writers connection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSQRNfa-ty0

video tratto dal myspace di DJ Gruff

B-boys on the move – Yab 3 nov 2008
Before Primo gets on the wheels of steel

Una raccolta di video direttamente dalla Old sKool di New York – un saluto a Tha Joker, i video sono tratti dal suo blog…

fonte: http://thajoker302.noblogs.org/post/2008/08/29/true-school… 

True school…

Foto dal libro di MArtha Cooper "We B*Girlz":

Your Friendly Neighborhood THX 1138 

info:

http://www.bgirlz.com/

http://b-girlz-berlin.com/ 

video dal canale di Wave su Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/wave1970) 

fonte: http://grandgood.com/2008/07/23/rock-steady-crew-anniversary-2008-july-24-27/

Rock Steady Crew Anniversary 2008 / July 24-27

SESTO STREET 2

graffiti writing / breaking / rapping / deejaying

ingresso gratuito

ore 15 
sottopasso di via dei Mille, Sesto Fiorentino (FI) 

bombolette a go go – 3000 metri quadri per i writers!!!

ore 21

cortile della biblioteca comunale Ernesto Ragionieri via Fratti 1, Sesto Fiorentino (FI)

breakdance show: 
FLY SQUAD (Pisa). Direzione artistica: Dario Toma

Live set: 
MC ACID ONE. Presentazione di "Splatter" (PL Music, Self)

info: 
http://www.switchproject.net
info@switchproject.net

bonus 12" covers: 

 Beastie Boys "Cooky puss" 12"

3rd Bass "Brooklyn-Queens" 12"

da http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/music/orl-bk-breakdancer040508,0,7981818.story 

Rock Steady Crew breakdancer Frosty Freeze dies in NYC at age 44

foto:THX (2007)

da http://www.nuorohiphop.it/intervista%20a%20wave.html

1. Presentati! (Nome, età, provenienza, etc.)
   Helloh! Sono Wave ho 37 anni sono di Nuoro e da circa 25 anni faccio parte della cultura hip hop…
   Prima come breaker ora come writer.

2. Quando e come hai avuto il primo contatto con l’hip hop?
   Nei primi anni ’80 quando mio cugino mi insegnò l’onda e il backspin…

3. Parlaci del panorama dell’hip hop nuorese nel periodo in cui hai iniziato.
   Qual’era la disciplina più diffusa?
   Al tempo conoscevi qualche altra realtà in Sardegna oltre a quella di Nuoro?
   All’inizio non esisteva un panorama "HIP HOP", cioè non si sapeva che hip hop era una cultura di cui facevano parte 4 elementi fondamentali: b-boying, writing, djing, mcing…
   Il primo elemento che si è diffuso è il breaking sicuramente grazie alla spettacolarità
   delle sue evoluzioni e alla sportività della sua immagine, poi successivamente abbiamo collegato che esisteva qualcosa di più…
   La musica RAP e i graffiti che completavano la coreografia del panorama!
   Al tempo non conoscevo nessuno della scena in Sardegna…

4. Recentemente hai scritto sul tuo blog delle numerose sfide tra le crew di break dance di Nuoro.
   Qual’era lo spirito con cui vi confrontavate? Vuoi raccontarci di qualche sfida in particolare?
   Infatti ci furono diverse sfide, lo spirito era sportivo e il rispetto modulava le performance.
   Come vere e proprie storie di strada (www.myspace.com/wave70) ci incontravamo
   anche casualmente alle feste che si organizzavano in città!
   Era il nostro Beatstreet e l’abbiamo vissuto fino in fondo…
   La migliore anche per essere la prima tournée fuori Nuoro è stata quella di Olbia alla discoteca Skipper di Cugnana, poi Nottambula, a cui partecipava una rappresentativa di Nuoro contro il gruppo di Olbia…
   Quella sera ho vinto il mio primo contest……….

5. Si dice che anche il writing sia comparso a Nuoro all’incirca a metà degli anni ’80.
   Vuoi parlarcene?
   Come primi esperimenti ricordo circa nell’88 ci fu il graffito a S. Paolo, zona fontanella "themagnificientsprayer" TMS, praticamente la prima crew di graffiti con Freed, MrRobot e Float aiutati da altri amici e fu il primo hall of fame dichiarato.
   Molti degli esperimenti sono stati fatti nel quartiere, cioè nel vicinato, fin dall’85, poi dopo di noi altri si cimentarono in questa forma d’arte, ora non so di preciso, ma ho visto che ci sono tanti giovani writers che continuano la tradizione…

