Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch Of The Beastie Boys Passes Away

Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys has died at age 47.

Yauch, aka MCA, had been fighting cancer since 2009, though it's unknown if his reported death is a result of his illness.

Here's the statement released from the bands official website :

"It is with great sadness that we confirm that musician, rapper, activist and director Adam "MCA" Yauch, founding member of Beastie Boys and also of the Milarepa Foundation that produced the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits, and film production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories, passed away in his native New York City this morning after a near-three-year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old."