Mike D on Beastie Boys’ wild days and a wiser solo chapter

Beastie Boys co-founder Mike D (Michael Diamond) looks back on the group’s raucous early years, the clashes with label head Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin, and how Adam Yauch’s influence helped push their evolution beyond their debauched image. He discusses his first solo album Thank You, created with a mature, reflective lens after four decades in music, influenced by a Vipassana retreat and even his sons’ input, signaling a calmer, more family‑anchored chapter.