Rachel Petterson
Anthropology of Hip-Hop
Melisa Rivire
Biography of a Hip-Hop Pioneer
February 26, 2008
How you act, walk, look and talk is all part of Hip Hop culture. And
the music is colorless. Hip Hop music is made from Black, brown, yellow, red and
white.
-Afrika Bambaataa
Known to the public eye as Afrika
Bambaataa, Kevin Donovan was truly a pioneer in the hip-hop world. Often referred to as Bam, Afrika
Bambaataas contribution to the hip-hop movement as a counterculture was one of
the most influential of that time period.
He understood better than most that hip-hop was an opportunity for
several cultures that had long been oppressed to gain a more equal playing
ground for themselves. Hip-hop was
not simply a song and dance number; it was a vehicle for social movement and
the development of an incredibly layered and intricate counterculture. Afrika Bambaataas drive and amazing
skills helped him to move hip-hop into a globally recognized way of life, and
for this he is without a doubt one of the most prominent pioneers in the
hip-hop culture.
Arguably born in April of 1957,
Bambaataas work as a DJ was exemplified by his work with the Zulu Nation, a
universal hip-hop awareness group. It is because of this that he is referenced in more than one
instance as having reached a sense of godfather status. The name Bambaataa
itself is said to be Zulu for affectionate leader, and this is exactly what
Afrika Bambaataa came to represent.
(Chang 89) As he became a
symbol for peace, he gained a wide range of respect from all worlds, including
those directly involved as well as those who acted simply as onlookers. Chang presents the possibility, in the
style of Claude Levi-Strauss, that Bambaataa was a man who could have existed
in duality: once as a man in history, and separately as a myth above
temporality. (90) He is said to
have been an advocate for the four elements--turntablism, emceeing,
break-dancing, and graffiti art--which hip-hop has come to be comprised of, as
well as adding the element of knowledge to the table. (90) For
Bambaataa, the element of knowledge was the most important of any in the
movement.
Extremely driven, even at a young age,
Bambaataa was seemingly a haven for knowledge, displaying a strong sense of the
world around him, on both a small scale level as well as a broader one. He seemed born with a sense of
destiny. (Chang 93) In this
tumultuous time, he was exposed to the movie Zulu, which had a profound
impact on the rest of his life.
From that movie, Bambaataa realized that it was possible for Africans to
fight for a greater level of respect, and that he and those around him no
longer needed to live in a world completely full of persecution or experience a
life full of struggle. This only
sparked the beginning to Bambaataas work as a leader and as a pioneer.
Bambaataa, like most other youths of that
time, was involved in the gang scene of the Bronx. His reputation was built up by his lack of fear and desire
to build up relationships between the various gangs. After dabbling in a number of organizations, he entered with
the Spades, and they became the largest gang in the city due to his help in
recruitment. (Chang 95) He was able to move in-between gangs with an incredible
ease and was on good relations with at least a few people from every major gang
organization. Bambaataa was the
voice of reason and was described by others as the one who was into
communication between the gangs.
(96) These connections
would later prove to be even more beneficial as Bambaataa moved on to bigger
and better things.
As the music
scene became more prominent, Bambaataa discovered an interest in deejaying. After
apprenticing for some time with two former Black Spades who had also gone the
route of turntablism, Bambaataa began to branch out on his own. Shortly thereafter, he left the Spades
to develop his own organization--one that he claimed to be a family rather than
gang. Those who followed him were
not to be the ones to initiate fights, but rather act only on a defensive
mode. But it was at this time that
gangs were beginning to dissipate.
Block parties replaced the violence that once plagued the streets of the
Bronx. (96-97) It was because of this that they were not only non-contested
events, but they were incredibly well received by the neighborhoods. Even though the block parties often
went until early in the morning, they were much more welcomed than gun
fights. This is not to say that
gangs immediately dissipated, yet it was certainly the beginning of change.
Much in the way
that the death of Black Benji caused the peace treaty of 1971 between all of
the gangs of the south Bronx, it was a death that really spawned the movement
for unification and peace from Afrika Bambaataa. The death of his cousin, Soulski by police fire was the
first of two deaths caused by police officers that did not line up with the
description given. It was at this
point that all the gangs were rallied and ready to take action. Yet action against police forces was
never taken, and instead the justice system allowed the officers at fault to go
free. Bambaataas response was one
that moved towards using the energy in a more positive and productive way. (Chang
97-100) Even though the outlet
here was not between rival gangs and only against the formal law enforcement
system, Bambaataa knew that the gangs needed to be united for peace rather than
for violent retribution.
