Original Beastie Boys Member Dies in Danvers Hospice: Reports

DANVERS, MA—One of the founding members of the legendary hip-hop group, The Beastie Boys, died Thursday at a Hospice center in Danvers, the artist's father told The Rolling Stone.

John Berry, 52, suffered from frontal lobe dementia which had reportedly gotten worse in recent months, according to the Rolling Stone. Berry was one of the founding members of the platinum-selling hip-hop group, and was credited with coming up with the group's name.

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Rolling Stone reports that Berry passed away at 7:30 a.m.

Berry's tenure with the group was short-lived, leaving the group in 1983 after recording the group's first album entitled Polly Wog Stew. However, Berry was mentioned during the group's 2012 induction into the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame as one of the group's formative members.

You can read more from Rolling Stone here.