The Beastie Boys is one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time. That’s why it was a blow to hip-hop and music in general when Adam Yauch, also known as MCA, died in 2012 from cancer. Fans now gather on the anniversary of his death to celebrate his life and music.

For 2014’s MCA Day in New York City, a group of fans dressed up as Buddhist Monks showed up and performed a breakdance routine in honor of Yauch. Why Buddhist monks? Yauch was a Buddhist and it’s only fitting that a performance celebrating his life be done in traditional Buddhist clothing. It’s also noted that the performance intended to bring attention to Yauch’s dream of seeing Tibet being granted independence.

According to the video, the four dancers in the video are Bobby Selby, Jaehyuk Choi, Christopher Groelle, and Stephen Cho. These four men may have been filming a promotion for MCA Day, but it’s always super impressive to see professional breakdancing. There’s something wholly unique about the form that lends itself so well to hip-hop. Speaking of which, the video below is set to the Beastie Boys’ Ch-Check It Out.

MCA-DAY “Buddhist Monks” from KNARF® New York on Vimeo.

While they may not be dressed up as monks, other fans showed off some impressive breakdancing skills at this year’s MCA Day as well. Check it out:

As MCA Day is a celebration of music just as much as it is a celebration of MCA’s life, here are some more pictures from the event:

Hey y'all, it's MCA day in NYC. pic.twitter.com/rhDCF25qyL

— Jeff Smith (@Jeff5mith) May 2, 2014

Monks on a mission! #MCADAY pic.twitter.com/f27x1sBvVN

— Delta Bravo Team (@deltabravourbex) May 2, 2014

If you want to see more, be sure to check out the MCA Day Twitter and Instagram feeds.

[h/t: The Daily Dot]
Image via Knarf New York/Vimeo