Afrika Bambaataa DJ and pioneering American hip hop artist most famous for fronting Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force Born April 17, 1957 in the Bronx, NY, USA. He adopted the stage name Afrika Bambaataa Aasim, after a nineteenth century Zulu chief. He is of West Indian descent 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 of Rapping, DJ Mixing/Scratching, Graffiti and Breakdancing. Along with two other Bronx DJs, Grandmaster Flash and Kool DJ 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 had 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. Review: Musical visionary, DJ extraordinaire, and founder of the Zulu Nation, Afrika Bambaataa has done more for the culture and music of hip-hop than most could dream of. He grew up in the South Bronx, and began promoting and spinning at block parties in the 1970s. His first professional effort was producing Soul Sonic Force's debut Zulu Nation Throwdown in 1980; two years later, they released the groundbreaking single "Planet Rock," helping to pioneer the Electro-Funk movement with its freaky beats and incorporation of sounds from German synth band Kraftwerk. Bambaataa's futuristic soundscapes took listeners by surprise, becoming a major influence in the development of not only hip-hop, but Techno and House music as well. Throughout his lengthy career, Bam has recorded with a diverse multitude of talented artists, including James Brown, Bill Laswell, Sly and Robbie, and Professor X. Still extremely active in the hip-hop community, he continues to record, tour and educate, maintaining his status as a living legend and forefather of the art. Aliases: Aasim

Afrika Bambaataa Discography