music
Mike D: ‘After Yauch died I couldn’t make music. I’d open a computer file and just feel sadness’
As part of the Beastie Boys, the rapper shot to fame and notoriety in the 80s, before bandmate Adam Yauch’s death saw him withdraw from the spotlight. He returns with a solo album that sees him reckon with greed, mortality – and his past
TL;DR
- Mike D discusses the 40th anniversary of the Beastie Boys' debut album, 'Licensed to Ill', and its impact.
- He recounts the band's evolution from controversial figures to socially progressive artists.
- Diamond shares how Adam Yauch's death in 2012 led him to withdraw from music.
- His new solo album, 'Thank You', is inspired by his sons and explores themes of mortality, grief, and self-reflection.
- The album also touches on greed and capitalism, influenced by current societal realities.
- Diamond emphasizes the value of time and his return to creativity as a fulfilling experience.
- He acknowledges artists like Death Grips and Tyler, the Creator as continuations of an energy the Beastie Boys helped bring to mainstream hip-hop.