Afrika Bambaataa : Rolling Stone

From the Archives

December 9, 2004

Planet Rock

Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force

Recordings and Reviews

Looking for the Perfect Beat (Remix)

One of hip-hop's true enigmatic figures, foundational DJ Afrika Bambaataa now plies his turntable trade on the rave circuit, releases obscure electro records and espouses theories about the earth being hollow. Two decades ago, though, Bambaataa was the most propulsive force in hip-hop, and this coll...

1998 RS: 4of 5 Stars

Biography

Afrika Bambaataa was an important rap-music pioneer who, much like Grandmaster Flash, became a forgotten elder statesman as rap evolved. Bambaataa, who took his name (which means "affectionate leader") from a movie about Zulu warriors, quit the notorious Black Spades street gang in the mid-'70s and formed Zulu Nation, a music-oriented "youth organization." Among the members who became minor rap lu...

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