"Afrika Bambaataa passed away in early April, reportedly of prostate cancer, at the age of sixty-eight. His legend is a split one: that of the street griot who molded the genre of the century from the primordial soup of funk, vinyl, and youth disaffection, and that of a predator who allegedly abused more than a dozen children and teen-agers."
"Men begetting men is the story, a kind of immaculate cultural reproduction. Steven Hager, writing in the Village Voice, in 1982, gave the burgeoning scene in the Bronx the reportorial treatment, widely recognized as the first major newspaper acknowledgment of the turntable innovation that was happening uptown."
"Bambaataa summons his authority, the authority that is always suggested by the d.j. booth, with its elevated perch and microphone, and he addresses the audience. 'No violence . . . no violence . . . no violence,' . . . his voice having a pronounced effect on the more skittish ones in the group."
Afrika Bambaataa, known as the 'godfather of hip-hop,' died at sixty-eight from prostate cancer. His legacy is dual-faceted, celebrated for shaping hip-hop culture while facing serious allegations of child abuse. Bambaataa's influence began in the Bronx, where he organized community events and fostered the genre's growth. His role transcended traditional labels, positioning him as a cultural operator. The complexity of his legacy raises questions about separating the artist from the art and the impact of his actions on the hip-hop community.
Read at The New Yorker
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]