6. Ai tempi in cui hai iniziato non c’erano gli stessi mezzi d’informazione che ci sono adesso,
   come riviste, tv, video, internet etc.
   Come facevate a trovare il materiale per accrescere la vostra cultura in materia d’hip hop?
   Avevate dei modelli di riferimento?
   Si raccattavano i pochi articoli che uscivano sui giornali, pochi libri, film come Breakin’ 1 e 2, Beatstreet, Elettro rock, Wildstyle e qualche video musicale in tv, tipo "Buffalo gals" di Malcolm McLaren,"Hey you" Rocksteadycrew, Break machine "Street dance", "Hey dj" The supreme team, Chaka Khan "I feel for you", Hearbie Hancock & Grandmixer dst "Rockit"…
   Erano i nostri punti di riferimento!
   Poi la cultura cresceva per la strada, nelle palestre, alle feste, cioè in continua sfida con gli altri, ma sopratutto con noi stessi…
   L‘importanza del confronto con gli altri era fondamentale ed è sempre stata la base di crescita dell’ hip hop da quando è nato: l’incontro con persone più forti di te ti fa migliorare come artista e come persona, questo è il vero significato della sfida, fight, battle.
   
   
7. Parlaci della differenza, se c’è, tra la visione dell’hip hop degli anni passati e la visione odierna.
   Quale ritieni che sia la differenza di approccio tra un ragazzo che iniziava ai tuoi tempi
   e uno che inizia oggi?
   Sicuramente la situazione era differente…
   Nell’old school tutto era sconosciuto o comunque non si sapeva bene, anche perchè il fenomeno stava nascendo ed era in continua evoluzione.
   L’approccio era sicuramente più sincero, più umile,
   c’era la passione e la curiosità di scoprire le cose un poco alla volta e di confrontare le conoscenze con gli altri, in poche parole ce la tiravamo molto meno e sopratutto non mi sarei mai immaginato che saremmo arrivati fin qui…
   Uno che inizia ora ha tutto pronto, il kit di hiphopper fornito da internet, i graffiti omologati sulle fanzine le mosse di breaking degne di far parte di un’olimpiade di ginnastica.
   Io consiglio a chi volesse iniziare ora di conoscere le persone esperte, chiedere consigli ai più anziani, di fare esperienza per la strada e non farsi il corso HH per corrispondenza o in chat!
   
8. Cosa ne pensi del momento attuale della scena nuorese e/o sarda in generale?
   Ti è capitato recentemente di partecipare a qualche jam o serata hip hop? Che impressioni hai avuto?
   Ho visto in questi pochi mesi che sono tornato a vivere in Sardegna diverse storie: a La Caletta il contest di breaking poi trasformato in esibizione, al Reggae Pub il concerto di Kurtis Blow,mito dell’old school newyorchese, a Nuoro lo show dei mitici Menhir, e apprezzo il fatto che abbia coinvolto i bboys da tutta la Sardegna, l’ho vissuta con entusiasmo ma anche con una nota nostalgica perchè comunque è la mia città, e un pò di amarezza per non essere stato coinvolto a livello professionale.
   Ho una lunga esperienza come responsabile di eventi hip hop a Firenze nei centri sociali,
   che anche se qualcuno ora rinnega, sono da sempre stati parte e mezzo integrante di diffusione del rap italiano e non solo.
   L’apparente organizzazione, fondale del palco stampato in digitale e
   le sagome dei puppet dipinte a pennello, con palco e palchetti laterali
   non è stata delle migliori, risultava al pubblico dispersiva tanto che
   bisognava correre qua e là per gustarsi le varie esibizioni
   dei breakers che alla fine era difficile seguire.
   I graffiti come sempre ghettizzati da un lato della piazza non hanno avuto la giusta considerazione e sopratutto non hanno coinvolto i giovani nella realizzazione dell’hall of fame,
   dando per scontato che il numero dei writers "migliori" fosse un’esclusiva dei 5 o 6 personaggi
   che egoisticamente li hanno realizzati, tra l’altro senza raggiungere un livello grafico eccellente, senza avere riscontro di pubblico come deve essere per una convention di graffiti, senza un tema che accomuni i vari disegni distribuiti sui pannelli,
   senza essere portatori di alcun messaggio per il pubblico cittadino.
   Tra l’altro l’impianto audio che a momenti fischiava non è stato proprio il massimo.
   Nonostante tutto è stata una giornata memorabile almeno per quanto riguarda il sound
   degli infallibili rappers Men-hir!
   Nonostante siano tanti anni che non vivo più a Nuoro sono fiero di essere un bboy nuorese
   che rappresenta la cultura HH da sempre per sempre e per tutti dappertutto!

