Ad-Rock

Adam Keefe Horovitz (born October 31, 1966), known professionally as Ad-Rock, is an American rapper, guitarist, and actor. He was a member of the hip-hop group the Beastie Boys. While the Beastie Boys were active, Horovitz performed with a side project, BS 2000. Since the group's dissolution, Horovitz has participated in several Beastie Boys projects, worked as a remixer, producer, and guest musician for other artists, and acted in a number of films.

Early life and education Horovitz was born on October 31, 1966, and raised on Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, the son of playwright Israel Horovitz and his second wife, Doris ( Keefe). He has two full siblings, Rachael and Matthew, and three half-siblings; Julie, from his father's first marriage, and Hannah and Oliver, from his father's third marriage. His father was Jewish, whereas his mother, who was of Irish descent, was Catholic. He had a secular upbringing. Horovitz briefly attended Brooklyn Technical High School, before switching to the McBurney School, which he dropped out of around the time he began pursuing music. His mother died in 1985, shortly before the release of the Beastie Boys' debut album.

Career

Horovitz began his music career with a stint in the punk rock band The Young and the Useless, who often performed with the Beastie Boys. In 1982, the Beastie Boys' guitarist, John Berry, quit and was replaced by Horovitz, who was 16 at the time. After Horovitz joined, the Beastie Boys changed their sound, evolving from a hardcore punk band to a more of a hip-hop group. With the departure of Kate Schellenbach, the group's final lineup consisted of Horovitz, Adam Yauch and Michael Diamond. The band was signed to Def Jam, and released its debut album, Licensed to Ill, in 1986. The album was a huge commercial success and spawned six singles, of which one, "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)", reached the top 20 of the US Hot 100 (US #7). The album was certified diamond several years later. The group would go on to release seven studio albums and form their own label Grand Royal. By 2010, the Beastie Boys had sold 40 million albums worldwide, including 22 million in the U.S. In 2012, the Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Shortly after, the group dissolved due to Yauch's death. Their final live performance was at Bonnaroo 2009.

In addition to his work with the Beastie Boys, Horovitz remixes numerous tracks for other artists under the alias 41 Small Stars. He plays bass in the Tender Moments, the backing band of New York-based cabaret performer Bridget Everett.

Horovitz has acted in several motion pictures and television shows. His roles include Tim "Chino" Doolan in Lost Angels (1989), Sam in Roadside Prophets (1992), Repulski in Godspeed (2007), Fletcher in While We're Young (2014), and Nick in Golden Exits (2017). He also had cameos and guest spots in Futurama, 30 Rock, The Equalizer (1985), Krush Groove (1985), and A Kiss Before Dying (1991). In 2020, he appeared in the documentary Have a Good Trip after previously having appeared in his wife's documentary The Punk Singer.

Personal life In the late 1980s, Horovitz was in a relationship with the American actress Molly Ringwald. They met on the set of The Pick-up Artist. Horovitz was married to actress Ione Skye Leitch from 1992 to 1999. She is mentioned in the song "Get It Together". They separated in 1995, got back together in 1996, and separated again that year. They divorced in 2000.

After his separation in 1996, he began a relationship with the riot grrrl musician and frontwoman of Bikini Kill, Kathleen Hanna; they married in 2006. Horovitz and Hanna adopted a son in 2013.

Horovitz began to wear a medical alert bracelet after having a tonic–clonic seizure in 2003. Horovitz has been close friends with the actress Nadia Dajani since childhood; the two attended elementary school together.

Discography

with the Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (1986) Paul's Boutique (1989) Check Your Head (1992) Ill Communication (1994) Hello Nasty (1998) To the 5 Boroughs (2004) The Mix-Up (2007) Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (2011)

with BS 2000 BS 2000 (1997) Simply Mortified (2000)

Filmography + Film and Television credits Year Title Role Notes 1982 Beastie Himself Documentary Film 1985 Krush Groove Himself Film 1985 The Equalizer Ronald Baines Episode: "Mama's Boy" 1988 Tougher Than Leather Himself Film 1989 Lost Angels Tim "Chino" Doolan Film 1991 A Kiss Before Dying Jay Faraday Film 1992 Roadside Prophets Sam Film 1999 Futurama Himself Episode: "Hell Is Other Robots" 2007 Godspeed Repulski Short Film 2011 Fight For Your Right Revisited Cop Number One Short Film 2013 The Punk Singer Himself Documentary Film 2014 While We're Young Fletcher Film 2015 808 Himself Documentary Film 2017 Golden Exits Nick Film 2018 Bad Reputation Himself Documentary Film 2020 Beastie Boys Story Himself Documentary Film TBA Time Out Film; filming