Bambaataa
maintained a voice of reason amidst times of uncertainty, and used hardships as
opportunities for innovation. You
start believing strongly what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was saying, that
the white man is the devil. But as
you get older and wiser, you see why he did that-to clear off Black peoples
thinking that they was inferior and whites are superior and start saying they
are of gods. (Chang 100)
Bambaataa used this mindset to fuel the Zulu Nation. Much in the way of activists before his
time, he was not trying to make the Black culture superior, but rather to place
it on an equal level as white culture.
Shortly after that time, Bambaataa was
able to win an essay competition that allowed him to take a trip to
Africa. This trip only fueled his
interest in his cause as he learned more about the culture that he based the
movement on. Being able to witness
this culture, one that America had regarded as so insignificant, working hard
and producing everything for themselves showed Bambaataa just what could be
accomplished. (100)
Bambaataa really made his mark in the late
1970s as his organization of block parties and spinning reached new heights of
respect and recognition. Grouped
together with Grandmaster Flash and Kool Herc as the greats of the DJ world, he
was set aside by his technique and musical knowledge. It is claimed the other two of this great triad may have
been more innovative, but Bambaataa had such a profound influence over so many
other elements of production and the development and preservation of hip-hop
that he is thought to be somewhat of a divine inspiration to many. (Bush)
Bambaataa knew that to really expand
hip-hop on a global level, he would need to begin by securing the unity between
gangs and ensure that peace existed.
One step in doing so was promoting more block parties, at which he
evoked to the crowd warm sentiments that blamed gang problems on outside
forces, and urged everyone to see how inter-gang problems were not getting
anyone anywhere. (Chang 101-104) Since he had already made so many
connections through his good-natured attitude that truly commanded respect, he
already had a large support for his block parties. His following included a number of DJs, rappers, break
dancers, graffiti writers, and artists that all were attendees to his parties
and later became members of the Zulu Nation. (The Musical World)
Along with
Bambaataa came the Zulu King dancers and then later the Shaka Kings and
Queens. After the breakers,
rappers joined in the celebratory dance parties as well. It was at this time that the Bronx was
reverting back to a style of greater sophistication and optimism, something it
had lost in its time of just fighting to stay alive. Even the clothing was reverting back to a more refined
state, as people moved away from trying to be scrappiest-looking out there. (Chang 101) Another title that Bambaataa was able to claim was that of
Master of Records, as he was well known for the wide variety of music that he
displayed to his audiences. (The Musical World)
As the hip-hop
culture was forming even more, battles, occurred through the use of music and
dance rather than with violence.
DJs would battle it out to determine who had the better sound system or
who was able to create the best mixes.
Not only did Bambaataa learn a great deal from other DJs and hip-hop
artists, he worked alongside them.
His battles against other DJs were monumental, as he incorporated new
ways of battling which included extensions on the time that each person was
permitted to perform. (The Musical World) These battles seemed to have little to do with actually
determining status, but they were important for displaying what the strengths
and weaknesses of DJs.
As Bambaataas parties became more expansive, the
venues grew up as well, as they began to take on places like the Audubon
Ballroom and the T-Connection. The
early 1980s also brought about the spread of Bambaataas and other DJs musical
styles into the downtown areas of Manhattan. Strong connections between Bambaataa and journalists and
then later producers began to form as his music rose in fame. In 1981,
Bambaataa was invited to perform at a Manhattan New Wave club, known as the
Mudd Club. This was located in the
downtown region of Manhattan and consisted of primarily a white crowd. It was not only the first time that
Bambaataa had played for such a crowd, but it also marked the first time that
hip-hop was really brought together with white culture. From here, fame continued to expand and
Bambaataas parties eventually moved to places such as the Ritz and the
Peppermint Lounge. (The Musical World)
It was Bambaataas work on Planet Rock
in the spring of 1982 that really began to elevate hip-hop into its global
popularity. Combining a number of
works, including Kreftwerks Trans-Europe Express, the single hit a number
four status on the R&B charts.
(All-Music) Through Planet
Rock, Bambaataa created Electro-Funk. (The Musical World) Bambaataa was very, very different
from anybody else was from the Bronx. He said, I dont want to be a star because
stars fall, Silverman recalls. (Chang 171) Later that year, Bambaataa and several other members of the
Zulu nation, embarked on a trip to Europe. It was the first of many, but the influence that they had
there was just another step in the global spread of hip-hop. (The Musical
World)
Bambaataa is
also known for being a historian of hip-hop in addition to everything else, who
is said to have traced the culture of hip-hop back to the African Griots. He can also be recognized as being
responsible for having helped start many careers within the music industry, not
only for other deejays, but also for rap artists. Even through his exploitation of other hip-hop artists, such
as the writers and dancers, he helped to enhance many other careers for a
number of people. (The Musical World)
There were times when Bambaataa was
deejaying for longer sets that he would include pieces taken from speeches of
prominent figures of the black civil rights movement, such as Malcom X and Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. This spoke
to his intense passion for his cause and claiming a name for African Americans
as an oppressed yet capable and powerful group of people. Many of Bambaataas sets were recorded,
and some of these cassette tapes went for anywhere from twenty to forty
dollars. (The Musical World)
When Bambaataa
became more involved in producing albums, there was much conflict over what was
going to be produced. He wanted to
incorporate a number of styles and set each songs tone as different, while the
public wanted more of the Planet Rock sound that had given him so much fame.
