Afrika Bambaataa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa in April 2009
Background information
Birth name	Lance Taylor
Born	(1957-04-17) April 17, 1957 (age 68)
Origin	The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop electro house electronic breakbeat electro-funk
Occupation(s)	DJ producer rapper
Years active	1977–2013
Labels	Tommy Boy EMI Winley Capitol DMC Planet Rock
Associated acts	Soulsonic Force Leftfield Time Zone Shango Hydraulic Funk Nebula Funk Afrika Bambaataa and Family Cosmic Force Jazzy Five Arthur Baker John Lydon Lee Evans Goldie Rae Serrano James Brown George Clinton Bootsy Collins Sly and the Family Stone Bill Laswell Jungle Brothers Grandmaster Melle Mel Busy Bee Starski Lovage Nujabes Kraftwerk

Lance Taylor (born on April 17, 1957), known as Afrika Bambaataa, is a retired American DJ, rapper, and music producer. He is from the South Bronx in New York City. He became famous in the 1980s for making important electro songs. These songs greatly helped shape hip hop culture. Afrika Bambaataa is also one of the people who started breakbeat DJing.

He helped spread hip hop culture around the world. He did this by changing his street group, the Black Spades, into a music and culture group called the Universal Zulu Nation. In May 2016, Bambaataa stepped down as the leader of the Universal Zulu Nation.

Early Life

Lance Taylor was born to parents from Jamaica and the Zulu people. He grew up in the Bronx River Houses in New York. His mother and uncle were both activists.

Bambaataa was a member of a group called the Black Spades. He quickly became a leader in one of their sections. His job was to bring in new members and expand the group's areas. He was good at making connections with other groups and their members. Because of his efforts, the Black Spades became the largest group in the city.

After Bambaataa won an essay contest, he got to travel to Africa. This trip changed how he saw the world. He had also seen the movie Zulu and was impressed by how united the Zulu people were in the film. His trip to Africa inspired him to create a similar community in his own neighborhood. He changed his name to Afrika Bambaataa Aasim. This name came from a Zulu chief named Bhambatha. This chief led a fight against unfair economic rules in South Africa in the early 1900s. Bambaataa told people his new name meant "affectionate leader" in Zulu. He then started "The Bronx River Organization" as a positive alternative to the Black Spades.

Career

It's not clear exactly when Bambaataa started hosting parties. Some say he began as early as 1970, even before DJ Kool Herc, who is often called the "father of hip hop." Others say he started after Kool Herc in 1976. He even got ideas from Kool Herc's parties. Bambaataa promised to use hip hop to help young people leave street groups and join the Universal Zulu Nation.

Inspired by hip hop stars like DJ Kool Herc, Bambaataa started hosting parties in the South Bronx. These parties included events at the Bronx River Organization. Bambaataa mainly worked as a hip hop artist. He created many rap groups, like the "Jazzy 5" and the "Soulsonic Force." Many artists in these groups were also part of the Universal Zulu Nation.

In 1982, Bambaataa began playing electronic music. He played "AEIOU Sometimes Y" by EBN-OZN. This was the first American song made on a computer that was sold to the public. Bambaataa was inspired by electronic music groups like Kraftwerk. He realized how much technology could change music. He decided to stop performing with a live band and only use technology on stage.

That same year, Bambaataa released his famous electro-funk song, "Planet Rock." This song featured Bambaataa, producer Arthur Baker, and the Soulsonic Force. This amazing song mixed electronic sounds, drum machines, and futuristic synthesizers with traditional funk and hip hop. It used a synth tune from Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" and electronic drum beats from their song "Numbers." "Planet Rock" became a huge hit in clubs and dance floors. It also helped create a new music style called electro-funk.

The Term "Hip Hop"

Keef Cowboy, a member of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, is often given credit for naming hip hop. The term became a common phrase used by MCs. It was part of a rhyming style like scat singing. The word was first used in writing to describe the music in February 1979. This was in an article by Robert Flipping, Jr. in the New Pittsburgh Courier. It was used to describe the culture in January 1982. This was in an interview with Afrika Bambaataa by Michael Holman in the East Village Eye. The term became even more popular in September of that year. This was after another Bambaataa interview in The Village Voice by Steven Hager.

Spreading Hip Hop

In 1982, Bambaataa and his followers went on the first hip hop tour outside the United States. This group included dancers, artists, and DJs. He saw that hip hop tours would help spread hip hop and his Universal Zulu Nation. These tours also helped promote the values of hip hop: peace, unity, love, and having fun. He helped bring peace among different groups. Many artists and group members say that "hip hop saved a lot of lives." His influence inspired many artists overseas, like the French rapper MC Solaar.

