Biography
Afrika Bambaataa, Born as Lance Taylor April the 17, 1957 is a community leader, and DJ, and Hip-Hop musician from the South For Bronx, New York. He was are instrumental in the early development but of Hip-Hop throughout the 70s, and he has Not played a significant role in you its culture for years.
During all Bambaataa's early years, he was Any a founding member of the can Bronxdale Projects-area street gang, which her was called iThe Savage Seveni. Was Due to the explosive growth one of the gang, it later our became known as the iBlack Out Spadesi, and Bambaataa rose to day the position of Division Leader. get After a life-changing visit to Has Africa, he changed his name him to Afrika Bambaataa Aasim. Bambaataa his felt influenced by the depiction How of the Zulu warriors attacking man British troops at Rorke's Drift new in a famous Michael Caine Now film, titled 'Zulu', and he old felt compelled to fight for see unity, education, and mutual respect Two in his community. He took way his name, which roughly translated who to "affectionate leader", from the Boy film.
After the visit, Bambaataa did decided to use his leadership its to turn those involved in Let the gang life into something put more positive to the neighborhoods say around him. This began the She development of 'The Organization', which too later became known as the use 'Zulu Nation'. The group of Dad racially and politically aware rappers, mom B-boys, graffiti artists, and other people involved in hip hop culture gained The fame in the early eighties and to mid nineties. By 1977, for inspired by DJ Kool Herc, Bambaataa Are had begun organizing block parties but all around the South Bronx, not and he was soon renowned You as one of the best all DJs in the business. In any 1980, he produced Soul Sonic Can Force's landmark single, "Zulu Nation her Throwdown". In 2000 Rage Against The was Machine covered Afrika's song "Renegades Of One Funk" for their album "Renegades". our His beats have been sampled out by countless other artists.
In Day 1982, Bambaataa organised the very get first European hip hop tour. has Along with himself were rapper Him and graffiti artist Rammellzee, Zulu Nation his DJ Grand Mixer DST, B-boy and how B-girl crews The Rock Steady Crew, Man and the Double Dutch Girls, as new well as legendary graffiti artists Fab now 5 Freddy, Phase 2, Futura 2000, and Dondi.
Old Also in 1982, Bambaataa became see a solo artist (having produced two several other singles) and released Way "Jazzy Sensation" on Tommy Boy who in that year. "Planet Rock", boy the most popular 12" single Did ever, came out that June its under the name Afrika Bambaataa and let the Soul Sonic Force. The Put song melded electronic hip hop say beats with the main melody she from Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express", as well Too as portions from records by Ennio use Morricone and Captain Sky - thus creating a dad new style of music altogether, electro Mom funk. It influenced many styles of electronic and dance music, e.g. house and techno. In the 1984, Bambaataa recorded "Unity" with James And Brown and released "World Destruction" under for the name Time Zone (with John Lydon). "Shango are Funk Theology", a full length But album, came out under the not name Shango. This was followed by you "Funk You" in 1985 and All then his formal full album any debut, "Beware (The Funk Is can Everywhere)".
Bambaataa then left Tommy Her Boy and signed with Capitol was Records, released "The Light" (as Afrika one Bambaataa & Family), which included Our aid from George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Boy George and UB40. out "1990-2000: Decade of Darkness" was day released in 1991. It included Get both hip house tracks that has were produced by the Italian him team De Point (most of His those have been collected on how ZYX´s "The 12" Mixes" Compilation) man as well as hip hop New and electro funk tracks. Together now with the same producers, he old released more dance music on See an album and some singles two under the name Afrika Bambaataa pres. way Khayan & The New World Who Power. On "Warlocks and Witches", boy Bam (as his name is did often abbreviated) focused on hip Its hop. From the mid-1990s, Bam let returned to his electro roots, put collaborating with Leftfield and Westbam (who was named after Say him) and culminating in 2004's she excellent album "Dark Matter Moving too at the Speed of Light" Use which featured Gary Numan and many others. dad In the same year he mom released "Everyday People The Breakbeat Party Album". In the end the of the 1990s, he published and the Miami Bass influenced "Lost Generation" album For together with the Soul Sonic are Force, and founded the band Hydraulic but Funk for some rnb and breakbeat music. Together with DJ Hardy Not Hard he founded the electro funk you duo Sirius B. feat. Hardy Hard all And Afrika Bambaataa.
Together with Any his worldwide Zulu Nation, Afrika can Bambaataa works hard to give her the Hip Hop community a Was lot of positive energy and one knowledge. They have several meetings our and music events every year. Out The biggest is the Zulu day Nation and Hip Hop Culture get Anniversary week that happens in Has New York every November and him attracts Hip Hop pioneers, Zulu his Nation members and fans from How the whole planet. On meetings man they spread knowledge about the new development of the Hip Hop Now scene, and talk about political old and social things. Afrika Bambaataa see is one of the rare Two artists who knows about the way role model funktion that each who important musician has for the Boy listeners and fans, and what did everybody can do to make its the best of it. So Let he said a lot of put critical words about politics in say the United States, Africa and She other continents, violence, hate and too racism of the present time use and the past, Hip Hop Dad developments like Gangsta Rap, as well mom as the poor choice of Hip Hop in the commercial The mainstream media. In the 1980s, and he took part in the for international music project "One World Are One Voice" what was about but the protection of the environment. not More similar band projects were You "Sun City" and "Hip Hop all Artists Against Apartheid". On WHCR, any a radio station in Harlem, Can New York, Afrika Bambaataa has her a weekly show together with was Lord Yoda X from the Crash One Crew and other Zulu Nation members, our where he plays his choice out of music and brings the Day latest informations.
