Adam Yauch Of Beastie Boys Dead At 47

"One of our heroes, Adam Yauch aka MCA of the Beastie Boys has passed this morning after a long bout with cancer. Our prayers go out to the family of Adam and the entire Beastie Boys crew." Rumors about Yauch's ongoing battle with cancer were sparked

Adam Yauch, the gruff-voiced rapper, musician and video auteur known as MCA in the groundbreaking hip hop trio The Beastie Boys, has died after a lengthy illness, Billboard has confirmed.

The Beastie Boys wrangled punk rock and hip hop together like no-one before or since – they were a huge inspiration to me starting way back 1986 – the first concert where I can remember my ears ringing. It was also the first

Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, aka MCA, died Friday morning after a nearly three-year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old. A pioneering rapper, Yauch also was an activist for Tibet and produced and distributed films. He will be missed.

Yauch, the gravelly voiced Beastie Boys rapper who co-founded the seminal hip-hop group, has died at age 47. The cause of death wasn't immediately known. Yauch, who's also known as MCA, was diagnosed with a cancerous parotid gland in 2009.