AFRIKA BAMBAATAA

Photo for reference only

During a time in New York City where gang life was 5 times as populated as the city’s police department, Hip Hop culture was emerging in an attempt to stop the violence. Bambaataa was a founding member of the Bronx River Projects-area street gang, The Savage Seven. Due to the explosive growth of the gang, it later became known as the Black Spades, and he rose to the position of Division Leader. After a life-changing visit to Africa, he changed his name to Afrika Bambaataa Aasim. Bambaataa was influenced by the courage and strategic brilliance of Shaka Zulu seen in the movie and TV series “Shaka Zulu”.

Bambaataa decided to use his leadership to turn those involved in the gang life into something more positive to the community. This began the development of which soon later became known as the Universal Zulu Nation, a group of socially & politically aware rappers, B-boys, graffiti artists and other people involved in hip hop culture. By 1977, inspired by DJ Kool Herc and after getting his first equipment loaned to him from Disco King Mario, Bambaataa had begun organizing block parties all around the South Bronx. He even faced his mentor, Disco King Mario in a DJ battle.

Bam began Performing at Stevenson High School and forming a group calling it the Bronx River organization, then Later the Organization. Bam had deejayed with his own sound system at the Bronx River Community Center, with Mr. Biggs, Queen Kenya, and Cowboy, who accompanied him in performances in the community. Because of his prior status in the Black Spades, Bam already had an established party crowd drawn from former members of the gang. He became known as one of the best in the Bronx.

About a year later he reformed a group, calling it the Zulu Nation (inspired by his wide studies on African history at the time). Five b-boys (break dancers) joined him who he called the Shaka ZULU Kings, a.k.a. ZULU Kings; there were also the Shaka Zulu Queens. As Bam continued deejaying, more DJs, rappers, break dancers, graffiti writers, and artists followed his parties, and he took them under his wing and made them members of his Zulu Nation.

To learn more go to… http://www.zulunation.com/afrika.html

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Posted in September 2007