Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

Michael Diamond, better known as Mike D , is a founding member of New York City hip hop group the Beastie Boys. Mike D raps, sings, and plays drums... alongside fellow members MCA, Ad-Rock and Mix Master Mike. Mike D was born in New York City. Mike was raised in an upper-middle-class Jewish household. He attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York for six months. In 1979, Diamond co-founded the band The Young Aborigines. In 1981, Adam Yauch, aka MCA, a friend and follower of the band became their bass player, and from the suggestion of their then-guitar player, John Berry, the band changed their name to the Beastie Boys. By 1983, Adam Horovitz joined to form the lasting Beastie Boys trio, and their sound began to shift away from punk to hip-hop. In 1992, Mike D founded the Beastie Boys' now-defunct record label Grand Royal Records. In 1993, Mike married film, television and music video director Tamra Davis. They have two boys, Skyler and Davis. He has two brothers, Stephen and David.
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