Ad Rock was the one with the winy voice, Mike D was on some ol’ ill-style vocals and MCA was the one with the grown man sound. These White boys were all over the freakin place.

By KEVIN CHILL HEARD

Managing Editor

“Now my name is MCA I’ve got a license to kill.

I think you know what time it is. It’s time to get ill.

Now what do we have here. An outlaw and his beer.

I run this land. You understand.  I make myself clear.”

-- Adam MCA Yauch, “Paul Revere”

Adam Yauch, known as MCA of the groundbreaking group the Beastie Boys died today after a long bout with cancer. He was 47.

I had the opportunity to share the stage with MCA, Mike D and King Ad-Rock as part of RunDMC’s landmark Raising Hell Tour, which parked in Cleveland in 1986. In my M.C. Chill alias, we rocked with the Beasties, Whodini, LL Cool J and of course RunDMC.

The Beastie’s show was like a Phi Delta frat party with a Hip-Hop break beat.

I had never seen anything like it. These fools were drinking beer and throwing it all over the stage, themselves, and the audience.

Ad Rock was the one with the winy voice, Mike D was on some ol’ ill-style vocals and MCA was the one with the grown man sound. These White boys were all over the freakin place.

I wondered what kind of Hip-Hop would the Beastie Boys’ brand of Hip-Hop become.

As time went by and I listened to “Licensed to Ill” about 500 times, I fessed up that these crazy White dudes were unique and not just some gimmick. As time passed, the Beasties proved time and again that they could not be put into specific category.

These cats were on something different and it was working for them, hell, it was flat-out working for all audiences.

By 1989, they had released Paul’s Boutique and it was obvious that the group would be on a constant and fly exploration of reinvention and musical exploration. After that, there was no turning back. By the time their sixth LP “To the 5 Boroughs” came around and they were rockin’ “Triple Trouble” off of a “Rapper’s Delight” beat, and a “Wild Style” flow, while being chased by Bigfoot, it was obvious that they were on some real different [ish]. But never would I have imagined that they would end up in my back yard being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month. 

Although Adam’s illness had already progressed to the point where he would be unable to attend, it was a fitting testament to Adam Yauch and the group he helped create.

* You can follow Kevin Chill Heard on Twitter @houseofchill