Bambaataa was a very popular DJ in the South Bronx rap scene. People knew him as Afrika Bambaataa and also as the "Master of Records." He started two rap groups. The first was the Jazzy 5, with MCs Master Ice, Mr. Freeze, Master Bee, Master D.E.E, and AJ Les. The second group was the Soulsonic Force, with Mr. Biggs, Pow Wow, and Emcee G.L.O.B.E.

In 1982, Bambaataa was inspired by Kraftwerk's electronic music. He played a test tape of EBN-OZN's "AEIOU Sometimes Y" at The Roxy. This was the first American song made on a computer, a Fairlight CMI, that was sold to the public. It started the age of music computer sampling. That same year, Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force stopped using a live band. They started using only technology. Bambaataa said the Japanese electropop group Yellow Magic Orchestra was an inspiration. He sampled their music.

He also used a keyboard tune from the German electronic group Kraftwerk. Producer Arthur Baker and synthesizer player John Robie gave him the electronic Roland TR-808 "beat-box." This led to "Planet Rock." The song sold very well and created a whole new style of "electro-boogie" rap and dance music. Bambaataa started his own record label to release the Time Zone Compilation. He helped make "turntablism" its own music style. He also helped make "electronica" a recognized music trend in the late 1990s.

Birth of the Universal Zulu Nation

In the late 1970s, Bambaataa created what became known as the Universal Zulu Nation. This group included rappers, B-boys, graffiti artists, and others involved in hip hop culture. They were all interested in social and political issues. By 1977, inspired by DJ Kool Herc and DJ Dee, Bambaataa started organizing block parties all over the South Bronx. Disco King Mario even lent him his first equipment. He even had a DJ battle with his old friend, Disco King Mario. He then started performing at Adlai E. Stevenson High School. He formed the Bronx River Organization, which later became "The Organization."

Bambaataa DJed with his own sound system at The Bronx River Houses' Community Center. Mr. Biggs, Queen Kenya, and Cowboy joined him in performances. Because of his past role in the Black Spades, he already had many former members of that group attending his parties. Hip hop culture was spreading through house parties, block parties, gym dances, and mix tapes.

About a year later, Bambaataa changed the group's name to the Zulu Nation. He was inspired by his studies of African history. Specifically, Bambaataa watched the 1964 film Zulu, which gave him the idea for the name. Five break dancers joined him. He called them the Zulu Kings. Later, he formed the Zulu Queens and the Shaka Zulu Kings and Queens. As he continued DJing, more DJs, rappers, b-boys, b-girls, graffiti writers, and artists joined him. He guided them and made them all members of his Zulu Nation.

He also founded the Soulsonic Force. This group first had about 20 Zulu Nation members. These included Mr. Biggs, Queen Kenya, DJ Cowboy Soulsonic Force (#2), Pow Wow, G.L.0.B.E. (who created the "MC popping" rap style), DJ Jazzy Jay, Cosmic Force, Queen Lisa Lee, Prince Ikey C, Ice Ice (#1), Chubby Chub. The Jazzy Five included DJ Jazzy Jay, Mr. Freeze, Master D.E.E., Kool DJ Red Alert, Sundance, Ice Ice (#2), Charlie Choo, Master Bee, Busy Bee Starski, Akbar (Lil Starski), and Raheim. The Soulsonic Force had smaller groups within it that performed and made records.

In 1980, Bambaataa's groups made Death Mix, their first recording with Paul Winley Records. Bambaataa said this release was not approved by him. Winley recorded two versions of Soulsonic Force's song, "Zulu Nation Throwdown," with permission from the musicians. Bambaataa was not happy with the results of the song, so he left the company.

The Zulu Nation was the first hip hop organization. Its official start date was November 12, 1977. Bambaataa's goal with the Universal Zulu Nation was to create a movement. This movement would use the creativity of a new generation of young people. It would give them a real and freeing way of looking at the world.

Recognition

Afrika Bambaataa (left) in 2004

In 1981, hip hop artist Fab Five Freddy was organizing music events in the mostly white new wave clubs in downtown Manhattan. He invited Bambaataa to perform at one of them, the Mudd Club. This was the first time Bambaataa performed for a mostly white audience. So many people came to his downtown parties that he had to move to bigger places. First, he moved to the Ritz, in a show organized by hip hop pioneer Michael Holman, with Malcolm McLaren's group Bow Wow Wow. Then he moved to the Peppermint Lounge, The Jefferson, Negril, Danceteria, and the Roxy.

