As a Changemaker, I like to mix it up. Rarely do I listen to one group or musician for longer than a few years.

Changemaker Adam Yauch with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo from www.savetibet.org

Two exceptions; Bob Marley and The Beastie Boys.

Yup. The Beasties had me from the words ‘Fight for your Right to Party”. It was 1986 and I was 11 years old. This song was the best thing my ears had ever encountered. I grabbed the ghetto blaster and played it for my mom. She wasn’t as impressed as I was.

Adam (MCA) Yauch founder of the group The Beastie Boys passed away on May 4^th. I was deeply saddened by this news and have been reflecting on the many ways he and his group have touched my life over the past 26 years.

These artists from New York City embodied the essence of Changemakers.

In the early 80’s the Beastie Boys were bridging divisions in musical genres from punk to hip hop mixed with a dash of disco. They crossed racial barriers to become among the first successful white rappers. 

Growing up with the music of the Beasties, somehow our spirits seemed to evolve together. Their lyrics moving from playful party excellence to a focus on social, political and personal responsibility flavored with spiritual maturity. All these years they managed to keep their funk and style which allowed us to have fun and shake our own grievances loose on the dance floor.

Their talents and skills gained them mass popularity and Adam wisely leveraged this popularity to create social change. Adam created the Milarepa fund in 1994 to support Tibetan independence. In 1996 the group began a series of Tibetan Freedom Concerts which worked to raise awareness and funds for Tibetan and social justice causes. At 21 years old my friend and I drove from Vancouver, Canada to San Francisco to attend the first of these massive fundraisers. A 100,000 person concert with an incredible line-up, headlined by The Beastie Boys.

The Beasties were constantly evolving. They broke new ground in the ways they went about their videos and recordings.  I remember buying the album Hello Nasty in 1998. Taking it home, I waited for some time alone so that I could listen to the entire album, for the first time, from beginning to end without distraction. I didn’t expect it could be as great as their previous albums because they’d already had such an amazing run for 14 years.  Blown away… it was as awesome as ever. It was fresh and it still resonated with where I was at.

The music of the Beastie Boys has blessed some of my favourite moments in life. I saw them many times in concert and their music came with me on every road trip. Although I didn’t listen to them much in the last few years, the spirit of Adam Yauch was with me hours before he passed away.

On the night of May 3^rd, I was at a fundraiser in a venue that had karaoke. Due to my musical tastes, I’ve never been a big fan of karaoke. I shied away from thumbing through the rock and pop laden songbook which the other attendees were right into. “What do you like to sing, Solah?” I was asked. “Hmm…. Lately, kirtan chanting and… I’ve always loved The Beastie Boys. I don’t imagine there’s any of that in the songbook though.” They looked under ‘B’. No Boys.

Changemakers are often regarded as being ahead of their time. The electronic rave music I listened to in the early 90’s is now the elevator music of today. I expect that the Beasties will be the karaoke of tomorrow. Together we’ll all soon be singing lyrics like these:

Well I got to keep it going keep it going full steam

Too sweet to be sour too nice to be mean

On the tough guy style I’m not too keen

To try to change the world I will plot and scheme

 Right, Right, Now, Now What is goin’ on?

We, We, Gotta, Gotta Get it goin’ on

 Be, Be, Fore, Fore It’s Too Far Gone

We gotta work together, it’s been too long

The Beastie Boys ask us the ultimate question.

So what’cha what’cha what’cha want what’cha want?

As Changemakers, we have similar wants. To live in a humane and just world where we no longer need to fight for our rights. One where we’re all free to express ourselves fully and to act in loving service to our fellow human beings, animals and the planet.

Thank you Changemaker Adam Yauch, for doing your part in expressing yourself, spreading the love and using your influence to help create the change you wish to see. This world is a better place for experiencing you and your work.

From my and many more hearts you’ve touched… we wish you stellar Intergalactic adventures.

When Solah is not on the dancefloor swimming in grooves heavy in drums, bass, funk and positivity, she can be found working as a Manifestation Mentor. Solah Nightstar helps empower Changesmakers to discover what they want and how they’re going to convert their dreams into their reality. More of Solah’s reflections and keys to manifestation can be found in her blog and newsletter  www.positivelypurposeful.com

Solah Nightstar works as an Empowerment Coach and Manifestation Mentor helping Changemakers create the world they wish to see.

solah – who has written 30 posts on Positively Purposeful.

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