Main points
- Afrika Bambaataa, one of the founders of hip-hop culture, has died at the age of 68 from complications of cancer.
- He created the collective Universal Zulu Nation and played a key role in shaping hip-hop in the 1980s.
Afrika Bambaataa / Photo by Getty Images
American DJ and rapper Afrika Bambaataa has died at the age of 68. He is one of the founders of hip-hop culture.
This is reported by the BBC. The news of Afrika Bambaataa's death was confirmed by the Hip Hop Alliance.
The Hip Hop Alliance said in a statement that Afrika Bambaataa helped form “a global movement based on peace, unity, love and fun.” The organization paid tribute to the rapper's role in establishing hip-hop as a musical genre and cultural force. He died in Pennsylvania on Thursday, April 9, from complications caused by cancer, TMZ reported.
Afrika Bambaataa was born to immigrants from Jamaica and Barbados. As a teenager, he became a member of the Black Spades gang. In the 1970s, he formed the hip-hop group Universal Zulu Nation.
The rapper played a key role in shaping hip-hop in the 1980s. He gained worldwide recognition with the hit “Planet Rock.” Afrika Bambaataa collaborated with John Lydon, George Clinton, James Brown, and other artists.
The man led the Universal Zulu Nation until 2016, when he stepped down after being accused of sexual assault. Afrika Bambaataa himself called the allegations “baseless and a cowardly attempt to tarnish the reputation and legacy of hip-hop at this time.”
In 2025, the rapper lost a civil lawsuit accusing him of child sexual abuse and human trafficking because he failed to appear in court.
Afrika Bambaataa / Photo by Getty Images
Which musician has the world lost before?
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Brad Arnold, the lead vocalist and one of the founders of the rock band 3 Doors Down, died on February 7 at the age of 47. The musician had been battling cancer and is survived by his wife.
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British singer and guitarist Chris Rea passed away on December 22. The singer of the hit Driving Home For Christmas was 74 years old. He died after a short illness.