Hip-Hop Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa Passes Away At 67

Afrika Bambaataa

Hip-Hop Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa Passes Away At 67

Hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa has passed away at the age of 67. According to TMZ, sources with direct knowledge say the legendary DJ and producer d!ed from complications related to cancer.

Born Lance Taylor in the Bronx, Bambaataa was a foundational figure in hip-hop’s early days. He rose from his involvement with the Black Spades to become a key architect of the culture, organizing influential block parties throughout the South Bronx in the 1970s. He later released music that helped shape the genre, including his 1980 debut single “Zulu Nation Throwdown” and the groundbreaking 1982 hit “Planet Rock,” which reached No. 4 on the U.S. R&B chart.

Bambaataa faced a few legal issues later in life.

Last year, after a judge issued a default judgment when he failed to appear in court, he reportedly paid a settlement to a man who accused him of s3x trafficking in the 1990s.