Afrika Bambaataa — the hip-hop pioneer whose influence helped shape the culture’s earliest blueprint — has died at 68 after a battle with prostate cancer.
Born Kevin Donovan in the South Bronx in 1957, Bambaataa passed away on April 9 in Pennsylvania, where he had been receiving treatment for complications related to the disease.
Bambaataa was long regarded as one of the architects of hip-hop’s foundation. His work as a DJ in the 1970s and his creation of the Universal Zulu Nation helped define the culture’s early sound, style, and philosophy. His 1982 classic “Planet Rock” became a global anthem and cemented his status as a visionary who pushed the genre beyond block parties and into international consciousness.
But in recent years, his legacy became deeply contested after multiple men came forward accusing Bambaataa of sexual abuse during their youth. Bambaataa denied the allegations.