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. He was 47. The band's rep confirmed that Yauch passed away in his native New York City Friday morning after a three-year battle with cancer.
Yauch underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his salivary gland in July 2009. Treatment included radiation therapy, and in December of that year, he sent a email message to fans to share that we was feeling "healthy, strong and hopeful" he'd beaten the disease. The exact cause and place of death wasn't immediately known.
"While I'm grateful for all the positive energy people are sending my way, reports of my being totally cancer free are exaggerated," said Yauch. "I'm continuing treatment, staying optimistic and hoping to be cancer free in the near future."
The nine Beastie Boys albums released in the SoundScan era (including two greatest hits packages and one archive release, "Same Old Bullshit") have sold 10.2 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month, but did not attend the April 14 ceremony
Via Billboard.com