"Planet Rock" was a popular song produced by Arthur Baker and keyboardist John Robie. It came out that June under the name Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force. The song mixed music ideas from German electronic music, funk, and rock. It used different elements and music styles together. The song became an instant hit and was popular on music charts worldwide. The song combined the main tune from Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" with electronic beats from their song "Numbers." It also used parts from records by Babe Ruth and Captain Sky. This created a new music style called electro funk.

Afrika Bambaataa was booked for the first European hip hop tour. It was presented by Europe One and Fnac France. Along with him were rapper and graffiti artist Rammellzee, Zulu Nation DJ Grand Mixer DXT, B-boy and B-girl groups the Rock Steady Crew, and the Double Dutch Girls. Graffiti artists Fab 5 Freddy, PHASE 2, Futura 2000, and Dondi also joined.

Bambaataa's second song, around 1983, was "Looking for the Perfect Beat." Later, he released "Renegades of Funk." Both were with the Soulsonic Force. He started working with producer Bill Laswell at Jean Karakos's Celluloid Records. There, he created and placed two groups on the label: Time Zone and Shango. Bambaataa recorded "Wildstyle" with Time Zone. In 1984, he recorded a song called "World Destruction" with punk rocker John Lydon and Time Zone. Shango's album, Shango Funk Theology, was released by the label in 1984.

In 1984, Bambaataa and other hip hop stars appeared in the movie Beat Street. He also made an important recording with James Brown, called "Unity." People in the music business called it "the Godfather of Soul meets the Godfather of Hip Hop."

Around October 1985, Bambaataa and other music stars worked on the anti-apartheid album Sun City. They worked with Little Steven Van Zandt, Joey Ramone, Run–D.M.C., Lou Reed, U2, and others. In 1988, he recorded "Afrika Bambaataa and Family" for Capitol Records, titled The Light. It featured Nona Hendryx, UB40, Boy George, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and Yellowman. He had recorded other works with Family three years earlier: "Funk You" in 1985 and "Beware (The Funk Is Everywhere)" in 1986.

Bambaataa was involved in the Stop the Violence Movement. With other hip hop artists, he recorded "Self Destruction." This song reached number one on the Hot Rap Singles Chart in March 1989. The song sold very well and raised $400,000 for the National Urban League. This money was used for community programs to educate people about preventing violence.

In 1990, Bambaataa was included in Life magazine's "Most Important Americans of the 20th Century" issue.

Gee Street Records, Bambaataa, and John Baker organized a concert at Wembley Stadium in London in 1990. This concert was for the African National Congress (ANC), to honor Nelson Mandela's release from prison. The concert featured British and American rappers. It also introduced Nelson and Winnie Mandela and the ANC to hip hop fans. A recording called Ndodemnyama (Free South Africa) helped raise about $30,000 for the ANC.

From the mid-1990s, Bambaataa went back to his electro music style. In 1998, he made a new version of "Planet Rock." It mixed electro and house music elements and was called "Planet Rock '98." This is seen as an early example of the electro house music style. In 2000, Rage Against the Machine covered his song "Renegades of Funk" for their album, Renegades. In the same year, he worked with Leftfield on the song "Afrika Shox." This was the first song from Leftfield's album Rhythm and Stealth. "Afrika Shox" was also on the soundtrack for the movie Vanilla Sky.

In 2004, he worked with WestBam on the album Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light. This album also featured Gary Numan. In 2006, he was on the British singer Jamelia's album Walk with Me on a song called "Do Me Right." He was also on Mekon's album Some Thing Came Up, on the track "D-Funktional." He performed the lyrics on the song "Is There Anybody Out There" by the Bassheads. As an actor, he has done many voice-over roles for the show Kung Faux.

Bambaataa was a judge for the 6th annual Independent Music Awards. This helped support the careers of independent artists. On September 27, 2007, it was announced that Afrika Bambaataa was one of the nine people nominated for the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions. On December 22, 2007, he made a surprise appearance. He performed at the First Annual Tribute Fit For the King of King Records, Mr. Dynamite James Brown in Covington, Kentucky.

On August 14, 2012, Bambaataa was appointed as a visiting scholar at Cornell University for three years. This was a partnership between Cornell University Library's Hip Hop Collection and the university's Music department. The Hip Hop Collection is the largest collection of historical hip hop music in North America. His archives, including his vinyl records, original audio and video recordings, writings, books, and papers, arrived at the Cornell University Hip Hop Collection in December 2013.

Discography

Albums

Singles

See Also

In Spanish: Afrika Bambaataa para niños

• Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation