Afrika Bambaataa

Musical visionary, DJ extraordinaire, and founder of the Zulu Nation, Afrika Bambaataa has done more for the culture and music of hip-hop than most could dream of. He grew up in the South Bronx, and began promoting and spinning at block parties in the 1970s. His first professional effort was producing Soul Sonic Force's debut Zulu Nation Throwdown in 1980; two years later, they released the groundbreaking single "Planet Rock," helping to pioneer the Electro-Funk movement with its freaky beats and incorporation of sounds from German synth band Kraftwerk. Bambaataa's futuristic soundscapes took listeners by surprise, becoming a major influence in the development of not only hip-hop, but Techno and House music as well. Throughout his lengthy career, Bam has recorded with a diverse multitude of talented artists, including James Brown, Bill Laswell, Sly and Robbie, and Professor X. Still extremely active in the hip-hop community, he continues to record, tour and educate, maintaining his status as a living legend and forefather of the art.