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4 Beastie Boys Tracks That Prove MCA Was ‘Cool as a Cucumber in a Bowl of Hot Sauce’

Four tracks doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of MCA’s greatest rhymes, but it’s a start.

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With his gravelly vocals and quick-witted rhymes, Adam Yauch—better known as MCA—was a crucial member of the Beastie Boys.

The trio balanced each other well, and there really wasn’t one Beastie who out-rhymed the others. But as we just passed the 14th anniversary of MCA’s death—on May 4, 2012—here are just four Beastie Boys tracks that highlight his work.

“Well, I’m MCA, I got nothin’ to prove / Pay attention, my intention is to bust a move.”

MCA opened “Posse in Effect” with blunt force attitude. Licensed to Ill was a debut album to end all debut albums, and while the Beastie Boys’ more experimental work also had merit, the youthful audacity of their first album remains a favorite for many.

The instinct........

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