Post by upfromsumdirt on Dec 4, 2006 14:53:21 GMT -5
www.pupmag.net/journeyofanartist/journeyofanartist06/afrikabambaataa-dec06.html
pulp fiction online magazine/interview by sherene clark
Afrika Bambaataa is known to many as “The Father of The Electro Funk Sound” and “The Godfather of Hip Hop Culture.” Before he gained this recognition Bam (as his friends call him) began his journey on the Bronx streets. He joined the Black Spades, a gang that covered the Bronx River Division in the South, where he governed as warlord until the group began to fade in 1973. With a change in his vision Afrika formed a performing group at Stevenson High School called The Organization and later that year reformed a group now known as The Zulu Nation.
The Zulu Nation consisted of DJs, break dancers, graffiti writers, rappers and artists. As they traveled the world they became known as the Universal Zulu Nation. Bam believes the new name meant “that we were Universal with our planet and the Universe.” The members were taken under Bam’s wing and became apart of a vision spreading positivity and growth in Hip Hop culture. Bam continued to earn respect with his DJ abilities and talents by holding battles that would challenge his opponents to an hour set where the crowd determined the champion. Bam continued to form a second group called Soul Sonic Force consisting of approximately 20 Zulu members including DJ Jazzy Jay, Chubby Chub, Kool DJ Red Alert, Raheim, and Mr. Biggs. In 1980, Bam’s groups made a recording of “Zulu Nation Throwdown.”
In 1982 Afrika began to move his Zulu parties to downtown Manhattan where they grew out of the small venues into larger venues. His success continued with the release of his first major single “Planet Rock”, which continues to be most sampled record in Hip Hop. Over the next 20 years Afrika continued to be a strong influence in Hip Hop culture collaborating on many albums. He is also continuing his successes by making more music and “more of trying to teach and bring the culture of Hip Hop to other different parts of the planet.”
Sherene: So how did you get your name Afrika Bambaataa?
Afrika Bambaataa: The name comes from an African Chief who was born in the year 1865 and passed away in the year 1906. He defied the white British Imperialist rulers who tried to take over their land. The Zulu land. So, it comes from the great Chief of Zulu. That name came [to me] from my Godfather.
Sherene: How did the Zulu Nation develop and what was your main role?
(For the people that don’t know)
Afrika Bambaataa: The Universe of the Zulu Nation had its start in the year of 1973 in the month of November, which is what we call Hip Hop History Month. So we want everyone to recognize and celebrated Hip Hop history for what Hip Hop heads did throughout the world bringing all nationalities and races together with the music. We developed from there starting in the black communities, when I’m saying black I mean brothers, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, whatever. As we branched on and traveled the world it became the Universal Zulu Nation, meaning that we were Universal with our planet and the Universe. So any Extraterrestrials or any other types of persons could come and join Universal Zulu Nation and if they stand what we stand for they could be part of our Universal Zulu Nation.
Sherene: So what was your main role in the beginning?
Afrika Bambaataa: It was organizing, starting it and being the founder of it. Then building up a world community where people could have and people could see places and go to other countries and could have family families from other areas. They could be brothers and sisters and peoples mothers and parents can become your mothers and parents. A mamma Zulu or a Papa Zulu and then you’ve got united forces around the world. For them to represent the Zulu and represent Hip Hop and basically what stand for is the fifth element, what we call knowledge.
Sherene: So how do you feel about the current state of Hip Hop culture? Are you happy with where it is now and is there anything in its current dynamic that you would like to see changed?
Afrika Bambaataa: Well Hip Hop culture is doing good, I mean we people that are keeping it up in cultures in many different parts of the world but the people that are doing the Rap part of Hip Hop there seems to be a lot of problems. You got people that want to be gangsters and calling women out of their names and you even got some women that loved to be called that word and Zulu women don’t want to be called that word. It’ll be stopped when she decides that she does not want to be called a bitch or a ho or whatever. It’s not Rap or Hip Hop in general it’s the mind set of the people. From place to place and who’s who and who’s pulling the strings and programming your mind and programs our directors of these radio stations that make you think that everybody wants to be gangsters, pimps, or ho’s.
Sherene: What can we expect from Afrika Bambaataa in the near future?
Afrika Bambaataa: More music, more organizing, more of trying to teach and bring the culture of Hip Hop to other different parts of the planet. Hit other grounds that may not have been searched by our culture and as we become relaxed and human then we can be the world loving supreme force in this millennium that we hope to bring it to other planets in our Universe.
Sherene: Any inspirational words for growing artists out there that are trying to make it and they actually have something good to say to bring to the culture?
Afrika Bambaataa: Well, if they’re going to be DJ’s then they have knowledge of all different music out there especially to know that Hip Hop comes from all different music and it’s the breaks in Hip Hop that have saved a lot of brands of music. So, to know not to be all closed minded to all the different music that’s out there and that Hip Hop comes in many different forms of music. So, you got your Hip House, you got Trip Hop, you got the Drum and Bass jungle style of Hip Hop, you got your Electric Funk, Miami Bass, the real Funk, all those sounds of Hip Hop can be types of Hip Hop, Ragga Hip Hop. It’s good to know when you say I’m just Hip Hop and you think it’s Rap. There’s break beats and all these other things you look at groups like Dj Icey and Uberzone or Chemical Brothers these are also apart of Hip Hop. Just as well as groups as Prodigy and they had the break beats style of techno electro. It’s to know that Hip Hop has branched out to many different fields.
pulp fiction online magazine/interview by sherene clark
Afrika Bambaataa is known to many as “The Father of The Electro Funk Sound” and “The Godfather of Hip Hop Culture.” Before he gained this recognition Bam (as his friends call him) began his journey on the Bronx streets. He joined the Black Spades, a gang that covered the Bronx River Division in the South, where he governed as warlord until the group began to fade in 1973. With a change in his vision Afrika formed a performing group at Stevenson High School called The Organization and later that year reformed a group now known as The Zulu Nation.
