Mike D has released new solo track ‘What We Got’, continuing a rare return to recording activity from the Beastie Boys co-founder as a run of intimate live shows unfolds in New York and California.
by Paul Cashmere
Mike D has followed his debut solo single ‘Switch Up’ with a second release, ‘What We Got’, extending what has become the first sustained period of new music activity connected to a member of Beastie Boys in more than a decade. The track arrives ahead of sold out performances at Xanadu Roller Arts in Brooklyn on May 22 and May 23, continuing a series of small capacity appearances staged outside traditional concert venues.
The release carries significance beyond a standard single rollout. Since Beastie Boys effectively ceased recording activity following the death of Adam Yauch in 2012, surviving members Mike D and Ad-Rock largely shifted their focus toward archival projects, publishing ventures, curation work and occasional collaborations. The emergence of a second solo release within weeks of ‘Switch Up’ suggests Mike D’s recent return to recording may be developing into a broader creative phase.
For longtime Beastie Boys followers, the development also aligns with a wider trend in which veteran artists are increasingly moving away from conventional album cycles and large-scale touring campaigns. Smaller collaborative projects and direct audience engagement have become a common model for artists seeking flexibility while maintaining creative control.
‘What We Got’ emerged from a series of experimental sessions involving Mike D, his sons Davis and Skyler Diamond and a wider collective of musicians including Jason Lader, Benjamin Pacheco, Kevin Rhomberg, Carter Lang and Tyran Donaldson. According to release information, the sessions evolved through collaboration rather than through a formal album structure.
Sonically, the track shifts into a different space while maintaining continuity with the recent material. Release notes describe the song as built around a measured tempo and layers of distorted guitars, moving away from straightforward hip-hop references toward a hybrid approach. Carter Lang and Tyran Donaldson handled production duties while Derek “MixedByAli” Ali mixed the recording at No Name Studios.
The personnel involved also point toward a broader stylistic range. Lang has built a production reputation across alternative R&B and hip-hop projects, while MixedByAli’s work with contemporary rap artists has helped shape a number of influential releases during the past decade. The combination suggests Mike D is exploring sounds outside the established Beastie Boys framework rather than revisiting familiar territory.
The project traces back to ‘Switch Up’, which marked Mike D’s first official solo release. As previously reported by Noise11, that track developed from informal sessions in Mike D’s home studio involving Davis and Skyler Diamond and their band Very Nice Person.
Born Michael Louis Diamond in New York City in 1965, Mike D’s recording history stretches back to the late 1970s when he co-founded punk outfit The Young Aborigines, the group that eventually evolved into Beastie Boys. The arrival of Adam Yauch and Ad-Rock shifted the band’s trajectory from New York hardcore into hip-hop, ultimately leading to 1986 breakthrough album Licensed To Ill.
The album became the first rap release to top the Billboard 200 and established Beastie Boys as one of the most commercially successful crossover acts of the era. While songs such as ‘Fight For Your Right’ and ‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn’ introduced the band to mainstream audiences, later albums including Paul’s Boutique, Check Your Head and Ill Communication would become increasingly influential within alternative and hip-hop circles.
Mike D later expanded into production, label management and creative work through Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal label and various side projects. Following Yauch’s death, the surviving members maintained that Beastie Boys would not continue as a recording entity.
The current solo activity presents a different situation. While no full-length release has been announced, the release schedule and accompanying performances suggest a project developing in real time rather than a one-off return.
The live component has also moved away from traditional industry patterns. Instead of theatres or arenas, Mike D has opted for intimate and unconventional spaces including Plaza Nightclub & Dance Hall in Los Angeles, Brothers Marshall Surf Shop in Malibu, The Ojai Valley Women’s Club and Sid The Cat Auditorium in South Pasadena.
What comes next remains uncertain. No album details or expanded touring plans have been revealed. However, with two tracks now released and live performances continuing, Mike D’s return to recording appears to be extending beyond a standalone experiment and into a more sustained chapter of activity.
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