One of hip-hop’s pioneers has died in the early hours of the morning, according to reports. US star Afrika Bambaataa, whose real name was Lance Taylor, was a huge star in the 1980s and is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the genre.
Sources told TMZ that the DJ, rapper and music producer died from complications of cancer at around 3am today, April 9 – just days away from his birthday on 17 April – in Pennsylvania, USA.
The music star released a series of electro tracks in the 1980s, most notably the hit Planet Rock, that defined the genre and influenced the development of hip hop culture. He is often named as one of the ‘Holy Trinity’ of founders alongside DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash.
His legacy was severely tarnished in his later years following numerous allegations of child sexual abuse and sexual trafficking dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.
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.
Explore all the juicy entertainment news you desire with GhanaWeekend on WhatsApp!
Click on the link to join the GhanaWeekend channel for curated, meaningful stories tailored just for YOU: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaJ31iEDTkK8wIHNj31A
