Groundbreaking US hip-hop artist and DJ Afrika Bambaataa, known for his 1982 hit “Planet Rock,” has died at age 68, his former record label said Thursday.
“With his passing, we reflect on his contributions to the genre and broader culture, which continue to this day,” Tommy Boy Records said in an Instagram post alongside a picture of Bambaataa.
Celebrity news site TMZ, citing unnamed sources, reported that Bambaataa died from complications of cancer at about 3:00 am (0700 GMT) Thursday in Pennsylvania.
Born in housing projects of the Bronx borough of New York City as Lance Taylor, the hip-hop icon got his start in entertainment by hosting block parties and drawing inspiration from early electronic music.
After growing up during a time rife with gang violence, Bambaataa co-founded the Zulu Nation in 1973, which used hip-hop to promote peaceful values.
Bambaataa faced allegations of sexual assault by accusers who said they were minors in incidents alleged in the 1980s and 1990s. Bambaataa disputed the allegations and was never criminally convicted.
In 2025, Bambaataa lost an abuse case in civil court after failing to appear.
Reacting to his death, Hassan Campbell, a former member of the Universal Zulu Nation who accused hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa of sexually abusing him when he was a teenager, said “Rest in peace to the greatest child predator wo ever walked this earth. Before there was an Epstein list there was an Africa.”
Hassan expressed his views on the social media pages of According 2 Hip-Hop.
