SWING! SWING! SWING! - Michel Legrand
Anna Karina’s Dance in Vivre Sa Vie
New York State Senate Honors Adam Yauch
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of famed rapper and activist Adam “MCA” Yauch:
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor and pay tribute to those individuals whose commitment and creative talents have contributed to the entertainment and cultural enrichment of their community and the entire State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Adam Yauch, also known as MCA, the rapper, musician, activist, film director and founder of the pioneering New York hip-hop group the Beastie Boys, died on Friday, May 4, 2012, in Manhattan at age 47;and
WHEREAS, Adam Nathaniel Yauch was born on August 5, 1964, and raised in Brooklyn Heights; he was the son of Frances Yauch, a social worker, and Noel Yauch, an architect and painter, and attended Edward R. Murrow High School in Midwood; and
WHEREAS, Adam Yauch taught himself the bass guitar while growing up and joined the Beastie Boys, originally a hardcore punk outfit, playing his first show with the group when he was just 17 years old in 1981; and
WHEREAS, The Beastie Boys became well-known in the innovative music scene in Manhattan’s East Village and Lower East Side with a sound and a style all their own; and
WHEREAS, The album “Licensed to Ill” was the first hip-hop album to top the Billboard chart; and
WHEREAS, The music and message of the Beastie Boys evolved over the years, but they can’t, they don’t, they won’t stop changing the face of hip-hop, of music, and of our culture; and
WHEREAS, The Beastie Boys exemplified New York through a period in which grassroots creativity and a community of iconoclastic artists helped redefine and rejuvenate a city on the ropes, with iconic imagery from Brooklyn to Ludlow Street; and
WHEREAS, Having consistently produced multi-million selling albums and receiving Grammy awards, in April 2012 the Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Adam Yauch was unable to attend due to deteriorating health; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his contributions to music, Adam Yauch was an activist and founder of the Milarepa Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness about abuses in Tibet and against Tibetans, and later in life became a successful filmmaker, founding Oscilloscope Laboratories, an independent film distribution company; and
WHEREAS, A man of colossal talent and charisma, Adam Yauch is survived by his wife, Dechen Wengdu, and their daughter, Losel; he will be missed by his family, his fans and all who knew him; his dedication to his music, his activism, and his heritage leaves an indelible legacy of inspiration for all other artists; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of famed rapper and activist Adam “MCA” Yauch; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Adam Yauch.
Elton John dedicated “Dont Let The Sun Go Down On Me” to Adam Yauch. <3
Intergalactic - Beastie Boys (Bonnaroo 2009)
What ended up being their last performance…
Ch-Check It Out - Beastie Boys (2004 VMAs)
I don’t know why I would be watching MTV, but I am so thankful that I happened to be watching the VMAs at that point.
This is it. This is the moment I was introduced to the Beastie Boys.
For a quiet, calm, young Beatlemaniac introvert who, at the time, could care less about hip-hop and “modern” music in general, this performance melted, regenerated and re-organized my brain. This performance changed my life. I had no idea who these guys were. I didn’t even get the Fight For Your Right reference at the beginning!
Their freedom, joy and energy! Completely genuine and one with the sound. They have all the confidence one has when you are alone or only among you very closest friends…in front of millions of people. PLUS THE MUSIC ROCKED.
Ch-Check It Out - Beastie Boys
That summer I would wake up simultaneously with the video. I remember waking up suddenly and immediately grabbing the remote to turn the TV on MTV only to see the intro. ALWAYS. The video and I were synchronized!
“Filmed in Oscilloscope,” then they would beam in and…BAM!!!!!!!
It was crazy and it looked so fun, I had to catch it every time it came on and I blast it on my brand new TV and would make everybody watch it. If it had just played on MTV then change to VH1 or another music channel and catch it again right away. I learned all the lyrics and their actions. I remember a couple of times my dad stayed home and he was up before me, he knew I was obsessed with the video so he waited for it to come on and then when it did he’d turn up the volume. Best way of waking up on a summer day.
