Michael “Mike D” Diamond from The Beastie Boys is set to embark on a tour in Canada, marking the first solo tour by a member of the renowned New York rap group since the passing of Adam “MCA” Yauch in 2012. The tour, named Mike D 5D, will commence with a sold-out performance in Boston on August 30, just two days after the launch of his debut solo album titled “Thank You.”
The tour’s first Canadian show is scheduled for September 30 at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre, with the North American segment concluding in Toronto on October 20. Following this, Diamond will travel overseas for performances in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium.
Diamond’s touring ensemble, 5D, includes his sons, Skyler and Davis Diamond, who are part of the dance-pop duo Very Nice Person. The Beastie Boys’ inaugural album, “Licensed to Ill,” made history in 1986 as the first rap album to reach the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart, featuring hits like “Fight For Your Right” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.” Subsequent tracks such as “Sabotage” and “Intergalactic,” along with their acclaimed second album “Paul’s Boutique,” solidified their reputation as innovators in sampling.
The trio was honored with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, shortly before Yauch’s passing due to parotid cancer after a three-year battle. In 2018, Diamond and surviving member Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz published the memoir “Beastie Boys Book.” A documentary directed by Spike Jonze, titled “Beastie Boys Story,” was released in April 2020.