In 2012, the world lost a great man. Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch, founding member of the Beastie Boys, continues to be missed and celebrated. As a tribute, and to continue his Hip-Hop and activist legacy, I decided to design a skateboard paying tribute to his memory.
Originally, I hand-painted a deck, and brought it to New York City. I had an opportunity to meet AdRock, and my goal was to get the board in front of him. I wanted to express our admiration and feeling of loss to Yauch’s bandmate and friend. When AdRock and his wife, Kathleen Hanna, curated an art show, I made it a point to be there.
After the charity art exhibition, I began to wonder about making a pro deck. I was operating without a map, and I didn’t know where to begin. It became very important for me to figure things out.
I was watching a documentary called Skateboard Nation – featuring the construction of skateparks that served the Native-American youth community. The film featured an interview with Jim Murphy of Wounded Knee Skateboards (quite possibly the perfect name for a skate company in service of the Native-Amercian community). I was moved by this story, and decided to attempt to contact Mr. Murphy. I wrote him a short, impassioned note, explaining my motivation and goal to make my deck idea into a professional-quality skateboard design. I was pleasantly surprised when he replied to my message, almost immediately.
He turned me on to Chapman Skates in NY state, and I quickly contacted them. Glenn Chapman answered the phone on one ring, and clearly and concisely laid out what would be my next steps for fabrication.
I set the number of decks at a limit of fifty. I wanted to get these decks into the hands of fifty people who felt the same way that I do about Yauch. While it has been six years since I started this endeavor, I continue to be excited and inspired by the connections this story evokes.
I set aside board number one of fifty. I would keep this deck, and bring it to live Hip-Hop shows. There, I would ask MCA’s peers to tag the surface, paying tribute to their friend, and sharing stories and memories during the exchange.
As of this writing, I have obtained signatures and stories from: DJ Hurricane, Danny Boy O’Connor, Dante Ross, Phife Dawg, Posdnous, Trugoy, Maseo, B-Real, Eric Bobo, SenDog, DJ Julio, Mix Master Mike, Monie Love, Chuck D, Doug E. Fresh, DJ Kool, Billions McMillions, Speech, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, DMC, Glen E. Friedman, and Cey Adams
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The deck has brought me on many adventures, and has allowed me to meet many interesting people. Of the original fifty, I have about 10 decks left, and I’m so pleased that people have gone out of their way to celebrate Yauch in this way. Each of the fifty decks are signed, numbered, and come with a letter explaining the impetus for the design. In the future, I hope to add to deck number 1 – although it’s getting a bit crowded on there! – AK
A couple of ways to obtain one of the Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch decks:
We live in interesting times. Recently, it seems as though the events that play out in the news, or on our computer screens, couldn’t possibly be real. No matter on which segment of the political spectrum you reside, there are incidents and stories that challenge our beliefs and humanness. This past weekend, in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn, New York, someone scrawled some quick, poorly drawn swastikas and the slogan ‘Go Trump’ on playground equipment at Adam Yauch Park. While this would be unacceptable and deeply concerning in any context, the timing and the placement of these divisive sentiments sent shockwaves out into the proud communities of the borough. These waves reverberated through local bodegas, religious sermons, political discourse, and family discussions. It didn’t take long for the news to traverse the bridges surrounding New York, and make its way out into the larger world.
Brooklyn Bridge – 2013
On May 3, 2013, Palmetto Park was officially renamed Adam Yauch Park. Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch was a member of the Hip-Hop trio the Beastie Boys. He had come of age in Brooklyn, New York, and played in the very streets where the park bearing his name is located. Yauch passed away in May of 2012, and left behind an incredible legacy of love, spirituality, and music. I was fortunate to be there for the park’s dedication, and felt a great sense of warmth and happiness when the new sign was installed.
