The 47-year-old, better known by his stage name MCA and who also strongly supported Tibetan rights, died weeks after the pioneering white hip-hop act were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, although he was too ill to attend.

“It is with great sadness that we confirm that musician, rapper, activist and director Adam “MCA” Yauch .. passed away in his native New York City this morning after a near-three-year battle with cancer,” said a statement released on Friday.

The Beastie Boys sold over 40 million records and released four number one albums, including the first hip-hop album ever to top the Billboard 200, the band’s 1986 debut full length, “Licensed To Ill.”

They won three Grammys: two in 1998 — best rap performance and best alternative music performance — and one in 2007, best pop instrumental album, for “The Mix Up,” according to the Grammys website.

The three-member band canceled a tour in 2009 after Yauch announced he had been diagnosed with cancer in a salivary gland. They have not appeared live since the summer of that year, said Rolling Stone.

Tributes began pouring in even before his death was confirmed — on Twitter it became the top trending discussion topic, under the hashtag #RIPMCA.

“Another very sad day in Hip Hop. #MCARIP,” said rapper Ice-T. adding: “I’m going Twitter silent today in honor of MCA.. Rest In Peace homie.”

MC Hammer simply said: “R.I.P. Adam Yauch Beastie Boys,” while British Culture Club star and DJ Boy George said: “Such sad news about Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. A fellow Buddhist and part of hip hop history!! R.I.P!”

Born in Brooklyn, Yauch taught himself to play bass in high school, forming a band for his 17th birthday party that would later become known the world over as Beastie Boys.

The rapper launched the band, initially a hard-core punk outfit, in 1979 with Mike “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horowitz, but they gradually moved towards hip hop, making it big with their 1986 album “Licensed to Ill.”

Yauch was heavily involved in support for Tibet, and helped organize charity concerts for the cause in the 1990s. He recently became a vegan at the recommendation of his Tibetan doctors, TMZ reported.

He was also a founding member of film production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Yauch did not appear at a ceremony to induct the Beastie Boys into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April, where Diamond and Horovitz read an acceptance speech on his behalf.

“I’d like to dedicate this to my brothers Adam and Mike,” he wrote. “They walked the globe with me. It’s also for anyone who has ever been touched by our band. This induction is as much ours as it is yours,” it read.

His cancer treatment delayed the release of the group’s most recent album, “Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2,” which was already tipped to do well and could debut at the top of the Billboard chart after Yauch’s death, CNN reported.

Tributes came not only from the hip hop community.

“Crushed to hear the news of Adam Yauch’s passing. A true pioneer of art,” said actor-singer Justin Timberlake, while actor Ben Stiller called him “a truly great musician & filmmaker.”

The International Campaign for Tibet, on whose board of directors Yauch sat from 1996-2006, paid tribute to him with a picture of the rapper meeting the Dalai Lama in 1995.

“His passion for Tibet came from his devotion to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Buddhadharma, and from accepting that celebrity could and should be used for a greater good,” it said.

Yauch is survived by his wife Dechen and his daughter Tenzin Losel, as well as his parents Frances and Noel Yauch.

source from: yahoo

As the release date for 50 Cent’s The Lost Tape with DJ Drama draws closer to release, the Queens emcee begins to reveal further details about the project.

“I got [Eminem] on the intro of one of the actual joints,” said Fif in an interview with ThisIs50.com. “The 2 Chainzjoint is on there. Me and Kidd Kidd… Did one with Jeremih. I kinda think it’s hotter…not than the rest of the tape – it’s cleaner.”

50 continued rattling off the impressive list of features, which included a longtime collaborator and one of his artists. “Snoop and [Precious] Paris. I like what Paris is doing. She just did the ’Remain Calm’ [song].”

50 was also asked about Lloyd Banks, and whether he was still part of G-Unit’s plans. “He’s not on [The Lost Tape],” explained 50. “He’s been doing his shows, so they’ve been seeing him.”

source from: hiphopdx

When Jay-Z has planned announcements in the past, momentous occasions such as squashing his beef with Nas have occurred.

So it is with baited breath that Hip Hop await his next one, scheduled to take place at 10:30 AM on Monday (May 14).

According to Roc Nation, Hov will join Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter atop Philadelphia’s Art Museum steps to make a “Major Announcement.”

No further details have been released, though the Philadelphia Daily News‘ speculation that Jay would reveal that he was performing with The Roots during the July 4 Wawa Welcome America! Festival concert was apparently repudiated. The two acts collaborated on stage for Jay-Z’s MTV Unplugged 2.0performance in 2001.

source from: hiphopdx

Rapper Mystikal has been ordered back to prison for a three-month bid on account of probation violation.

