It’s called gratitude, and that’s right.
Dozens of Beastie Boys fans crowded into Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn Heights to show their appreciation for the late emcee on Saturday afternoon, in what is now an annual celebration of the neighborhood native’s life and work. Four years after the rapper and human rights activist passed away from cancer, the organizer of MCA Day says it is amazing to see how he continues to inspire people.
“I am just so impressed that so many people are indebted to keeping his memory alive,” said Mike Kearney, a self-proclaimed “diehard Beastie Boys fan” who drives down from Boston every year to put on the event.
At least 150 people — some from as far away as Australia — showed up throughout the afternoon to dance to the Beastie beats, shoot hoops, and doodle on the sidewalks in a humble tribute to Yauch’s memory, Kearney said.
“This is the least we can do, to offer a little bit of gratitude and respect for somebody who did so much for us,” he said.
The Yauch festivities will continue later in the summer with a free event at Littlefield in Gowanus in August, which will include music, art, and guest speakers.
MCA Day at Littlefield (622 DeGraw St. between Third and Fourth Avenues in Gowanus, www.littl