The Zulu Nation consisted of DJs, break dancers, graffiti writers, rappers and artists. As they traveled the world they became known as the Universal Zulu Nation. Bam believes the new name meant “that we were Universal with our planet and the Universe.” The members were taken under Bam’s wing and became apart of a vision spreading positivity and growth in Hip Hop culture. Bam continued to earn respect with his DJ abilities and talents by holding battles that would challenge his opponents to an hour set where the crowd determined the champion. Bam continued to form a second group called Soul Sonic Force consisting of approximately 20 Zulu members including DJ Jazzy Jay, Chubby Chub, Kool DJ Red Alert, Raheim, and Mr. Biggs. In 1980, Bam’s groups made a recording of “Zulu Nation Throwdown.”
In 1982 Afrika began to move his Zulu parties to downtown Manhattan where they grew out of the small venues into larger venues. His success continued with the release of his first major single “Planet Rock”, which continues to be most sampled record in Hip Hop. Over the next 20 years Afrika continued to be a strong influence in Hip Hop culture collaborating on many albums. He is also continuing his successes by making more music and “more of trying to teach and bring the culture of Hip Hop to other different parts of the planet.”
Sherene: So how did you get your name Afrika Bambaataa?
Afrika Bambaataa: The name comes from an African Chief who was born in the year 1865 and passed away in the year 1906. He defied the white British Imperialist rulers who tried to take over their land. The Zulu land. So, it comes from the great Chief of Zulu. That name came [to me] from my Godfather.
Sherene: How did the Zulu Nation develop and what was your main role?
(For the people that don’t know)
Afrika Bambaataa: The Universe of the Zulu Nation had its start in the year of 1973 in the month of November, which is what we call Hip Hop History Month. So we want everyone to recognize and celebrated Hip Hop history for what Hip Hop heads did throughout the world bringing all nationalities and races together with the music. We developed from there starting in the black communities, when I’m saying black I mean brothers, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, whatever. As we branched on and traveled the world it became the Universal Zulu Nation, meaning that we were Universal with our planet and the Universe. So any Extraterrestrials or any other types of persons could come and join Universal Zulu Nation and if they stand what we stand for they could be part of our Universal Zulu Nation.
Sherene: So what was your main role in the beginning?
Afrika Bambaataa: It was organizing, starting it and being the founder of it. Then building up a world community where people could have and people could see places and go to other countries and could have family families from other areas. They could be brothers and sisters and peoples mothers and parents can become your mothers and parents. A mamma Zulu or a Papa Zulu and then you’ve got united forces around the world. For them to represent the Zulu and represent Hip Hop and basically what stand for is the fifth element, what we call knowledge.
Sherene: So how do you feel about the current state of Hip Hop culture? Are you happy with where it is now and is there anything in its current dynamic that you would like to see changed?
Afrika Bambaataa: Well Hip Hop culture is doing good, I mean we people that are keeping it up in cultures in many different parts of the world but the people that are doing the Rap part of Hip Hop there seems to be a lot of problems. You got people that want to be gangsters and calling women out of their names and you even got some women that loved to be called that word and Zulu women don’t want to be called that word. It’ll be stopped when she decides that she does not want to be called a bitch or a ho or whatever. It’s not Rap or Hip Hop in general it’s the mind set of the people. From place to place and who’s who and who’s pulling the strings and programming your mind and programs our directors of these radio stations that make you think that everybody wants to be gangsters, pimps, or ho’s.
Sherene: What can we expect from Afrika Bambaataa in the near future?
Afrika Bambaataa: More music, more organizing, more of trying to teach and bring the culture of Hip Hop to other different parts of the planet. Hit other grounds that may not have been searched by our culture and as we become relaxed and human then we can be the world loving supreme force in this millennium that we hope to bring it to other planets in our Universe.
Sherene: Any inspirational words for growing artists out there that are trying to make it and they actually have something good to say to bring to the culture?
Afrika Bambaataa: Well, if they’re going to be DJ’s then they have knowledge of all different music out there especially to know that Hip Hop comes from all different music and it’s the breaks in Hip Hop that have saved a lot of brands of music. So, to know not to be all closed minded to all the different music that’s out there and that Hip Hop comes in many different forms of music. So, you got your Hip House, you got Trip Hop, you got the Drum and Bass jungle style of Hip Hop, you got your Electric Funk, Miami Bass, the real Funk, all those sounds of Hip Hop can be types of Hip Hop, Ragga Hip Hop. It’s good to know when you say I’m just Hip Hop and you think it’s Rap. There’s break beats and all these other things you look at groups like Dj Icey and Uberzone or Chemical Brothers these are also apart of Hip Hop. Just as well as groups as Prodigy and they had the break beats style of techno electro. It’s to know that Hip Hop has branched out to many different fields.
