Lance Taylor (born on April 17, 1957), also known as Afrika Bambaataa, is a DJ, rapper, and producer from the South Bronx, New York.He is notable for releasing a series of genre-defining electro tracks in the 1980s that influenced the development of hip hop culture. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the originators of breakbeat DJing.
"Planet Rock", a popular single produced by Arthur Baker and the keyboardist John Robie, came out in 1982 under the name Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force. The song borrowed musical motifs from German electronic music, funk, and rock. Different elements and musical styles were used together. The song became an immediate hit and stormed the music charts worldwide. The song melded the main melody from Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" with electronic beats based on their track "Numbers" as well as portions from records by Babe Ruth and Captain Sky, thus creating a new style of music altogether, electro funk.
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock (Official Music Video) -HD-
Bambaataa's second release around 1983 was "Looking for the Perfect Beat", then later, "Renegades of Funk", both with the same Soulsonic Force. He began working with producer Bill Laswell at Jean Karakos's Celluloid Records, where he developed and placed two groups on the label: Time Zone and Shango. Bambaataa recorded "Wildstyle" with Time Zone, and he recorded a collaboration with punk rocker John Lydon and Time Zone in 1984, titled "World Destruction". Shango's album, Shango Funk Theology, was released by the label in 1984.
In 1984, Bambaataa and other hip hop celebrities appeared in the movie Beat Street. He also made a landmark recording with James Brown, titled "Unity". It was billed in music industry circles as "the Godfather of Soul meets the Godfather of Hip Hop".
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Links to Peel[]
Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force - Looking for the Perfect Beat
Despite his early appreciation of Hip Hop, Peel is not known from available show tracklists to have played 'Planet Rock', Afrika Bambaataa's landmark breakthrough record with Soul Sonic Force, although the followup, 'Looking For The Perfect Beat', did get airtime on Peel's show (with Mark Ellen sitting in).
There were also plays for Bambaataa's collaborations with James Brown and (with Time Zone) John Lydon (of Public Image Limited, aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols).
Festive Fifty Entries[]
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Sessions[]
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Other Shows Played[]
Unity by James Brown & Afrika Bambaataa-2
Time Zone - World Destruction (1984)
- & The Soul Sonic Force
- 26 May 1983 : Looking For The Perfect Beat (v/a album - The Perfect Beat) 21 POLD 5095
- 13 August 1990: Renegades Of Funk () Tommy Boy
- 02 February 1996: Looking For The Perfect Beat (12 inch ) White Label (in Dave Clarke mix)
- 19 August 1984 (BFBS) Unity (Pt. 2 - Because It's Coming) (12" EP - Unity) Tommy Boy
- 02 September 1984 (BFBS): Unity (Pt. 2 - Because It's Coming) (12" EP - Unity) Tommy Boy
- 06 September 1984: Unity (Pt. 3 - Nuclear Wild Style) (12")
- Time Zone
- Peel tape XXIV October 1983 / Stewart Tape Oct 1983: The Wildstyle (7") Celluloid
- 07 January 1985: World Destruction (12") Celluloid
- 13 January 1985 (BFBS): World Destruction (12") Celluloid
- 07 January 1985: World Destruction (12") Celluloid
- 13 January 1985 (BFBS): World Destruction (12") Celluloid
- Hip-Hop Against Apartheid
- 12 March 1990: Afrika Libre (N.Y.C. Demonstration Live Mix) (12" - Ndodemnyama - Free South Africa) Gee Street
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