Mix Master Mike’s versatility continues to grow and as it does so does his popularity. By contributing a song to the videogame Jet Grind Radio, he opens his music up to a new audience. This time it is gamers, who are no stranger to being held captive in front of their television for hours with game controllers in hand.
February
Up against the likes of TLC, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Cardigans, the Beastie Boys get nominated for the award for "Best International Group" in the 2000 Brit Awards.
May
News station CNN, along with several other news sources, annouces that the Beastie Boys are involved with a lawsuit by flautist James W. Newton. He filed a $150,000 lawsuit in United States District Court for the Central District of California on May 9 against the Beastie Boys for the use of a sample in the song "Pass the Mic." After a drawn out court case, the Beastie Boys eventually win the suit.
June
On
June 27th, 2000 Mike D, Adam Horovitz, and Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine) sat down to discuss their plans for the Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine to tour North America together beginning in August.
July
After Mike D and Adam Horovitz appeared on MTV's TRL show to announce the Rhyme and Reason Tour, fans begin to secure tickets for the shows. Beginning on July 20th at 10:00 am, fans are able to go through artistsdirect.com and purchase their tickets before they go on sale to the public. This internet pre-sale is well received, and has everyone looking forward to seeing Rage Against the Machine and the Beastie Boys in concert together.
Yet, rotten news spreads like wildfire on July 27th, 2000 when it is learned that Mike D had a run in with a nasty New York pothole on the way home from tour practice. He is said to have injured his shoulder and is set to have surgery. The tour is said to be postponed for 8 - 12 weeks while Mike D recovers from the accident. This message is followed by another post on July 28th when beastieboys.com annouces that Mike D will be going into surgery on Monday July 31st 2000.
August
On August 2nd, 2000 Mike D is released from Lenox Hill hospital to rest and recover. The procedure he had done was an AC joint reconstruction for repair of an acromioclavicular joint dislocation. Before long he begins physical therapy and rehabiliation for his shoulder injury. Meanwhile, disapointed fans across the United States and Canada exchange their Rhyme and Reason 2000 Tour
tickets for a full refund.
If you can not see them live in concert, the next best thing is a video cassette or DVD. On August 29th, 2000 the
Free Tibet DVD featuring an audio commentary track by Adam Yauch,
Spike Jonze and
Evan Bernard hits store shelves. The disc features highlights from the June 16, 1996 performance in San Francisco CA and includes performances by Beastie
Boys and yes...Rage Against the Machine, as well as others.
September
September 6th, 2000. With fans curious about whether or not the Rhyme and Reason Tour will take place, MTV News asked Adam Yauch about the tour's fate. He responded by saying "I don't know if 'Rhyme & Reason 2000 will happen. It is still kind of up in the air, and I'm not sure what's gonna happen with the tour now. I think Mike is feeling better. He just had surgery on his shoulder, and I think he's feeling better now."
On September 19th, 2000 the official word that the Rhyme and Reason 2000 tour will not happen is posted on the beastieboys.com website.
October
With November being the month that elections are held in, those living in the United States you can not turn on your radio, television, or computer without some sort of political advertisement being put before them. With that in mind, Adam Horovitz annouces his support of the Green Party and around the 9th of October releases a song called "Count Down." This track consists of Green Party candidate Raplph Nader speaking over of the top of some Adrock produced beats. It quickly gets around the internet through peer to peer file sharing.
On October 10th, DJ Hurricane releases
Don’t Sleep on TVT Records. Although it is his first since leaving the Beastie Boys, the album features guest appearances from both Adam Horovitz and Mark Nishita.
Also released on October 10th 2000 is the October 10th the Beastie Boys 2 disc
DVD Anthology. The collection which features Beastie Boys videos and commentary, along with multiple
remixes and alternate camera angles becomes an immediate fan favorite.
November
Concerned about the direction that the United States is headed in, Adam Horovitz stops by the MTV Studio in New York's Time Square on
November 3rd, 2000 to encourage people to register to vote for Ralph Nader.
On the 7th, BS 2000 wets the appetite of fans worldwide with the release of the four track
Buddy single.
From
November 16th through the 25th, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise Corp. and Capitol Records presented a Beastie Boys exhibition to benefit the Milarepa Fund at 436 West 15th Street in New York, NY. The exhibition, which was held in conjuction with the release of the DVD Anthology and 4-LP Sounds of Science box set, featured photographs from the early New York Hardcore days up to post-Hello Nasty era.
On 27th November on BBC Radio 1 transmits the Mary Ann Hobbs Breezeblock show featuring the Adam Horvitz and Amery Smith who spin some of their favorite seven-inch records and promote the new BS2000 release.
December
As part of the promotion for the Beastie Boys single "Alive", the band sponsers a remixing competition at acidgrandroyal.com beginning on December 1st 2000. The competition supplies fans with the accapella tracks and a few samples with which they are encouraged to
create their own remix of "Alive" and submit it. Like the old attage states "millions will play, but only one will win."