Adam Yauch Park sign – The day it was successfully installed
Immediately after the unveiling of the sign
The Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch Tribute Deck at Adam Yauch Park
As you might imagine, many concerned friends and family members took to email and text to share the news of the ugly new messages that appeared. Obviously, I was upset by this turn of events. Quickly, I decided to combat each message of negative news with an uplifting reminder of the day the park was dedicated. If someone sent me a link to the angry backlash, I’d post an image from the park on that May day in 2013. I attempted to remain positive and thoughtful in my responses. Though I was briefly successful, it was obvious, that something more needed to be done.
My son, Ethan, the day Adam Yauch Park was dedicated (I’m in the background) – 2013
Saturday morning, the 19th of November, I woke early, intent on getting started on my trimester grade reports. I had a lot of work to do in order to meet the Monday deadline. Instead, I began to piece together a plan to get to Brooklyn as soon as possible. By the time I was done with my shower, I had decided to hop in the car and join the clean-up and protest/rally that was planned at 11:30 am. I figured, if I left immediately, I’d be up there just in time. Much to my surprise, I had misread the information regarding the event. It wouldn’t be happening until Sunday at 11:30 a.m. I had twenty-four hours to plan, and more importantly, get my grades done.
Admittedly, I was preoccupied as I entered my grade data into my laptop. I wanted to plan an efficient and productive trip to New York. It occurred to me to invite some friends. It would be an opportunity to reflect, discuss, and strategize on the way up. What would we do? Who would be there? Was this really a good idea? I decided to throw it out there, and I texted Malcolm. If he was up for it, and replied in the affirmative, it would make the decision to go a certainty:
“Droppin’ Science Like Galileo Dropped the Orange!” – He was ‘in’. We’d meet in my driveway at 7:00 am on Sunday morning, drive up, and play it by ear. It had been unseasonably warm that Saturday, and I even managed to do some yard work. So when it was cloudy, windy, blustery, and cold on Sunday morning, we were not prepared. Malcolm arrived without a jacket, and borrowed one of mine. I threw a few extra layers in the car, MCA Day stickers, some art, my Adam Yauch Tribute Skateboard, and a extended playlist of Hip-Hop songs; enough to get us to the moon and back. We were ready to go.
As we drove, Sirius XM was playing a ton of Tribe tracks, in honor of Phife Dawg’s birthday. A section of Linden Boulevard in Queens had been named for him the day before. “Back in the days, on the Boulevard of Linden…”. Man, that’s a great tribute.
We talked politics, shared our concerns on the current empowerment of the ‘alt-right’, and wondered aloud about what would be waiting for us at the park. We wanted to stay positive, show our support, offer to help, and come back home.
We arrived in Brooklyn at 10:00. It took exactly three hours to get to the park by car, and we circled around to find a parking spot. We found a legitimate garage over by Borough Hall, and hoofed it over to the park to check things out. It was quiet, except for a few families playing with their children on the monkey bars. The offensive messages were long gone, replaced with paper hearts, and sidewalk chalk messages of love. It would be wonderful to stand together to promote this positive defiance.
I texted Mike Kearney, creator and curator of MCA Day, to let him know we had arrived. He and Nicole Waters-Minervino were holed up in a nearby eatery. I took a couple of pictures, and we headed over to meet them.
My Adam Yauch Tribute Deck – at Adam Yauch Park 11.20.16
We found Mike, Nicole, and Nicole’s son Carlo at a table about one hundred yards from the park, itself. We pulled up a few chairs, and caught up on the plans for the day. In case he was asked, Mike was crafting a speech to address the crowd. He would speak to those in attendance who were most familiar with Adam Yauch; those who wanted reassurance that his legacy would be defended and upheld. We wordsmithed a bit, and got ready to head back over. It was great to be reunited with the passionate people who had inspired me to find this place again. We were going to be representing all those who were unable to attend.
Mike Kearney putting some thoughts to paper
As we walked back over, I changed into my emerald green Adidas firebird track jacket. This had been a gift from Mike to the crew who helped put on the MCA Day event. It’s an empowering reminder that we are part of a larger group; a family. As we rounded the bend at the end of the street, the park came back into view. It was now filled with hundreds of people. It was exhilarating and emotional to see such a genuine and formidable response to the hateful messages that had been left. We entered the park and took in the hand-made signs, the faces of the like-minded strangers, and the welcoming vibe.
