“Godfather of Hip-Hop” Afrika Bambaataa Dies at 68

A legendary DJ and rapper who is impossible to leave out of hip-hop history, Afrika Bambaataa (Afrika Bambaataa, birth name Lance Taylor), died of cancer complications.

■ One of the founders of hip-hop... Dies at 68 after battling cancer

According to reports from international media outlets such as TMZ (as of local time on the 10th), Bambaataa died at around 3:00 a.m. that day at his home in Pennsylvania while battling cancer. A close associate said the late rapper continued his treatment until recently and passed away peacefully, with his family at his side.

■ The head of the Zulu Nation who turned gang warfare into a hip-hop festival

Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1957, Bambaataa built his influence in his youth as the warlord (leader of operations) of the notorious gang “Black Spades.” However, after traveling to Africa and finding enlightenment, he decided to unite the Black community through music rather than violence.

Founded in 1973, the “Universal Zulu Nation” grew into a cultural organization that included rappers, graffiti artists, and b-boys, elevating hip-hop from a music genre into a full-fledged social movement.

■ An innovator who broke down genre boundaries... The shock of “Planet Rock”

Musically as well, he was a pioneer. “Planet Rock,” released in 1982, fused beats from the German electronic music group Kraftwerk into hip-hop, helping pave the way for a new genre called “electro-funk.” The track climbed as high as No. 4 on the Billboard R&B chart, playing a decisive role in expanding hip-hop’s musical reach. In addition, in 1985, he teamed up with U2, Run-D.M.C., and others to produce the anti-apartheid album 〈Sun City〉, delivering social messages along the way.

■ A reputation clouded by allegations of sexual misconduct

But his major accomplishments were overshadowed in his later years by allegations of sexual assault. Starting in 2016, many men came forward to claim they had been sexually abused by him during the 1970s through the 1990s. Especially in 2025, he lost a civil lawsuit filed over charges of human trafficking and sexual exploitation after failing to appear in court, leading to a large compensation ruling and sparking complex debate within the hip-hop community about his legacy.