Thoughts on MCA of the Beastie Boys - R.I.P. Adam Yauch

Cancer sucks. One of its most recent, well-known victims is Adam "MCA" Yauch.

As a white kid listening to hip hop as a yungin, Yauch's Beastie Boys were one of the first groups I gravitated towards as MTV began to embrace the genre.

Although I started listening to Christian rap early on (copped Stephen Wiley's "Bible Break" cassette tape single in 1986), I probably heard the Beasties first - something my mother wasn't too pleased about when she had to explain their "your mom threw away your best porno mag" complaint from "Fight For Your Right" to her 10 year old.

I balanced out my hip hop diet as years went along though and continued to appreciate the Beastie's growth as artists. In college, we rocked to Check Your Head and Ill Communication. When I got married and bought our first DVD player the Beasties' Video Anthology (The Criterion Collection) was one of the first discs I purchased. It's still a worthy spin with 100's of different angles and over 40 remixes on the different audio tracks. Plus, the dudes simply kill it on the visuals.

I love their instrumental albums too. The In Sound From the Way Out and The Mix-Up show off their talent as true musicians. And thankfully, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just last month. Something the great Mick Boogie celebrated with this fresh Grand Royal mixtape.

My prayers are with Yauch's wife, daughter, friends and family. He will be missed.

If you haven't yet seen it, check out the way Christian rappers Heath McNease, Playdough, and RedCloud paid tribute to the Boys' classic "So What'cha Want" video in this track from the Nintendo Thumb: Straight Outta Console mixtape.

R.I.P. DJ Lace

As you may have heard, gospel hip hop's DJ Lace, aka Lawrence Stroman, went to be with the Lord late last week. The cause of death, originally reported as a heart attack, is uncertain.

His "homegoing" services will be held in Lithonia, GA tomorrow (April 20) and he will be honored in a variety of ways by a slew of affiliated DJ's in Atlanta this week for any of the Holy Hip Hop Awards, Dove Awards, and City Takers events.

Lace was the CEO and founder of New World Music and one of the founders of the Higher Ground Record Pool. Although Atlanta was his home, DJ Lace's roots can be traced back to Bronx, New York where he spun in the 70's under the name DJ Larry D.

He is survived by his wife Keshia, three children, his mother and father.

Official memorial information can be found online at djlacehomegoing.wordpress.com.

DJ Lace will most definitely be missed.

A few videos in tribute: