I just read that The Beastie Boys will be performing at the MTV Movie Awards next month. I'm a Beastie Boys fan from way back, so I'm looking forward to hearing something new from them. Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head rank among my favourite albums of all time.
I've actually been thinking about The Beastie Boys quite a bit lately. Not because they are releasing To the 5 Boroughs, their first new album in five years, but because of a high profile visitor we've had in Toronto this week.
The Dalai Lama was paying our fair city a visit. 30,000 were at Skydome Sunday to hear the Tibetan leader's message of peace and he spoke at the University of Toronto just the other day. The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following an abortive uprising against Chinese rule and heads what he calls a government-in-exile in the mountain town of Dharmsala in India. Most of what I know about the Dalai Lama I know thanks to The Beastie Boys.
Adam Yauch is a practicing Buddhist who met the Dalai Lama. As a result, The Beastie Boys have for several years fought for the independence of Tibet. They played the Tibetan Freedom Concert three times and have been preaching about the Dalai Lama and Tibet ever since.
More than three MC's and one DJ are these boys.
