Lyor Cohen on the Passing of Adam Yauch (MCA) of the Beastie Boys

On the day of Beastie Boy Adam Yauch's tragic death from cancer, we sat down with Lyor Cohen to ask him about his memories of MCA and what he meant to music and the world.



Lyor Cohen is the North American Chairman and CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group. A hip-hop pioneer, Cohen was a concert promoter before signing on as the tour manager for Run DMC in the mid-1980's. In 1986, Cohen oversaw the now legendary Raising Hell tour, featuring Run DMC, a slew of hip-hop legends, and, of course, the Beastie Boys. Their debut album, Licensed to Ill, was released as the tour began. It eventually became the best-selling rap album of the 1980's.

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[illNicky]

I read that right when Def Jam signed with Columbia Records, Lyor Cohen, who had come to NY from Israel, walked into the office for a job, because years before, Simmons worked with him promoting. Simmons always thought Cohen would be a great asset to the team because of his promotional skills. They said that Cohen once borrowed $700 to promote a show and made $30, 000 in ticket sales.

[illNicky]

and when Run DMC's road manager couldnt be found because he was on a drug binge, Cohen was the only one with a passport that could go with them to a show in London. And when they got there, Runny Ray, who was in charge of keeping the music, had forgotten to bring the records. So Cohen ran to the audience and took all the records that fans had brought to be signed by the group. After that, he earned his trust would eventually be the most powerful head in the budding hip hop industry.

[ReadeMoore]

"The Check Writer" lays down some truth. I worked with Lyor many years ago at Def Jam and he is a driven, ruthless motherfucker, inspiring really, and a great guy... He clearly was shaken by Yauch's passing as he seems to have set all that aside for a brief moment and is open, somber, and reflective in this video.

[illNicky]

Anyway when he walked into the office and told the receptionist he was there to meet with Simmons (the receptionist was Ann Carli, Simmons girlfriend) she called Simmons and was like "Russell, it was so nice of you to higher a handicapped person."
That was because he was stuck in the middle of a NY accent and an Hebrew one.
He wasnt offered a paid job but he took it anyway because he saw alot in Def Jam.

[peacefulpisces]

Leonard Cohen's son words of wisdom for MCA

[ashe]

Wow his words really moved me in to tears.

[jaysee]

"Some tall Israeli is runnin this rap shit" -Yasiin Bey

[MrBraffZachlin]

always surprise me how the scummiest of people can speak such kind profound words thu their forked tongues

[RoyaltyWORKS]

If there was no Lyor Cohen there may not be mainstream hip hop

[ctmexperiment]

you've gotta be joking... he's the reason you even listen to hip hop in the first place.

[ImmortalDestructor]

You need to get your eyes checked, he looks white to me.