Rolling Stone:

Adam Yauch, one-third of the pioneering hip-hop group the Beastie Boys, has died at the age of 48, Rolling Stone has learned. Yauch, also known as MCA, had been in treatment for cancer since 2009. The rapper was diagnosed in 2009 after discovering a tumor in his salivary gland.

It’s a huge loss to the music world. The Beastie Boys – just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – had an enormous impact on a generation of musicians and music fans. Yauch will be missed.

UPDATE: The Beastie Boys’ official Web site confirms that Yauch passed away as a result of cancer.