Adam Yauch, Bestie Boys at Brixton Academy - 05/09/07 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Adam Yauch, aka MCA, has died after a battle with cancer at age 48 reports Rolling Stone Magazine. The sad news was broken by longtime friend Russell Simmons, who was the mentor and first manager of the rap-rock trio and whose Def Jam label launched their 1984 breakthrough album, Licensed to Ill.

In addition to his career with the Beastie Boys, Yauch was heavily involved in the movement to free Tibet and co-organized the Tibetan Freedom Concerts of the late Nineties. In 2002, he launched the film production company Oscilloscope Laboratories.

  Read more: Rolling Stone