Afrika Bambaataa, a legendary figure in hip-hop, has passed away. However, his legacy has been shaken by his many controversies.
Chief among these was his shocking accusation of child sexual abuse, as well as an explosive accusation of sex trafficking.
Bombshell accusation
In 2016, a controversy erupted when a Bronx activist named Ronald Savaged leveled accusations against the hip-hop giant for sexually assaulting him in 1980 at the age of 15.
This has led to a domino effect, with allegations made prompting several men to come forward with their stories, claiming they were treated in a similar manner by Bambaata.
In response, the Universal Zulu Nation, a hip-hop group he founded in 1973, forced him out. Moreover, they also dropped a public apology to the survivors, while revealing that there had been some inside information about Bambaataa’s alleged abuse, but some of them opted for silence.
Explosive lawsuit
Five years later, a lawsuit was filed against the Bronx rapper, accusing him of both human trafficking and abuse at the age of 12.
The anonymous accuser, who used the alias John Doe, won the case after a New York judge entered a default judgment because Bambaataa failed to appear or respond.
On April 9, Bambaataa died after a battle with cancer while denying the allegations against him. He was 68.
