Beastie Boys MC Adam Yauch, a.k.a. MCA, has died. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2009 and had been undergoing treatment.

In addition to his work in the seminal, influential, absurdly successful, and undeniably excellent hip-hop group, he also ran his own film production company and co-founded a fund to support Tibetan independence. The Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month.

I'm a little disappointed to discover that Lil Wayne was not, as a child, what the cover to Tha Carter III suggested he was.

Except when we use words like "bad" and "snotty" to describe him, we mean it literally. FOR GOD'S SAKE USE A KLEENEX.