9. Il più grande pregio e il maggior difetto dell’hip hop al giorno d’oggi.
   Non credo che sia un pregio vedere come i rappers di ora fanno i soldi e nei loro video
   ostentano argomenti futili, come armi, puttane, droga, alcool, bande giovanili.
   Al giorno d’oggi i ragazzi preferiscono farsi le canne e tirare la coca per essere più cool,
   si atteggiano a gangster e poi al primo screzio si cagano addosso e preferiscono starsene tra di loro a parlar male degli altri invece che affrontare la realtà nello scontro diretto, nel confronto.
   Vorrei ricordare a tutti che la droga esisteva prima dell’hiphop, che è nato nei sobborghi e quartieri a rischio delle città per combattere questo modo di merda di concepire le cose, dove le persone venivano escluse, emarginate e imbottite di crack per non organizzarsi e soccombere nel loro piccolo ego: ecco, l’hip hop è stato un incentivo per dare la possibilità a tutti di avere una parte di "successo" e lanciare un messaggio positivo che ha consentito ai disadattati di uscire dal ghetto, non certo per comprarsi la limousine e la villa a Beverly Hills…
   Al giorno d’oggi si è perso il principio fondamentale "THE MESSAGE" e così la globalizzazione dell’hip hop ha portato una maggiore evoluzione della tecnica e dello stile in tutte e 4 le discipline, ma anche un’appiattimento dell’identità e in un certo senso della creatività……………..
   
10. Continui ancora oggi a vivere l’hip hop?
    Più che altro continuo a vivere il mio hip hop come l’ho conosciuto da quando ho iniziato,
    come una passione personale e non come un fenomeno di massa.
    Alla soglia dei 40 anni posso dire che l’hip hop, oltre che una passione e un lavoro, è uno stile di vita che mi ha salvato da situazioni difficili, mi ha fatto conoscere persone, stringere con loro un rapporto di rispetto e amicizia, viaggiare come ospite ai party in mezza Europa, mi ha fatto provare quanto l’adrenalina sia la migliore droga.
    Penso che la cultura sia vivere nella realtà liberamente e non costruirsi un personaggio
    che non sia te stesso, viversela senza pregiudizi e atteggiamenti preconfezionati, quindi essere non apparire.
    
11. Saluti, ringraziamenti, critiche… quello che vuoi.
    Criticare non fa parte del mio stile… Le critiche le lascio ai sakeroni che parlano degli altri perchè non conoscono se stessi!
    Saluto tutti voi del sito Nuorohiphop.it e tutti giovani e vecchi b-boys che hanno contribuito allo sviluppo della scena in tutto il mondo con ogni mezzo necessario!
    Grazie a mia mamma che ha sopportato l’odore di bomboletta e alle critiche dei parenti
    che non capivano come mai "pasticciavo i muri"…………..
    