(Chang 190)
As the Zulu
Nation was taking a more organizational shape, it created a set of lessons as a
foundation for the group. This
differed from the rules of prior organizations such as the Black Panthers in
that they were not hard and fast, but acted more as codes of conduct for a
member of the Zulu Nation. They
were called the Seven Infinity Lessons, and they emphasized the importance of
each member to look inside to him or herself and begin change from there. The lessons did not call for actions to
be taken against society, but rather an internal process to occur. (Chang 105) Consciousness did not come from the unmasking of social
forces, but from having a true reckoning with ones god within. (106) To outside perspectives, the Zulu Nation did not have a
clearly defined sense of theology, but was instead just a compilation of
thoughts. Though for Bambaataa, it
was much more about the process of attaining knowledge and reaching a sense of
self-discovery than it was about the ideas themselves. (106)
Bambaataa has still been actively
producing and influencing in the hip-hop community. After 1982, a series of collaborations came in the following
years that set standards for all that was to come. In addition to a number of recordings that transcended
musical genres, Bambaataa made an appearance in the movie Beat Street
alongside many other hip-hop giants.
He later made a recording with James Brown that was considered by many
to be the Godfather of Soul meets the Godfather of Hip-Hop. Another landmark in Bambaataas career
was the recognition that he received in 1990 as being one of Life Magazines
Most Important Americans of the 20th Century. Later on, he also
helped to raise money for organizations such as the African National
Congress. (Afrika Bambaataa) Bambaataas incredibly visionary
influences are still felt today, as many artists continue to strive for a more
spiritual connection to their music.
So here they
were, Bambaataas army-the MCs, the DJs, the graffiti writers, the b-boys and
b-girls, the crews they brought and the crowds they moved. They were elemental in their creative
power-four, after all, was the foundation number, representing air, water,
earth, and fire, and in another sense, the rhythm itself. (Chang 107) Bambaataa was not just a pioneer in
hip-hop in the musical sense, but he was also a pioneer in the social movement
that was hip-hop. While the media
may have claims on packaging the four elements, they were brought together by
the uniting of a common goal: the propagation of a movement. Bambaataa helped immensely in bringing
these elements together as well as aiding the movement itself. Hip-hop came developed from a need for
a better way of life and variety of outlets that allowed for the expression of
pent-up energy. Bambaataa drove
this along in a powerful way and helped shape it into the most positive and productive
form that it could be.
Afrika Bambaataa
was a pioneer in the movement of hip-hop, but more importantly, he was a leader
in the movement of hip-hop towards being a more understood culture in a global
sense. Known by many titles, he
has gained respect as a leader in a variety of ways. By founding the Zulu Nation, he enhanced the lives of many by
giving them a sense of power in a time when they were still fighting to be
placed on an equal playing ground.
He worked through the Zulu Nation not only to promote ideas of a
connection to spirituality, but also to expand hip-hop to many other cultures
all over the world. Bambaataa had
a clear understanding that hip-hop was a vehicle for the progression of
culture, and utilized this knowledge to its full effects. His beginnings started out much like
many youths in the Bronx at that time, as he was concerned primarily with
respect and equal rights. Through
the creation of the Zulu Nation, he helped others to understand the knowledge
truly is power. It was because of
this combined with his intense drive that led him to be a prominent figure in
the hip-hop world, and not only was he a pioneer in the hip-hop movement, but more
importantly, he was a pioneer in the spread of the idea of knowledge as
empowering force.
Works Cited
"Afrika
Bambaataa." Wikipedia. 20 Feb. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 18
Feb. 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrika_Bambaataa>.
Bush,
John. "Afrika Bambaataa." All Music. All Media Guide. 18 Feb.
2008 <http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:acfqxq95ldse~T1>.
Chang,
Jeff. Can't Stop Won't Stop. New York: St. Martin_P, 2005.
"The
Musical World of Afrika Bambaataa." The Universal Zulu Nation. 17
Feb. 2008 <http://www.zulunation.com/>.