News of the alleged passing of hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa has emerged, sparking mixed reactions across the community.
While his contributions to the genre remain undeniable, his legacy is deeply intertwined with allegations of serious misconduct that continue to shape public perception.
Among those reflecting on his life and its impact is Hassan Campbell, a former member of the Universal Zulu Nation who once revered Bambaataa as a mentor.
As a young teenager, Campbell joined the Universal Zulu Nation, inspired by admiration for Bambaataa. However, his experiences under Bambaataa’s guidance took an alarming turn, as Campbell has recounted on multiple occasions.
At just 13 years old, Campbell alleged that Bambaataa exposed him to homosexual pornography, leading to more disturbing behavior. He claimed that this escalated into repeated incidents of molestation, including being touched and forced to perform sexual acts over several years.
“This wasn’t a one-time thing. This was ongoing for several years,” Campbell shared in an interview with Vice.
It wasn’t until his late teens that Campbell finally severed ties with Bambaataa and the alleged abuse. Yet, following a stint in prison, Campbell suggested the dynamic remained complicated upon his release, describing a warped sense of mentorship tinged with manipulation.
“When I came home from jail, Bam took me shopping and stuff like that. Bam was like your uncle who paid your way through college but molested you,” he revealed.
Considering this history, Campbell expressed little sympathy when addressing reports of Bambaataa’s death. In a Facebook video reacting to the news, he stated: “I just want to take the time out to say rest in peace to the greatest child predator who ever walked this earth, Afrika Bambaataa.”
Campbell’s accusations are not isolated; they mirror claims made by others, including Bronx native and political activist Ronald Savage. These testimonies eventually led to Bambaataa’s expulsion from the Universal Zulu Nation in 2016, marking a significant shift in how the group publicly viewed its founder.
