Tribute to Adam 'MCA' Yauch (1964-2012)

"I want to say a little something that's long overdue - the disrespect to women has got to be through. 

To all the mothers and sisters and the wives and friends, I want to offer my love and respect to the end"

MCA - Sure shot (1994)

Beastie Boys have been pushing the boundries of hiphop ever since their first rap tune Cocky puss came out in 1983. They started off as a punk band called The young aborigines in 1979. When MCA joined the group in 1981 they changed their name to Beastie Boys (Beings Entering Anarchistic States Towards Internal Excellence). 30 years later they are still one of very few hiphop crews from the 80s that are still active and putting out quality releases.

The stand out album for me is Ill communication (1994). Like much of the leaked D'Angelo material it had that dirty almost demoesque sound with little loops and skits that gave it more of a jam session feel than a finished album. With tracks like Sure shot, Root down, Flute loop, Get it together and of course Spike Jonez video for Sabotage it always get our heads nodding. Below we've added two of the dopest tribute tapes we've found.

First up is Toroto's don of mixtapes M-Rock:

This group was old school when the word old school didn’t exist – messy but banging production, a tonne of samples, sillyness inserted everywhere, and lots of that old 70s funk. I’ve had little sleep over the past few days because I committed to getting this out, so I’m going to depart from paragraphs and go into bullets…brrrrap. Here’s a few highlights of the Beastie Boys:

• Never recorded one record to be mainstream yet were the biggest thing when they came out: Their debut was the first hip hop album ever to go #1 on the Billboard 200.
• MCA was the freshest in the group – his voice was super ill, and although he wasn’t as energetic as Ad Rock, he delivered that cool but rugged voice nicely everytime. The other 2 occasionally annoy me, but on stage, they hold it down better than MCA in my opinion.
• They’re the original hipsters, except it’s not a trend, they’re dressing or acting a certain way, because they are grown kids and really don’t give a **** what ppl think.
• When they did “Get it together” with Q-Tip (whose favourite album is “Paul’s Boutique” btw)., nobody could front on them – that was a DJ Premier level beat with a nasty hook…10/10. Turns out the break is real mooged out on some uptempo Dilla shit.
• Lastly, even though they haven’t been in their prime for a while, it’s sad to see MCA go, and probably take the band with him. When their music is on, it’s fun, it’s conscious, it’s innovative and always classic still. RIP MCA and enjoy the mix.

The second mixtape is from the always reliable Mick Boogie who put this great compilation together a couple of weeks ago when the Beasties were voted into the Rock'n'roll hall of fame.

"It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time… something people have asked me to do for a long time, actually… but I wanted it to mean something. Now, it’s finally the right time.I present to you Grand Royal.  80 minutes of my favorite Beastie Boys rarities, remixes, demos, live versions, out-takes, and more.  If you’re a Beasties fan, I guarantee you find something new and exciting on this mix!"

Download: Mick Boogie - The Beastie Boys tribute mixtape

Hopefully Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz will keep exploring the field of hiphop even though their brother-in-arms has moved on. MCA rest in peace.

Tracklist for the Mick Boogie mixtape:

1.Beastie Boys-Mick Boogie nVMe Intro
2.Beastie Boys - The Skills To Pay The Bills (Explicit) (2009 Digital Remaster)
3.Beastie Boys-The Vibes
4.Beastie Boys-Time To Get Ill Live Remix Version
5.Beastie Boys-Sure Shot Nardone Large Professor Remixes
6.Beastie Boys - Jimmy James (Original Original Version) (2009 Digital Remaster)
7.Beastie Boys-Four Fly Guys Feat Hurricane
8.Beastie Boys-Intergalactic Original 94 Version
9.Beastie Boys - Root Down (Free Zone Mix) (2009 Digital Remaster)
10.Beastie Boys-Get It Together Buck-Wild Remix
11.Beastie Boys-In A World Gone Mad Original Mix
12.Beastie Boys-Negotiation Limerick File Handsome Boy Modeling School Mix
13.Beastie Boys-Alive
14.Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies (Remix)
15.Beastie Boys - Dope Little Song (2009 Digital Remaster)
16.Beastie Boys-Shake Your Rump Madlib Remix
17.Beastie Boys - Stand Together (Live At French's Tavern, Sydney, Australia)
18.Beastie Boys-The Maestro Live Version
19.Beastie Boys-The Sounds Of Science
20.Beastie Boys-Gratitude Live Budokan
21.Beastie Boys - Pass The Mic (Pt. 2, Skills To Pay The Bills) (2009 Digital Remaster)
22.Beastie Boys-Stop That Train 3-Way Mix
23.Beastie Boys-Spam Feat Milk Dee
24.Beastie Boys-So What Cha Want Butt Naked Soul Assassin Remixes
25.Beastie Boys-Sabotage Live Version
26.Beastie Boys - Beastie Revolution
27.Beastie Boys - Honky Rink (2009 Digital Remaster)
28.Beastie Boys-Benny And The Jets Live Feat Biz Markie
29.Beastie Boys-Netty s Girl

Tracklisting for M-Rock's mixtape:
1.M-Rock’s Intro
2.An Open Letter To Nyc
3.Too Many Rappers ft. Nas
4.B-Boys Makin’ With The Freak Freak
5.Stick ‘Em Up w/Hurricane
6.Rock Hard
7.Paul Revere
8.No Sleep Till Brooklyn
9.Make Some Noise
10.Sure Shot
11.Root Down
12.The New Style
13.Let me clear my throat Bpm 103
14.Hey Ladies
15.Hey Ladies (Paul Nice Remix)
16.Shake Your Rump
17.Body Movin’
18.Aquarius (Let The Sunshine In) by Moog Machine and Headless Heroes by Eugene McDaniels
19.Get It Together ft. Q-Tip
20.Danger – Blahzay Blahzay +
21.Drop – The Pharcyde +
22.Three MCs And One DJ (Live at MTV Awards 97′)
23.Intergalactic (Live at MTV Awards 97′)
24.Ch-Check it Out
25.Brass Monkey
26.Fight For Your Right
27.Girls
28.Rhymin & Stealin
29.The New Style
30.Slow And Low
31.Pass The Mic
32.Gratitude
33.Sabotage
34.So What’cha Want
35.So Whatcha Want (Remix) ft. B-Real
36.Ya Don’t Stop – The Beatnuts +
37.Skills To Pay The Bills
38.Jimmy James
39.Alive

Tweet