Quotes from Ad-Rock

We've gotta stand up against hate. If you're able to give money, give to Black Lives Matter. If you're able to protest, protest. If you're able to volunteer, volunteer.

Chasing after the past is not going to lead you to the future you want.

I can literally walk around at our own shows, and nobody recognizes me.

I love being in the Beastie Boys.

We got very lucky. We were successful, but if we weren't, I don't know what I would have done.

You picture yourself as being 22 always, and so it's very bizarre when you're not.

I would love to be in an action movie. I've always wanted to play the hacker guy - like, the Jewy hacker guy who just gets yelled at.

Take what you're good at and give to the cause that you care most about.

I support women-run business.

Hardcore bands were coming out with names like Urban Waste and The Mob, you know, a lot of kind of tough names. So Beastie Boys was the stupidest name we could come up with. And unfortunately, it stuck.

All generations think the present moment is the greatest but also have this fascination with before their time. I do the same thing. I see old British movies. I'm like, 'Man, I would love to be in London at that time.' But then I wouldn't be able to watch 'The Walking Dead,' I wouldn't have cable, and my pizza options would be limited.

I watch NY1 every morning and have Pat Kiernan curate my news stories.

Sexism is deeply rooted in our history and society that waking up and stepping outside of it is like I'm watching 'Night of the Living Dead Part Two' all day, every day.

The Madonna tour thing was definitely funny that - you know, children were crying watching us... and it was interesting seeing how angry their parents were.

I don't even know what is popular.

If I had to say something, it would be 'Lighten up. Be cool.' There's just so many buffoons out there.

It takes a lot of guts to get on stage.

Me and my two best friends went to see the Ramones in 1979, and two weeks later, I was like, 'We're starting a band. That's it.'

Our talent and skill as rappers is clearly the first thing you notice. I don't know what we were thinking. We just really love rap and wanted to be rappers. Is that weird?

Our music is weird. It's not pop. I don't know why so many people buy our records.

I don't know why we sold a lot of records or why so many people came to see us. Like 'Sabotage' - would you put that song on, like, 'I'm gonna listen to that right now?' It's a weird choice.

If I could sing, that would be cool. But I can't. I mean, I physically can, but I'm awful. It's weird to be really bad at singing.

Champagne Jerry records are definitely, in one way, on the very far end of the weird spectrum of rap music, then, in another way, very far on the weird punk spectrum.

'Paul's Boutique' was a bust, right? That was a bummer. We didn't pause on it for a long time - we didn't go through therapy - but it was weird. And because it was a bust, we didn't go on tour.