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Adam Yauch Honored By New York State Senate

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Adam Yauch was, in almost every sense of the term, a true New Yorker — born in Brooklyn, raised on the music of the Village and the Lower East Side, representing the eclectic energy and vibrant multiculturalism of NYC itself through his films and social causes — so it’s fitting that, earlier this week, the New York State Senate passed a resolution honoring the late Beastie Boy’s achievements.

The resolution — officially known as J4637 — was written by State Senator Daniel Squadron (who represents the district of Brooklyn Heights, where Yauch was born) and celebrates Yauch’s many accomplishments and contributions, including raising the profile of New York City in a time when many thought its best days were behind it, noting:

“The Beastie Boys became well-known in the innovative music scene in Manhattan’s East Village and Lower East Side with a sound and a style all their own … [they] exemplified New York through a period in which grassroots creativity and a community of iconoclastic artists helped redefine and rejuvenate a city on the ropes, with iconic imagery from Brooklyn to Ludlow Street.”

Squadron also paid tribute to Yauch’s activism, including his Milarepa Fund (which raised awareness of the abuses in Tibet) and his Oscilloscope Laboratories, which produced films like the Yauch-directed “Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot,” about high-school basketball prospects competing in a tournament at Harlem’s historic Rucker Park.

J4637 also works in a nod to the Beastie’s 1994 hit “Sure Shot” (“The music and message of the Beastie Boys evolved over the years, but they can’t, they don’t, they won’t stop changing the face of hip-hop, of music and of our culture”) and allowed the Senate to “pause in its deliberations” to remember Yauch, “a man of colossal talent and charisma.”

“Adam Yauch is survived by his wife, Dechen Wengdu, and their daughter Losel,” the resolution concludes. “He will be missed by his family, his fans and all who knew him; his dedication to his music, his activism and his heritage leaves an indelible legacy of inspiration for all other artists.”

924ae spotted Adam Yauch Honored By New York State Senate

Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch, Dead at 47: A Big-Screen Tribute

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After a long bout with cancer, the Beastie Boys‘ Adam Yauch died on Friday (May 4). The rapper’s death comes as a huge blow to fans of his work with the iconic trio, but he’ll also be remembered for the imprint he left on the film world.

While he’s widely known as a co-founder of the Brooklyn hip-hop group, MCA was an accomplished director and producer, and his music is featured on an array of popular music soundtracks. The Hollywood community took to Twitter this afternoon to share their thoughts, with Ben Stiller tweeting, “So sad that Adam Yauch is gone. A truly great musician filmmaker. He stood for integrity as an artist. What a loss. He was a very good man.” While Jonah Hill followed up with a heartfelt tweet: “I’m filled with so much sorrow to hear about the world losing Adam Yauch. He was such a beautiful person and artist. My heart is broken.”

As fans mourn the loss, MTV News honors his career and achievements on the big screen.

“Fight for Your Right Revisited”
The comedic short was Yauch’s most recent writing and direction project and it debuted at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. With as ensemble cast that includes Elijah Wood, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, Susan Sarandon, Will Arnett and Stanley Tucci, the story picks up from the raging party at the close of the trio’s 1987 “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)” music video. The sequel follows the Beastie Boys and their delinquent antics as they break into a bodega to steal beer and try to out-breakdance their future selves.

“Awesome: I F—in’ Shot That!”
Yauch produced and directed this memorable Beasties documentary, using footage shot by 50 fans at their 2004 Madison Square Garden concert. Audience members were given video cameras and asked to shoot the whole show. The project was meant to re-create for viewers at the home the exhilarating fan-experience of attending a sold-out show. Interestingly enough, MCA’s producer credit for the project is under the name of Nathaniel Hornblower, Yauch’s “Swiss uncle” and alter ego.

Oscilloscope
In 2008, Yauch made his directorial debut with “Gunnin’ for That #1 Spot,” a doc about street basketball. The film follows eight of 24 high-school basketball players competing in the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic at Harlem, New York’s famed Rucker Park. Of the eight players Yauch chose, six now have careers in the NBA, proving his eye for talent.

“Gunnin’ ” also marked one of his production company’s first efforts. Oscilloscope Laboratories has gone on to distribute a number of well-known works, including “Howl,” the Allen Ginsberg biopic starring James Franco, and the Oscar-nominated thriller “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” starring Tilda Swinton. The company recently announced that they had acquired the rights to the documentary “The Apple Pushers,” which tells the stories of immigrant street vendors who sell fruits and vegetables in poor New York City neighborhoods. The film is narrated by Edward Norton.

Soundtracks
MCA‘s music with the Beastie Boys has been featured on countless movie soundtracks, including “Baby Mama,” “17 Again,” J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek,” “Shrek Forever After,” “Iron Man 2,” “Horrible Bosses” and the Hugh Jackman robotic-action flick “Real Steel.” They also had hit songs featured in the video games “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” (“Sabotage”) and “Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground” (“Electric Worm”).

Share your condolences for MCA’s family, friends and fans in the comments below.