Ad-Rock

{{Short description|American rapper, guitarist, and actor (born 1966)}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Ad-Rock | image = Loz horo.png | caption = Ad-Rock in 2015 | birth_name = Adam Keefe Horovitz | alias = {{hlist|King Ad-Rock|Shadrach}} | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|10|31}} | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|keyboards|bass|drums|E-mu SP-1200|turntables}} | genre = {{hlist|Hip-hop|rap rock|hardcore punk|alternative hip hop}} | occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|musician|songwriter|actor}} | years_active = 1982–present | label = | past_member_of = {{unbulleted list|Beastie Boys|BS 2000|Dead Fucking Last|The Young and the Useless}} | spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|Ione Skye|1992|1999|end=div}}|{{marriage|Kathleen Hanna<br>|2006}}}} | website = {{URL|beastieboys.com}} }} '''Adam Keefe Horovitz''' (born October 31, 1966),<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p50588|pure_url=yes}}|title=Ad-Rock biography|publisher=Allmusic Rovi Corporation|access-date=December 16, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|title=The New Style|author=Beastie Boys|publisher=Def Jam Recordings|date=1986|medium=song|quote=October 31st, that is my date of birth}}</ref> 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 disbanded in 2012 following the death of Adam Yauch, 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 Doris ({{née}} Keefe) and playwright Israel Horovitz.<ref>[http://www.filmreference.com/film/73/Israel-Horovitz.html Israel Horovitz Biography (1939-)], Film Reference, accessed March 24, 2011.</ref> His sister is film producer Rachael Horovitz. His father was Jewish, whereas his mother, who was of Irish descent, was Catholic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wickedlocal.com/wakefield/x477566936|title=Israel Horovitz on art and religion|author=Susan Jacobs|work=Wakefield Observer|access-date=May 5, 2012|archive-date=October 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022160805/http://www.wickedlocal.com/wakefield/x477566936|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/the_ticket/item/how_studio_exec-turned-producer_pitched_moneyball_20120216/|title=How studio exec-turned-producer pitched 'Moneyball' – The Ticket|work=Jewish Journal|access-date=May 5, 2012|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165222/http://www.jewishjournal.com/the_ticket/item/how_studio_exec-turned-producer_pitched_moneyball_20120216/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He had a secular upbringing.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Nate |last=Bloom |author-link=Nate Bloom |title=Jewish Stars 12/16 |publisher=Cleveland Jewish News|date=December 15, 2011|url=https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/archives/jewish-stars/article_7be302da-267e-11e1-b2fe-001871e3ce6c.html|quote=His father, famous playwright Israel Horovitz, 72, said a few years ago that he regretted raising Adam secular.}}</ref>

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 guitarist John Berry quit and Horovitz replaced him. He was 16 at the time.<ref>Diamond, Michael (1994), ''Some Old Bullshit'' album liner notes</ref> After Horovitz joined, the Beastie Boys changed their sound, evolving from a hardcore punk band to a more of a hip-hop group. 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. Several albums followed, with some attaining platinum or multi-platinum status, and by 2010, the Beastie Boys had sold 40 million albums worldwide, including 22 in the U.S. In 2012, the Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In addition to his work with the Beastie Boys, Horovitz remixes numerous tracks for other artists under the alias 41 Small Stars.<ref>{{cite web|title=41 Small Stars|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/332355-41-Small-Stars|publisher=Discogs.com|access-date=April 15, 2015}}</ref> He plays bass in the Tender Moments, the backing band of New York-based cabaret performer Bridget Everett.<ref name="bridget">{{cite news |last=Arman |first=Marcus |url=http://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/11/30/bridget-everett-and-ad-rock-get-raunchy |title=Bridget Everett and Ad-Rock Get Raunchy |work=LA Weekly |date=November 30, 2012 |access-date=October 10, 2014 |archive-date=October 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016192450/http://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/11/30/bridget-everett-and-ad-rock-get-raunchy |url-status=dead }}</ref>

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). In 2020, he appeared in the documentary ''Have a Good Trip''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://relix.com/news/detail/bill-kreutzmann-ad-rock-adam-scott-sarah-silverman-and-others-swap-stories-in-have-a-good-trip-adventures-in-psychedelics/|title=Bill Kreutzmann, Ad-Rock, Adam Scott, Sarah Silverman Featured in 'Have A Good Trip: Adventures In Psychedelics'|website=Relix.com|date=April 21, 2020|access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref>

== 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''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Barshad|first1=Amos|title=Rude Boys|url=http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/features/beastie-boys-2011-5/index4.html|access-date=April 15, 2015|work=New York|date=April 24, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wetpaint.com/the-secret-life-of-the-american-teenager/articles/molly-ringwalds-relationship-history-who-has-she-dated|title=Molly Ringwald's Relationship History: Who Has She Dated?|author=Mehera Bonner|work=Wetpaint|access-date=August 26, 2014|archive-date=September 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915035137/http://www.wetpaint.com/the-secret-life-of-the-american-teenager/articles/molly-ringwalds-relationship-history-who-has-she-dated|url-status=dead}}</ref> Horovitz was married to actress Ione Skye 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 Kathleen Hanna; they married in 2006.<ref name=married /> Horovitz appeared prominently in ''The Punk Singer'', a 2013 documentary film about Hanna's life and career, and even shot some scenes.<ref name=EW>{{cite magazine |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/03/12/sxsw-bikini-kill-kathleen-hanna-reveals-illness-in-new-doc-punk-singer/ |title=Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna reveals illness, reconfirms awesomeness in 'The Punk Singer' |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=March 12, 2013 |last=Valby |first=Karen |access-date=September 29, 2013 |archive-date=January 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111052324/http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/03/12/sxsw-bikini-kill-kathleen-hanna-reveals-illness-in-new-doc-punk-singer/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Horovitz and Hanna adopted a son in 2013.

Horovitz began to wear a medical alert bracelet after having a tonic–clonic seizure in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2004/07/beastie-boys-twilight-brats/?page=1|title=Beastie Boys: Twilight of the Brats|work=Spin|date=July 2004}}</ref> Horovitz has been close friends with the actress Nadia Dajani since childhood; the two attended elementary school together.<ref name="Perez 2020 d028">{{cite web | last=Perez | first=Rodrigo | title='Beastie Boys Story' Editors Talk Working With Spike Jonze & Representing The Adventurous Spirit Of Adam Yauch [Interview] | website=The Playlist | date=2020-07-07 | url=https://theplaylist.net/beastie-boys-story-editors-interview-20200707/ | access-date=2023-07-07}}</ref>

== Discography == {{Main|Beastie Boys 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 == {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ 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 |- | 2027 || ''Time Out'' || || Film; filming |}

== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=married>{{cite web|title='The Punk Singer' director on capturing the essence of Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2013/09/03/the-punk-singer-poster|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=February 21, 2015}}</ref> }}

== External links == {{wikiquote}} * {{discogs artist}} * {{IMDb name|395259}} * {{Twitter}}

Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Male actors from Manhattan Category:Rappers from Manhattan Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American rap rock musicians Category:Alternative hip-hop musicians Category:American male film actors Category:20th-century American male rappers Category:20th-century American rappers Category:Jewish punk rock musicians Category:Jewish American rappers Category:American rock guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:Beastie Boys members Category:Grammy Award winners Category:People with epilepsy Category:21st-century American male actors Category:20th-century American musicians Category:20th-century American male actors Category:Guitarists from New York City Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American rappers Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:Jewish American singers Category:21st-century American male rappers