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?uestlove Shares Beastie Boys Tribute Mix

?uestlove / Photo by Getty Images

On August 5, the Beastie Boys’ Adam “MCA” Yauch would’ve turned 48 if not for his sad death from cancer earlier this year. In belated commemoration of that date, the Roots’ ?uestlove has posted a demo he put together for the Beasties medley the Roots performed at the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Questo writes, “i think its kinda funny,” but it’s also a wildly impressive display of musicality and, of course, Beasties fandom, going so far as to include “the drum roll from ‘Shake Your Rump’ to acknowledge their best album Paul’s Boutique.” Kick it:

As Billboard reports, ?uestlove has also revealed that he is reviving his Okayplayer Records label after an eight-year break. The digital-only imprint will release rapper-producer Danny!’s Payback on September 25, followed by an instrumental breakbeat album by recording engineer Young Guru, Essentials Vol. 1, on October 9. The two releases mark first the Okayplayer records since a 2004 compilation titled True Notes Vol. 1.

?uestlove launched the label in 1999 hoping to facilitate direct interaction between similar-thinking artists and fans, as Billboard recalls. Artists who’ve collaborated with Okayplayer include Common, Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, Jill Scott, and Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). Okayplayer has been more than a record label for some time now, encompassing Okayplayer TV, a virtual shop, a live production division that organizes the Roots Picnic, and four related websites.

Maybe ?uestlove can combine his two recent ventures and release a Roots album of Beasties covers? Then again, he has said the Roots are already working on their follow-up to last year’s Undun, to be titled &TYSYC. Probably a better call artistically, but if the Roots should ever happen to change their mind, that Beasties idea is on the house.