauch’s death following a three-year long battle with cancer, A-listers from the world of hip-hop and elsewhere in the music industry began flooding Twitter with their memories of the influential MC. Eminem noted the impact MCA and the Beasties had on his career. “Adam Yauch brought a lot of positivity into the world and I think it’s obvious to anyone how big of an influence the Beastie Boys were on me and so many others,” Em said in a statement to MTV News. “They are trailblazers and pioneers and Adam will be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, Mike D., and Ad-Rock. Nas — who worked with the group on the track “Too Many Rappers,” which eventually appeared on the band’s last album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two — opened up about recording with the legends to MTV News. “One of my greatest moments in music was when I worked with the Beastie Boys. … Now today I’m hearing our brother is gone. I prayed this would not happen. MCA was so cool, man. We had great talks about what it was like for them in the beginning, getting into the rap game. I’ll never forget that experience for the rest of my life. MCA is a true legend who influenced me. God bless his soul and his loved ones.” Jack Black, who made a cameo in Yauch’s “Fight for Your Right Revisited” film in 2011, told MTV News in a statement: “Adam made amazing artwork until the very end and he was a genuinely sweet guy. He will be sorely missed.” With the world mourning the loss of MCA, many of his musical contemporaries are still reeling from the news. “Lollapalooza94 talked to Yauch almost everyday,” Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong . “He was full of wisdom & encouragement for a freaked out kid like I was. Thank you MCA. LoveBJ.” Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello , “Rip dear Adam Yauch. Words can’t express the sadness and loss. Ur humor, talent & gentle soul are just irreplaceable. Be at peace brother.” Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea opened up about the man behind the music: “Prayers and all the love I could ever muster for Adam Yauch. What a beautiful man. God bless his beautiful soul. A class act all the way.” Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz noted his influence over his own career, tweeting , “beastie boys paved the way for so many who came after. #RIPMCA” “This news hits hard,” Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden tweeted , mirroring Wentz’s sentiment. “The Beastie Boys are 1of the reasons I do music&MCA was the captain.” Black Eyed Peas mastermind will.i.am, tweeted , “#restinpeaceMCA 1 of my favorite hiphop groups. hiphop raised a lot of us & now we have to wake up because are hero’s are dying too young.” Cee Lo Green added , “Now playing: something’s got to give: BEASTIE BOYS R.I.P. M.C.A. One of the best hip-hop groups of all time!much.” Lenny Kravitz recalled one of the group’s biggest songs on Twitter while remembering the rapper: “Rest in peace MCA. You are a legend. No sleep ’till Brooklyn. Lenny.” “We are so sorry to hear about the loss of the Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch (MCA) a true legend & inspirational to everyone in weezers generation,” Weezer said of the late, great MC. Music producer Diplo was sitting in what used to be the Beasties’ recording home, G-Son Studios, when the news broke. “Mca Adam Yauch RIP… Im sittin in the former g son studios,” Dip wrote . “Flying the flag half mast today…. Rap/punk hero, philanthropist, legend.” Tune in to MTV tonight at 8 p.m. for “Adam Yauch: Remembering a Beastie Boy,” an hour-long special hosted by Sway celebrating the life and career of Adam “MCA” Yauch, including his biggest moments and remembrances from his friends and peers. Share your memories of Adam on Twitter using the hashtag #RIPMCA. Related Videos Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch: 1964-2012 Related Artists Beastie Boys Eminem
Tributes for the late Beastie Boys MC flooded Twitter on Friday. By Jocelyn Vena Adam Yauch in 1999 Photo: Mick Hutson/ Getty Images Beastie Boys founding member Adam Yauch, a.k.a. MCA, died Friday (May 4) at age 47 after a nearly three-year battle with cancer. The MC’s death quickly spread across the Internet, and the tributes that flooded Twitter showed the impact his music had on artists from all areas of entertainment. “Crushed to hear the news of Adam Yauch’s passing,” Justin Timberlake tweeted . “A true pioneer of art. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.#RIPMCA” He’s not the only member of the pop world feeling the loss: The Ryan Tedder-led band, OneRepublic, also expressed their shock over his death. “R.I.P Adam MCA,” the band wrote . “Beastie Boys remain untouchable.” DJ Steve Aoki expressed his sadness,
