Top 10 Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch Beastie Boys Lyrics

Adam Yauch is gone, but his his lyrics will live on forever -- maybe even beyond this list of top 10 Adam 'MCA' Yauch Beastie Boys lyrics (joke). The rhyme-slinging rapper, who passed away May 4 after a long battle with cancer, went through quite a transformation during his time in the spotlight, evolving from fresh-faced hard-partier with a knack for lyrical flow into a grey-haired practicing Buddhist with a world-wise outlook and wisdom-imparting lyrics to match.

Yauch and the Beasties dropped countless golden nuggets worth remembering over the years -- maybe it's about time school kids start mesmerizing the B-Boys' canon alongside Shakespeare and Poe -- so it's not easy filtering his entire lyrical output into a list like this, but we will try. So in honor of the late MCA, here's our list of the top 10 Adam 'MCA' Yauch Beastie Boys lyrics:

"Now my name is MCA. I've got a license to kill/ I think you know what time it is it's time to get ill/ Now what do we have here an outlaw and his beer/ I run this land, you understand I make myself clear" -- 'Paul Revere'

"Born and bred in Brooklyn the U.S.A./ They call me Adam Yauch but I'm MCA./ Like a lemon to a lime a lime to a lemon/ I sip the def ale with all the fly women" -- 'No Sleep Till Brooklyn'

"A puppet on a string I'm paid to sing or rhyme/ Or do my thing I'm in a lava lamp inside my brain hotel/ I might be freakin' or peakin' but I rock well" -- 'Shake Your Rump'

"If you can feel what I'm feeling then it's a musical masterpiece/ If you can hear what I'm dealing with then that's cool at least/ What's running through my mind comes through in my walk/ True feelings are shown from the way that I talk" -- 'Pass the Mic'

“I want to say a little something that’s long overdue / the disrespect to women has got to be through / To all the mothers and the sisters and the wives and friends / I wanna offer my love and respect till the end” -- 'Sure Shot'

“Well I’m as cool as a cucumber in a bowl of hot sauce / You’ve got the rhyme and reason but no cause / Well if you’re hot to trot you think you’re slicker than grease / I’ve got news for your crew, you’ll be sucking like a leach” -- 'So Whatc'ha Want'

"Bob Marley was a prophet for the freedom fight/ 'If dancin' prays to the Lord then I shall feel alright'/ I'm feeling good to play a little music/ Tears running down my face 'cause I love to do it" -- 'Root Down'

“If you try to knock me you’ll get mocked / I’ll stir fry you in my wok / Your knees will start shaking and your fingers pop / Like a pinch on the neck from Mr. Spock” -- 'Intergalactic'

“Now you can shuffle numbers but facts is facts / So many billionaires while so many lacks / So before the poor decide to react / Well, come on party people, share up your stacks” -- ‘Alive’

"Dear New York I hope you're doing well / I know a lot's happen and you've been through hell / So, we give thanks for providing a home / Through your gates at Ellis Island we passed in droves" -- 'An Open Letter To NYC'