Arguably the longest living hip hop band, the Beastie Boys was formed in New York City in 1981. Its three main members at one time were Mike D, or Michael Diamond, Adam Yauch, also known as MC, and Ad-Rock, whose given name is Adam Horovitz. In its earliest days, the Beastie Boys was a hardcore punk band. However, it met with its greatest success when it switched to the hip hop genre in 1984.
The Beastie Boys net worth today stands at more than $90 million, making it also one of the most commercially successful hip hop bands of all time. The group has released eight records, all of which have been chart toppers in their own rights. In fact, these eight records have spanned from the mid-1980s all the way to 2013. They have been signed to labels like Rat Cage, Def Jam, Capitol, and most recently, Grand Royal. They have also influenced numerous other hip hop acts, including those today who stand out as iconic hip hop stars with their own highly publicized brands. Some of the people whom they have influenced include Run DMC, Mix Master Mike, The Latch Brothers, and Luscious Jackson.
Sadly, however, the Beastie Boys decided to end their recording careers after the death of Yauch. Yauch had just publicized the group’s intention to release a new album when he was diagnosed with cancer. He died shortly after on May 4, 2012. He was just 47 years old, which made his death all the more tragic. Yauch’s death rippled through the music world and led to a host of tributes to MC and the Beastie Boys both. Mike D made it known to the world in 2014 that the remaining group will no longer record music or tour out of respect and loyalty to their lost band mate.
How Much Are The Beastie Boys Worth Now?
Even with Yauch’s death and the band ceasing to be an active presence on the hip hop scene, it still has a Beastie Boys net worth of $90 million. They are consistently ranked in the top 20 of the richest rappers in the world, a legacy that references their permanence in this genre of music. Their net worth also pays tribute to their groundbreaking music that undoubtedly influenced other acts who pursued hip hop music solely because of the Beastie Boys’ music. The band often courted controversy wherever they played, including in Georgia in 1987 that resulted in the town of Columbus passing noise ordinance laws to prevent such boisterous concerts from taking place in the future.
Despite being controversial, if not groundbreaking in their music and performances, the Beastie Boys built their legacy and net worth in part from all of the awards they were nominated for and won. The awards that they won and have been nominated for past and present include numerous Grammy awards. Their first nomination for the best duo or group came in 1992 with their album Check Your Head. They were likewise nominated in 1995 for Sabotage, winning in 1999 for their song “Intergalactic” and their album Hello Nasty.
They won another Grammy in 2008 for the best instrumental album with The Mix-Up. They were nominated again in 2010 for the song “Too Many Rappers,” which also featured the hip hop star Nas. However, they did not win that category that year. Nonetheless, they did win four MTV video awards while being nominated for a total of 10 awards. They likewise have been nominated for nine MTV European awards, winning in 1998 for the best rap group. Despite ending their recording and performing career after Yauch’s death, the Beastie Boys remains a legacy hip hop group that will continue to enjoy solid residual earnings for decades to come.