Afrika Bambaataa, a legendary figure in hip-hop, has passed away. However, his legacy has been jolted by his multiple controversies.
Primarily among them was his shocking allegation of child sexual abuse, as well as an explosive sex trafficking accusation.
Bombshell accusation
In 2016, a bombshell controversy broke out when an activist from the Bronx named Ronald Savaged leveled allegations against the hip-hop giant for sexually abusing him at the age of 15 in 1980.
This has sparked a domino effect, with leveled allegations prompting several men to come forward with their stories, alleging they faced similar treatment from Bambaata.
In response, the Universal Zulu Nation, a hip-hop group he founded in 1973, forced him to exit. In addition, they also dropped a public apology to the survivors while revealing a bombshell that there had been some insider knowledge about Bambaataa’s alleged abuse, but a few of them chose silence.
Explosive court case
Five years later, a lawsuit was filed against the Bronx rapper, accusing him of trafficking as well as abuse when he was only 12.
The anonymous accuser, who used the alias John Doe, won the case after a New York judge entered a default judgment because Bambaataa did not appear or respond.
On April 9, Bambaataa died after battling cancer while denying accusations against him. He was 68.
