Afrika Bambaataa

American DJ and pioneering hip hop artist
Born: 17th April 1957 the Bronx, New York, USA
Died: 9th April 2026 Pennsylvania, USA
Best known for fronting Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force. He adopted the stage name Afrika Bambaataa Aasim, after the 19th-century Zulu chief Bhambatha. He is of West Indian descent (father from Barbados, mother from Jamaica) and cousin of Edward Rudolph AKA Kool Rock Steady.
He grew up in New York’s South Bronx, his musical eclecticism matched by his vision of African American social and racial unity. In the mid-1970's he was one of the pioneers of New York’s emergent hip-hop culture for rapping, DJ mixing/scratching, graffiti and break dancing. Along with two other Bronx DJs, Grandmaster Flash and DJ Kool Herc (both also of West Indian origin), he began playing small percussive sections from obscure and unexpected rock, funk and electro-pop records as a rhythm track for rappers, interspersing the beats with extracts from cartoon melodies and film themes.
Inspired by the British film 'Zulu', Bambaataa founded a loosely convened organization of hip-hop's cultural luminaries, called the 'Universal Zulu Nation'. Described as both a fan and a master of records, Bambaataa achieved one of his lifetime ambitions in 1984 by recording "Unity", a duet with James Brown.
Founder of the label Mellowvibes Records with German sprayer Zulu Ben.