mellosoulsAfrika Bambaataa, hip-hop pioneer, has died
Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force - Looking for the Perfect Beat
Contemporaneously: World Destruction - Afrika Bambaataa & John Lydon (Released on: 31/12/1984) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoXGMSOIrIs
World Destruction - Afrika Bambaataa & John Lydon (Remastered)
Afrika Bambaataa is a major reason I fell in love with hip hop back around '82. Further, I've always felt "perfect beat" is a much better song than the more popular "planet rock". Back then, "planet rock" was for regular folk, "perfect beat" was for the breakers. Regular folk would be dancing on the floor, just like normal, and then, later in the evening, the DJ would drop "perfect beat" and it was on - specifically, this part: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=229&v=rHQ11l4uiM4 . The dance floor would clear, otherwise you'd catch a foot from some dude spinning around. Good times.
I'm still trying to digest all the s3xual abuse allegations against Bam later in life.
RIP Bam
Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force - Looking for the Perfect Beat
The allegations became public later in his life but the incidents go back to the 80s and 90s, his whole career. Rest In Piss indeed
I fell into a job bussing tables and porting alcohol at a local live music venue when I was 19 and I worked there off and on over seven years.
As much as I love live music after a while it just sort of became a job, but every now and again an incredible musician would come through and I wouldn’t know until I showed up for my shift and I asked my coworkers who was playing that night.
One night I come in and my jaw drops when find out it’s fucking DJ Africa Bambaataa! Now I’m not big into hip hop but I had listened to a few of his albums and I knew his music was phenomenal and I was shocked such a legend was playing in my town.
The crazy part is only like 100 people showed up out of a capacity of like 800 but every single one of those people could dance.
The venue had an old sound booth that was attached to ceiling and was accessible with a rickety old spiral staircase, as it was so slow that night I spent most of my time up there just soaking in that experience.
I’ve seen a lot of live shows in my day but that one stands out.
Bambaataa was a serial sexual abuser and everybody in the rap scene knew it back in the day (early 90s) same way everyone knew about R. Kelly (I ran a rap program on the radio in 92-94).
Wow, had no idea. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrika_bambaataa#Child_sexual_...
Massively influential guy to hip hop, but what a shame.