Hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa dies
New York hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa has died at 68.
TMZ reported he died from complications of cancer early April 9, just days away from his April 17 birthday, in Pennsylvania. USA TODAY has reached out to Bambaataa’s representatives.
The Bronx-native DJ played a seminal role in shaping hip-hop through his plethora of music, most notably the hit 1982 track “Planet Rock.” He collaborated with many innovative funk artists from James Brown to George Clinton.
Bambaataa was previously accused of child sexual abuse and trafficking. In May, he lost a civil case that started in 2021 after an anonymous plaintiff alleged the producer sexually abused and trafficked him for four years starting in 1991, when he was 12 and Bambaataa was around 33 or 34, The Guardian reported.
Bambaataa, whose real name is Lance Taylor, did not address the allegations from the lawsuit, according to Rolling Stone.
This is a developing story.
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