According to The Advocate, state District Judge Tony Marabella tacked on the sentencing because he violated his five-year probation in an extortion case when he was arrested in February on a misdemeanor charge of domestic abuse battery.

Mystikal was released from state prison in 2010 after serving a six-year term for sexual battery and extortion.

The judge has given him a nine-day credit on his three-month sentencing for the time he was detained following his February 22nd arrest. He will report to prison on May 14th.

[April 17]

UPDATE: Mystikal has checked into a Louisiana prison this morning where he will serve an 81-day sentence. He was originally handed a 90-day sentence for probation violation, but was credited with nine days after he was detained in jail for a February arrest. He is expected to be released in early August.

source from: hiphopdx

Acts include alternative rockers Carsick Cars (China), globe-trotting rock monsters Electric Eel Shock (Japan), electronic duo Turbo Goth (Philippines), the angular guitar pop of Poubelle International (Hong Kong), Asia’s favorite DJ Tech 12 (U.K) and hip hop royalty courtesy of Jurassic 5’s Akil the MC together with MC Hydrophonics (U.S.). They’ll be ably supported by the best local talent such as Hanoi-based rockers Go Lim, the reggae tinged afrobeat of Zamina and electronic dance-floor fillers Machete.Sex.Mix.

CAMA Festival is a great day out for people of all ages. Besides non-stop live music on the main stage, stalls offer massages, tattoos and caricatures, fashion shopping, tour bookings, information on locally active NGOs, entertainment and games for children, as well as a chill-out cocktail bar and spacious beer garden. In addition, there will be food and beverages provided by Hanoi’s leading restaurants.

Hanoi’s first independent music promoter, CAMA Vietnam, has brought over 70 international acts from more than 10 countries to Vietnam since 2005 and the event is Indochina’s biggest independent annual music festival.

A limited number of advance tickets go on sale for VND300,000 from Thursday 24 May at CAMA ATK, 73 Mai Hac De Street in Hanoi and other selected outlets across the city. Tickets on the door will be VND400,000 with a 50% discount available for student.

source from: thesaigontimes

In a recent interview with DJ Skee, A$AP Rocky discussed a slew of subjects, including the A$AP Mob’s upcoming project.

When asked whether his solo album would still be dropping in July, Rocky replied, “Yes, definitely. But we tryin’ to drop the [A$AP] Mob tape [in May].”

The emcee was asked what the A$AP Mob tape would sound like. “You know, like, the beginning of theCoachella performance?” asked the New York native. “That was like a quick preview of what is about to happen. I’m tellin’ you – we got ammunition. It’s not even a joke.”

A$AP Rocky also provided some advice to artists trying to get into the game.

“I just feel like…believe in what you do,” explained Rocky. “You really got to. Because if you fakin’ it, it’s gonna show eventually, and that’s the worst thing you want. That’s when people get shelved and flop, and all that other stuff.”

A$AP Rocky was also asked to list who he thought were the best current emcees. “Kendrick and Schoolboy [Q],” replied Rocky, quickly.

source from: hiphopdx

Fans still eagerly awaiting Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana’sfabled I Can’t Feel My Face album, don’t hold your breath. Weezy confirmed that for now, the project has been scrapped.

In a recent interview with MTV, Wayne said that he has moved on from the long awaited project and will be reusing much of the music originally recorded for the LP on his upcoming I Am Not a Human Being II. He explained that while his recent prison sentence definitely put a damper on the initial release time for the LP, it was Santana’s own legal issues last year that prevented the duo from finishing it.

“I actually got at [Jue]lz when I got out [of jail] and told him, ‘Man, I think it’s time we really capitalize on that,’” he explained. “[Now], he can’t work how he wants to work because they shut down his studio. I sent him some music and he didn’t send them back in the time-fashion that I work. I started putting extra verses on those songs and I’ve moved on. Now what probably would’ve been I Can’t Feel My Face, has now turned into I Am Not a Human Being II.”

source from: hiphopdx

It looks like Lil Boosie’s ongoing trial for first-degree murder trial is going to get worse before it gets any better. A judge has ruled that specific lyrics from one of the Baton Rouge rapper’s songs are admissible as evidence in his trial.

According to a recent report from NBC 33 TV, Judge Mike Erwin ruled during a pre-trial hearing this past Tuesday that three specific lyrics from one of Boosie’s songs can be used by the prosecution to show personal intent in the murder case. Interrogating officer of the Baton Rouge police Alvin Howard says that the specific lines “187,” “murk,” and “cake” are references to Boosie allegedly hiring a hitman to murder Terry Boyd in 2009.

