Cockblocked by The Beastie Boys.

I was never a fan. I liked maybe two songs but never owned an album or CD. You see, I'm not a hip hop/rap dude, you know? Frontmen and kindergarten pals (pictured above from left to right) Mike D., Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) and Adam Yauch (MCA), along with DJ Michael Schwartz (Mix Master Mike) helped to pioneer hip hop/rap back in the day (especially when "the day" didn't include white, Jewish boys from NYC) with their devil-may-care, I-don't-give-a-fuck, irreverent image (and lyrics).

3 Grammys. 8 albums. "The biggest selling rap group" since 1991 (according to Billboard). And inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this past December.

And then Adam Yauch got a cancer and passed away yesterday. He was 47. That's how old I am.

I've been listening to a lot of Beastie Boys music in the last day. I've watched a lot of interviews. These guys were hilarious and I never knew this. These guys are my age and for some reason I chose to ignore them all these years. It's not like I'm gonna run out now and buy all 8 Beastie Boys CDs. But I do have a new-found appreciation for them and their music.

Always when it's too late...