As reported at Gawker, and elsewhere I'm sure, Adam Yauch, also known as MCA of the Beastie Boys, has died. He was only forty seven, and had apparently been battling cancer for the past couple years. I didn't know that. Maybe that's why I feel so...
I can't fucking believe this. It's weird, lots of musical artists have died in my time. Tons. I loved Kurt Cobain and thought his suicide was terribly sad. Shannon Hoon, of Blind Melon, who was beautiful...That guy from Sublime,who didn't live to see the massive success of their second record, Amy Winehouse, who requires no linkage, I'm sure. I was particularly moved by the death of Lisa Lopes, but only way after the fact and because of that Vh1 documentary about her. Even when I'm not all that into them, when a well known artist dies younger than people should, I feel a pang. But generally I'm like "Really? Huh. Wow. That's sad.". And then I get on with my day. But I just feel so...there may be actual tears. Like I bet this how people felt about Elvis. Or Michael Jackson. I get it now.
You see, I love the Beastie Boys. I actually got into them well after they fought for and won their right to party. An old boyfriend turned me on to some of their more obscure stuff when I was in my early twenties. He made the greatest mix tapes, that guy. It wasn't til later, though, like my late twenties/early thirties that I broke out my copy of Ill Communication, and wondered how it was that I failed to recognize and appreciate its brilliance before. It'd been in my collection for years yet I'd barely played it all. This was a terrible oversight on my part, but one I made up for with great zeal.
I listen to them at least a couple of times a week, generally when in the morning when I'm cleaning, or in the evening when I'm feeling funkily frisky. I still favor Ill Communication, but I like Paul's Boutique a lot, too, and have a really great Root Down Ep that gets it's fair share of play. Oh, and Check Your Head. Can't forget that.
It's safe to say that the Beastie Boys are heavily featured on the soundtrack to my life. I've wished that I could be a Beastie Boy. A Beastie Girl. A Beastie Chick. Listening to them keeps me feeling young. In fact I've often wondered if when I'm like seventy I'll still wanna bop around to them. Like will my future rest home roomie have to deal with me randomly busting out with the lyrics to Hey Ladies, as I am now so wont to do? I'm betting they might. I mean, I still sometimes like to say "The Phone is ringing, oh my God" when the phone rings. And when people ask me the time? It's not unusual for me to helpfully inform them that it's time to get ill.
They're just so unique. I think they utilize sampling better than any other group or artist, ever. Their proprietary blend of hip hop, funk, punk and jazz is, to me, just brilliant. And they're funny! And fun. And...
I'm having a hard time believing this.
And I find myself having the same thought I have these days every time someone famous dies:
Why, God, Why? Why can't it ever be Rush Limbaugh?
Okay so I suppose it would be appropriate for me to offer up a few of my B Boy favorites now. Let's see...
The Maestro, Live from the Root Down Ep
It's funny because I'm not so into swearing, but I love singing along with this: "Yeah you Motherfuckers, I'm all that. I see you looking at me, sayin' 'how can he be so skinny? The man's so phat"
Such a fun song.
There are more, many, many more. But because I must go and grieve, and by grieve, I mean dance, I'll close with one of their more well known and mainstream numbers, whose lyrics I'm also given to breaking into randomly:
Sabotage, from Ill Communication
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