Beastie Boys’ Copyright Lawsuit: Band Sued Day Before MCA Died

Timing, as the expression goes, is everything. And sometimes, timing can be inadvertently terrible, like the lawsuit leveled against the Beastie Boys that's rubbing salt on the still-fresh wound of Adam Yauch's passing, Spinner reports.

On May 3, one day before Adam "MCA" Yauch died as a result of a three-year cancer battle, record label Tuf America hit the Beasties with a lawsuit for copyright infringement over their two most acclaimed albums: 1986 debut LP, Licensed to Ill, and 1989 sample-centric sophomore LP, Paul's Boutique.

As AllHipHop.com reports, the suit was filed in federal court in New York, claiming unauthorized use of D.C.-based group Trouble Funk's music. The Trouble Funk songs in question are 1982's "Drop the Bomb" and "Say What." The former is used on Licensed to Ill tracks "Hold It Now Hit It" and "The New Style" as well as on the Paul's Boutique song "Car Thief," while the latter was used on "Shadrach," also from the 1989 LP.

The label is looking for a trial in order to be compensated for earnings made by the Beastie Boys from using the samples, on both the original albums and reissues. Capitol Records have also been named as a defendant. Here's hoping that it goes away quietly with minimal grief to the surviving Beastie Boys.

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