Even in death, the Beastie Boys’ Adam “MCA” Yauch is refusing to sell out to advertisers.
According to a Thursday report by Rolling Stone magazine, the iconic rapper included a provision in his recently filed will that prohibits the use of his music and “artistic property” for advertising purposes even after his death.
“Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in no event may my image or name or any music or any artistic property created by me be used for advertising purposes,” Yauch wrote.
While it is unclear if this provision applies to all of the Beastie Boys’ recorded output, this is not the first time that Yauch’s wish to not have his work used in advertising has been made public. In fact, a set of lines uttered by the rapper in the Beastie Boys’ 2004 single “Triple Trouble” spoke directly to this issue.
Yauch said, “Cause I’m a specializer, rhyme reviser/ Ain’t selling out to advertisers/ What you get is what you see/ And you won’t see me out there advertising.”
Watch the official video for the “Triple Trouble” by the Beastie Boys here:
Fortunately the other members of the Beastie Boys, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond, also seem committed to upholding deceased bandmate’s wishes. Just last week the pair along with Yauch’s estate filed suit against the makers of Monster Energy Drink for using their likenesses and music in promotional videos without consent.
Though a post by trusts and estate lawyer Wendy Goffe on Forbes.com has questioned the actual legal validity of the request in Yauch’s will, even Goffe admits that one Yauch’s final wishes was made for nothing but noble reasons.
She writes, “Yauch was likely making a statement to the world that life is about more than profit. He attempted to exercise control over his name, image and legacy in order to make that point. The sad irony is that Yauch’s heirs may desperately need that profit to pay the legal bills that result from his final act of defiance.”
For more information on Adam Yauch and the rest of the Beastie Boys please visit http://beastieboys.com/.
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