Not long after we arrived, Senator Daniel Squadron used a megaphone to welcome us all. He made clear declarations that hate speech and acts of divisiveness would not be tolerated in Brooklyn. He invited other elected officials and clergy to offer words of encouragement and direction. Two Imams, a Rabbi, and several local politicians took turns inspiring the crowd with their notions of peace, unity, and strength. Together we sang the Star Spangled Banner, and This Land is Your Land. I was caught up in the sights and sounds of the day, when Malcolm tapped me on the shoulder. Wordlessly, he motioned to his right. Making his way through the crowd, on his way to the center of the circle was Adam Horovitz, and his wife Kathleen Hanna. Once they made it to the center of the crowd, Squadron ‘passed the mic’ to our brother Adrock and he ‘shined like a light’:
When the singing faded, and the speeches were complete, the crowd began to disperse. Those who needed more interaction and those who wanted to hold onto the vibe stuck around for pictures and introductions. Malcolm, a former resident of Flint, Michigan, wanted to thank AdRock for including some thoughts about the city of his youth. Like a magnet, Adam attracted each member of the eager crowd. Some of the people making their way towards Horovitz included musical collaborators DJ Hurricane, Dante Ross, and ‘Money Mark’ Nishita; who had come directly from the airport, as evidenced from his rolling luggage that was trailing behind him. In a strange swirling dance, of sorts, the crowd ebbed and flowed, as AdRock posed for countless selfies and not-so-subtly looked for a quick exit. Each time he thought he was done, someone else would grab him for a picture. Once again, Malcolm tapped me on the shoulder, and simply said – “Ben Stiller”. He was there with his daughter, and cheerfully approached AdRock to offer his appreciation. The pictures and discussions went on for another twenty minutes or so, when the crowd finally began to thin. Everyone was patient, polite, and good-natured.
Ben Stiller, Malcolm Riddle, and some new friends
Ben Stiller lending his support to the event
DJ Hurricane, Ben Stiller, and his daughter
Ben Stiller came out to support the impromptu event
Malcolm Riddle and DJ Hurricane
One of my favorite moments came when I finally caught up with ‘Money Mark’. The gifted keyboardist of the extended Beastie Boys family of musicians, he was incredibly gracious when I asked him for a quick flick.
It was finally time to head for the gate, and go our separate ways. As we walked down Columbia Place, we noticed that AdRock and DJ Hurricane were still hanging around, slowly making their way away from the park. We quickly caught up, and managed to thank them for coming out and getting us all together. When we approached, fans and friends were still asking for autographs and pictures. Somebody handed AdRock a silver Sharpie marker that summarily exploded in his hand. He began looking around to find some way to clean off the marker ink. Johnny-on-the-spot, Malcolm said, “Hey, I got you. I have some baby wipes”. AdRock lit up, “oh wow! Really? You have a kid, too? I have a three year old. How old is your baby?” “15”, Malcolm said, flatly. “Are you kidding me? I have twelve more years of this?”, lamented AdRock. It was a great moment of levity, and allowed for some much needed laughter.
Katz, Horovitz, and Riddle (after the baby wipe incident)
We made our way to Luzzo BK Pizzeria on Atlantic Avenue, and reflected on the day. Malcolm and I said our goodbyes, and walked back towards Borough Hall. We hopped in the car, and immediately began sorting through all that had taken place.
Make sure to listen to the American Riddle podcast – Recorded on the road back from Brooklyn
On our drive home, we successfully archived our trip by laying down a new American Riddle podcast. It made a lot of sense to capture everything while it was fresh. I don’t want to forget any details from this special day. Thanks to all those who showed up; either at the park or on social media. Together, we really are stronger. – AJK
'THIS MIGHT NOT WORK' 