Hip-hop pioneer, Afrika Bambaataa, dies aged 68

Afrika Bambaataa, one of the founding figures of hip-hop culture, has died at the age of 68, the Hip Hop Alliance has confirmed. In a statement, the organisation said Bambaataa helped shape a "global movement rooted in peace, unity, love, and having fun", paying tribute to his role in the emergence of hip-hop as both a musical genre and a cultural...

Afrika Bambaataa, one of the founding figures of hip-hop culture, has died at the age of 68, the Hip Hop Alliance has confirmed.

In a statement, the organisation said Bambaataa helped shape a "global movement rooted in peace, unity, love, and having fun", paying tribute to his role in the emergence of hip-hop as both a musical genre and a cultural force.

Born Lance Taylor in the Bronx, Bambaataa grew up during the era of the black liberation movement. In 1973, he co-founded the Universal Zulu Nation, an international hip‑hop awareness group.

In his later years, Bambaataa's reputation was overshadowed by allegations of child sexual abuse and trafficking, which he denied.