Beastie Boys' MCA Adam Yauch dies at 47 One of the founding members of hip hop trio the Beastie Boys Adam Yauch died today aged 47. Yauch, known in the Beastie Boys by his stage name MCA, announced in 2009 that he was being treated for a cancerous parotid gland and lymph node, however, it is not clear at present whether the rapper's death is related to his battle with cancer. Alongside Mike D and Ad Rock, Yauch co-founded the Beastie Boys in 1979, and the group, later completed by Mix Master Mike, went on to win multiple Grammies. He is survived by his wife, Dechen Wangdu and daughter Tenzin Losel Yauch. This article initially stated that Mix Master Mike was a founding member of the Beastie Boys, which he was not. It has since been amended