Michael “Mike D” Diamond, a member of the iconic New York rap trio The Beastie Boys, is set to embark on a tour in Canada, marking his first solo tour since the passing of Adam “MCA” Yauch in 2012. The tour, named the Mike D 5D tour, will commence with a sold-out show in Boston on August 30, coinciding with the release of his debut solo album titled “Thank You.”
The Canadian leg of the tour will begin with a performance at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre on September 30, followed by a final stop in Toronto on October 20. Subsequently, Diamond will travel overseas for shows in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium.
Diamond’s touring band, 5D, includes his sons, Skyler and Davis Diamond, who are part of the dance-pop duo Very Nice Person. The Beastie Boys’ groundbreaking debut album “Licensed to Ill” made history in 1986 as the first rap album to top the Billboard 200 chart, featuring hits like “Fight For Your Right” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.”
Their continued success with tracks such as “Sabotage” and “Intergalactic,” along with the critically acclaimed album “Paul’s Boutique,” solidified their reputation as pioneers in the realm of sampling. The trio was honored with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, shortly before Yauch’s unfortunate passing due to parotid cancer.
In 2018, Diamond and fellow member Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz penned the memoir “Beastie Boys Book,” which was accompanied by a documentary directed by Spike Jonze titled “Beastie Boys Story” released in April 2020.