Hip-hop figure Afrika Bambaataa has died at 68Founding hip-hop figure Afrika Bambaataa has died aged 68 due to complications from cancer. In the later years of his career, the rapper, DJ, and producer was accused of child sexual abuse and trafficking, which he denied.
Bambaataa, born Lance Taylor, grew up in the Bronx borough of New York City during the black liberation movement. In 1973, he co-founded the Universal Zulu Nation, an international hip‑hop awareness group.
His 1982 hit Planet Rock garnered global recognition and was certified Gold by the RIAA in the US. Across his career, he worked with a number of musicians across varying genres. In 1985, he helped make the anti-apartheid album Sun City along with Run-DMC, The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, Bono, Ringo Starr and many others.
As per the BBC, Bambaataa led Universal Zulu Nation until 2016, when he stepped down after allegations of sexual abuse surfaced from the 1980s and 1990s. He denied the accusations, describing them as “baseless”. In 2025, he lost a civil case in which he was accused of child sexual abuse and trafficking after failing to show up in court.
The Hip Hop Alliance shared a statement regarding Bambaataa’s death. It reads, “Today, we acknowledge the transition of a foundational architect of Hip Hop culture, Afrika Bambaataa… His vision transformed the Bronx into the birthplace of a culture that now reaches every corner of the world.”
The statement also acknowledges “that his legacy is complex and has been the subject of serious conversations within our community”, and goes on to conclude: “Today, we extend our condolences to all who were impacted by his life, his work, and his presence… Rest in Power Bam.”
You can read the full statement, posted to Instagram, below:

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