The 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in Cleveland on Saturday. Sadly due to his struggle with illness, the Beastie Boys‘ Adam Yauch announced he would be unable to join his bandmates in celebrating the evening. Telling Rolling Stone “The Beastie Boys regret that Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch will be unable to join Mike ‘Mike D’ Diamond and Adam ‘Adrock’ Horovitz at the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April. Mike, Adam, and Adam are truly grateful for the honor but with only two of the three Beastie Boys attending, they will unfortunately not be able to perform at the ceremony.”
Because Mike D and Adrock would not perform without their bandmate, Kid Rock, the Roots‘ Black Thought and Travie McCoy dressed up in matching green Adidas tracksuits and turned out a Beasties medley featuring “Sabotage,” “So What’cha Want,” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”. The Roots served as the backing band. The Beasties’ honor is historic as they are only the third hip-hop act inducted into the Hall of Fame, following Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five in 2007 and Run-DMC in 2009.
The Roots, Kid Rock, and Travie McCoy – Medley of Beastie Boys covers
Get more info on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012 inductees here.
