A Short History of Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa had a pivotal role in the development of popular music in general. He had no preconceived ideas about whether music should be classed as black music or white music. So from the very start of his music-making career he refused to accept the music industry concept of certain types of music for certain types of markets. His version of hip-hop was democratic. Yes, it had come straight from block parties and rapping had emerged out of black cultural practices. But Bambaataa incorporated white European electronica into his work and he nurtured ties with punk, He also championed and experimented with new technology, like the Roland 808 drum machine and also the sampler. This undermined turntabalism and opened the door onto a new avenue of musical composition - the looping of found beats - which was to become central to all genres of popular music from then on in. His back catalogue is difficult to track down and is ultimately patchy in quality due to his many collaborations. However it is as an icon and true original that Afrika Bambaataa should be thought of.

His real name was Kevin and he grew up in the Bronx. He adopted a Zulu name, maybe for purposes of peer respect. The name he chose was Bambaataa Aasim. He inhabited a gang-driven world but changed his ways during High School when he began reading African literature. Next he found a love for the saxophone and the trumpet and went on to form a spiritual collective called Zulu Nation. The collective shared principles with all the main world religion and used music as a contextual backdrop to frame them. Another thing he became known for was his impressive record collection.

Bambaataa attended house parties which were organized by a Jamaican DJ called DJ Kool. They were known locally as 'merry-go-rounds' and were held all over New York. DJ Kool kept the crowds dancing all night as he mixed together various styles of music. The atmosphere and energy of these parties inspired the young Bambaataa to set up his own parties. It was during these parties that he 'battled' with Grandmaster Flash in an attempt to earn the title of 'Master of Records' and it was Bambaataa who began to call the culture surrounding DJs, MCs, graffiti-writers and B-boys as hip-hop. These four principles were seen as the cornerstone of the new movement. They were founded in a fifth element; knowledge. Zulu Nation gained more notoriety as Grandmaster Flash and a local rapper called Fab Five Freddy joined. The collective started to get invites from local punk venues near the end of the 1970s and often returned the invitation to rock and punk bands to attend, and maybe play, at his parties.

Next for Bambaataa was the formation of a new collective he called Soulsonic Force in 1979. It consisted of B-Boys, DJs, graffiti artists and twenty or so rappers. They first recorded in 1980 and agreed a deal with Tommy Boy records which was run by Tom Silverman. This led Bambaataa to work with electronic pop artist John Robbie and producer Arthur Baker. The three of them were fascinated with all types of electronic music, and all three had a great love for Kraftwerk and their minimalist epic called 'Trans Europe Express'. They began work on 'Planet Rock' and it was the beginnings of a new cross-genre which was termed 'electro-funk'. Most dance music has its roots in this new style of music, especially techno and other sample-based music. It was released in 1982 at the moment when rap was giving the DJ precedent over rapping. The track spread the new electronica around the world, via the 'cool' clubs. With it went the new uses of this new technology.

B-boys were especially smitten by electro-funk, but the new music was disliked by those who were into more traditional soul and R&B. However, the style grew bigger when other artists began releasing tracks. The club favorites were Rocker's Revenge's 'Walking On Sunshine' and Man Parish's 'Hip Hop Be Bop (Don't Stop)'. Such tracks caught the attention of New Order and so began the long and drawn out process of dance music infiltrating indie and alternative music. 'Planet Rock' was certainly an influential record.

This track was the centerpiece of their album, which didn't get released until 1986. It featured another electronic classic called 'Looking For The Perfect Beat' and other attention grabbers like 'Renegades Of Funk' and 'Frantic Situation'. Bambaataa has worked with so many top name artists since it is impossible to list even a fraction. Some of the lucky souls include James Brown, Malcolm McLaren and John Lydon, Adamski and Leftfield. But his real legacy is his role in the very birth of hip-hop.