The ruling has not come without some resistance from the defense. Boosie’s lawyers argue that not only is Officer Howard not an expert witness in rap slang, but that the prosecution may have altered the lyrics of the track in question and thus should not play the song in court. Judge Erwin sustained both of the defense’s objections, but allowed the specific lyrics in question to be entered into evidence.

The name of the song in question has yet to be revealed to the general public. If found guilty, Lil Boosie faces a life sentence in prison.

DX will keep you updated as more information comes to light.

source from: hiphopdx

From Large Professor to Pete Rock to Busta Rhymes, Roc Marciano has worked with some of New York’s biggest Hip Hop icons. Now, in a recent interview with Out The Box TV, the Long Island emcee/producer recalls the time he linked up with Detroit’s very own J Dilla.

Roc explained that he got the chance to meet and work with the late Dilla while recording Busta Rhymes’sAnarchy as a member of the Flipmode Squad. He said that the day Jay Dee came to the studio to deliver Busta beats, he grilled the Slum Village alum about how he crafts his drums.

“I was in a session when Dilla came through and was dropping off some beats. I was there during theAnarchy album,” he recalled. “Busta always worked with Dilla, and I got the opportunity to meet the brother at that time. He was a real cool brother. To be honest, man, he just seemed like another brother from my hood, he seemed just like a real genuine dude. I remember when I first seen him, he came to the studio, and fuckin’ with Buss, we had beats from all over…Busta’s a superstar, so Buss got A1 beats from everybody. And I’ll always remember, when we played everybody’s beats, Dilla’s drums was slapping everybody’s drums. His shit’s was crazy, so when I seen him in the studio, first thing I said [was], ‘Yo, you’ve got the best drums in the game.’ He was like, ‘Word, thanks fan’…me and Buss tried to shake him down for the secret in the studio, he just said it was just good samples, good snare choices.”

Roc also spoke on his recent work Dilla’s partner in the Ummah Q-Tip on his long-awaited Reloadedproject. He said that Tip’s meticulous nature in the studio has helped elevate his music to a new level and will give listeners a fuller sonic experience.

“With [Q-]Tip, what more can you say - The Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders,” he exclaimed. “I’m a minimalist in a lot of peoples’ opinions when it comes to music, so a lot of people want my beats to have more bass and power, ‘cus I’ll rock over a naked sample and I’m good money. But my music could go to another level with those extra frequencies, and Tip is there to make sure my shit is on a higher level, so his expertise is being added to what I’m doing to make the package more full. If I’ve got a sample that’s already crazy, he’s like, ‘Yo, we can’t hear that bass, lift that bass up’ and they’ll go find the right bass tones and give it that body it needs…when you’re working with a brother like Q-Tip who’s so meticulous…you get to learn that his input is actually [needed]…those little things are making something that was probably already great greater.”

source from: hiphopdx

Rah Digga has come out swinging at Fat Trel and Tyler, The Creator for taking jabs at her on song and Twitter. Releasing a diss track titled “The Nigga in Me,”  Digga spits venom at the two emcees, releasing an accompanying statement explaining why she went in on the two rappers.

“I didn’t make this record for press purposes or for hype cuz that’s not my thing,” she said. “I got wind of various artists referencin me in a negative fashion. They poked fun at me I’m just pokin back. Its all sport to me. I wish em all the best, they just need to understand who is off limits. MC Lyte is off limits.  Rah Digga is off limits.  Respect those who kept hip hop raw so that we could still have a culture or get a first hand lesson in a lyrical ass whoopin. Love is love.”

First, Digga responds to Fat Trel, who rapped on a track, “The bitch might be a nigga, for reala, she Rah Digga.”

Digga responds, “This guy, you barely caught a meal short of fish fry / Think of letting this slide? / Fat Trel could kiss my global rap ass / He barely out of D.C., tried to look him up, he ain’t even got a Wiki.”

She explains that she knows she shouldn’t stoop to his level, but that she couldn’t stop herself. “Some say it’s beneath me, I should be the bigger artist / But this is what happens when you get a nigga started,” she continues.

She then turns her attention to Tyler, The Creator, who trolled her on Twitter by constantly wishing her a Happy Father’s Day.

“I was trying to support this young black man / It’s too bad, you probably lost your only black fan,” she snarls. “Take it any further, and you might catch a backhand, bitch!”

source from: hiphopdx