Afrika Bambaataa, hip hop pioneer accused of paedophilia, dies aged 68

Content Warning: This article includes accounts of sexual assault and may be distressing for some readers.

Afrika Bambaataa, the hip hop pioneer who was shrouded with allegations of sexual abuse and child sex trafficking in his later life, has died aged 68.

TMZ first reported the news yesterday, April 9, reporting that he died following complications from cancer at around 3:AM in Pennsylvania. The Hip Hop Alliance has since confirmed this to BBC News.

The Hip Hop Alliance said in a statement that the musician helped to “shape a global movement rooted in peace, unity, love, and having fun," and played a pioneering role in the emergence of hip hop.

The Bronx-born artist, real name Lance Taylor, first began performing at block parties in New York as a DJ, and was primarily involved with the Black Spades gang before launching his own hip hop awareness group, Universal Zulu Nation, in 1973.

With a mission to direct young people away from violence and into creative roles, Bambaataa’s group was credited with starting a hip hop movement which celebrated Black creativity.

Taylor found commercial success with his 1985 track ‘Planet Rock’, peaking at number four in the US R&B chart, and later went on to work with the likes of James Brown, Run-DMC and Gary Numan.

While praised for his spearheading role in popularising hip hop, Taylor faced multiple allegations of sexual abuse over the past decade, which he had denied.

Taylor was accused in 2016 of sexually molesting a 15-year-old boy in 1980, leading to three more accusers coming forward with allegations of sexual abuse.

As a result, Universal Zulu Nation dissociated itself from Taylor, as well as “those accused of covering up the current allegations of child molestation", according to Rolling Stone.

No charges were brought against Taylor at the time, though his alleged abuse was said to be “common knowledge” in the hip hop community, per a 2021 YouTube interview between DJ Vlad and Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Later in 2021, Taylor was sued by an anonymous man who alleged that he was sexually abused by Taylor and trafficked to other adult men between the years of 1991 and 1995, when he was a minor.

Just last year, Taylor lost a civil trial that saw him accused by the same anonymous alleged victim. Taylor failed to appear at court when the case was being heard.

AFEM sponsor a confidential support service for anyone affected by sexual harassment within the Electronic Music Industry.

Health Assured provide the service to ensure confidential expert counselling and a safe and supportive environment for anyone who has been affected and needs guidance and support. Call 0800 030 5182, (Outside the UK: +44 800 030 5182) where trained experts will listen and support. 

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on X