Beastie Boys Fight For Their Right… To Not Sell Out!

The Beastie Boys may be known for fighting for their right to party but you can add another American tradition to their to-do list: the right to litigate. Lawsuit happy energy drink maker, Monster is usually the one claiming to be ripped off, but now they are using Beastie Boys’ songs and recordings without their permission. Wuh-oh.

This news comes shortly after learning that the late rapper, Adam “MCA” Yauch, of the Beastie Boys refuses to sellout, even in the afterlife. A handwritten addition by Yauch in his will states that “In no event may my image or name or any music or any artistic property created by me be used for advertising purposes.” While it’s unclear what that means regarding other members of the group selling the songs in advertisements one thing is for sure; Michael “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz are out to uphold MCA’s wishes and sabotage those energy drink assholes.

According the the suit, filed in a U.S. District Court in Manhattan:

[Monster], without plaintiffs’ consent, synchronized and recorded certain of the Beastie Boys Musical Compositions and Beastie Boys Sound Recordings together with visual and other material in the creation of promotional videos for defendant Monster’s products, including a promotional video for Monster’s promotional event “Ruckus in the Rockies 2012” (the “Video”). The soundtrack of the Video is comprised substantially of excerpts from the Beastie Boys Sound Recordings and the Beastie Boys Musical Compositions totaling more than three minutes in duration.

On information and belief, defendant Monster has used the Video and similar promotional videos to create an association with the Beastie Boys and the Beastie Boys Musical Compositions and Beastie Boys Sound Recordings and defendant Monster’s products, promotional events, and marketing, including on Monster’s website www.monsterenergv.com and in various social media websites such as Facebook.

The video features the songs, ‘Sabotage,’ ‘So What’cha Want’ ‘Make Some Noise’ and ‘Looking Down The Barrel of a Gun.’

But wait, there’s more! Monster also went so far as to feature a 23 minute long “Beastie Boys mega mix” which boasted that “with tracks from the Beastie Boys putting you in the vibe and a sponsorship from Monster Energy, this edit will make you want to ride and party like no other.” Shameless. The Boys want an injunction against Monster’s use of Beastie Boys’ songs, as well as a financial cut, all legal fees and statutory damages of $150 000 per infringement (and with a total of 26 songs…you do the math). In other words, if you think you’re going to turn The Beastie Boys into corporate shills you’d better check your head, then your bank account.

Read the full lawsuit via The Consumerist right here.