    RISPETTO a: MrROBOT, FLOAT, FREE"D", FRESH"B", MY CREW WRITERSCONNECTION (TMS,WC,ADR,KRC,GIA,WAR,MAS)
    ERI, EDU, DEOR, RAFFO, ARMY, TAGA, SIL, IVAN, WHIZO, DAESM, PABLO, KURT, QUELLA,
    A. J. KIDLOOSE, MOMAK, RASHID, DJ CECE, DJ GRUFF, ZAR, PINZU, KENZENEKE, GIGA,
    DJ THX, DJ UZI, MENTICRIMINALI, DJ VOV, AENNEDI, TRECANI, TEMPOALTEMPO, CRAZYFORCECREW,
    MAGIC, KUJO, JOSTA, SOULB, FUMO, FELSE, MILITANT A, GABRY, KYMLYN, MUNO, BLEF, FLYJ,
    LEA, FRANCY, LAFU, NIKY, KAOS, SPEAKERCENZOU, 99POSSE, CUBA, COLLEDERFOMENTO,
    DJ LA FEBBRE, BOR, GOPHERD, SQEEZ, SUDSOUNDSYSTEM, DJ ZETA, LOU X,
    ASSALTI FRONTALI-ONDAROSSA POSSE, (thegoldfingersbrothers) JANIV&MONTES,
    STUTARA, DJ ANDRE, IMEI, MELODY, STEASY, SKUNK, FOK, GAME, CHY, ACIK, DJ MELROCK, ANNAfly, FRANCYFLY, UTERO, NAMES, ZEROT, JAYC, B-ROK, STORM, SBREPP-RG21, MOB, TAREK, MALHA, DEEMO, DADO, LERLACOMASIETE, REOH, ROSE, PHASE2, MAD, SWING, DIA, MC GELATO, MODE2, LOOMIT, ERON1A RT, FRA32, CYBER, MONE, ZENS, NINFA, DREAM, SMASH, STAND, PHO, ko TORK, WEIS, HORSE, OREK, GRIM, SHADE, SHARK, KINO, NAT51, BOL, SNOOPY, KEMH, NAVES, BOBO, MANY, PINO3000, TREN, KURT, ABLE, CORA, GIANNI aka SPICE, EVIAN, KARMA, WYNE, PISTO, BLACKTIGER, DOZO, RADAR36, SKYM, SMOF, MAD,
    BONELE, LUPO, CRASHKID (R.I.P.) MT2 pst, DJ SEBONE, CROCK "B", HAND (enemysquad), MISTERX, FOGLIA, BOOGIEead, SWIFT&STORM (battlesquad), KIDHEAD (pst), WIND, ANGY&sisters, TARTA, SED.ONE, SIRBONES, AGENT003, CERAZULUNATION, MR WIGGLES(RSC), CLAUDIO, MARIA, CRAZYPOP, STONE, DUKE, ATOMIC, DCACE,
    FRESH&GUM, BUZZ urbanforce, SPACEONE (krc), EKNOOSA&JPLUS, GIGA, SIRTWO, ADRENALINA, RAISS, JADO, RIBES, BONGO, IRWIN, PUPPET, LUNE, ROSSO, CENTO, KATE, WJM, ICEmc, KENTHAI, ALPA, TGF, REPUBLICSQUARE, ZIGZAG, RUN, JET5, MUSTA, DJ CRIME, NINJA, LAPRIMIERA, GIPSY(devastaking), ALEX, LOONEYTRIP, COOLK, PLAT, LONGBRIDGEALLSTARS…
    E tutti quelli che ho dimenticato…
    Peace, unity, love & havin’ fun!

    Si ringrazia: Wave, Mega Mo’

 

poster per la tournee di Afrika Bambaata Godfather of Hip HOP & Father of The Electro Funk Sound (2000) foto: THX (2007)

Nell’agosto il 10 agosto 2000 ho avuto la fortuna di assistere al dj set di Afrika Bambaataa nella Fortezza Vecchia a Livorno. The Godfather of Hip Hop ha mixato dischi per piu’ di due ore accompagnato da un MC molto giovane di cui non ricordo il nome purtroppo. il suddetto poster mi e’ stato dato da Bambaataa in persona che e’ stato molto gentile e paziente e dopo lo show si e’ fermato a parlare con i numerosi fan che da tutta italia si sono ritrovati a Livorno per assistere alla cerimonia del fondatore della Universal Zulu Nation, una organizzazione per la diffusione della cultura Hip Hop nata nel Bronx (New York) negli anni settanta il cui motto e’ "Peace Love Unity and fun" ovvero: pace, amore, unita’ e divertimento (http://www.zulunation.com/). Bam ha mixato un a varieta’ di generi diversi: dal funk all’electro funk al drum & bass, con molti b-boys che ballavano come invasati. E’ stata u’esperienza molto potente di cui portero’ il ricordo per sempre, vedere una leggenda vivente del mondo dell’Hip Hop che si esibisce e’ cosa non molto comune dalle nostre parti. Purtroppo non ho saputo che Bam era a Roma il 6 luglio del 2006 per un’unica data italiana, sarei sicuramente andato a vederlo di nuovo. Spero che torni presto a celebrare anche qui da noi.

THX

dall’articolo "Verita’, fatti, credenze. Qual’e’ la differenza?" nella sezione Knowledge Science del sito ufficiale della Universal Zulu Nation http://www.zulunation.com/knowledge_science.html  

TRUTH, FACT & BELIEF
What’s The Difference?

By Nanya Kudur-El

BELIEF…
Most people don’t realize that a belief in a thing and ignorance is one in the same!  To believe in something simply means that you aren’t sure, but you place your faith in that thing anyway.  Take this scenario for example: Some one asks you, "Have you seen Bobby?", and you say, "I BELIEVE  I  saw him in the store!"  You "believe", but you don’t "know".  And that goes for a belief in GOD, the DEVIL, Angels, Jesus, and the likes.  In most cases we place our beliefs in religion because that’s what we’ve been taught all our lives, or when we were younger we were scared into believing these things.  Now we have carried these belief’s with us into adulthood, and then scare and/or teach our children these same convictions.  Nevertheless, we carry these beliefs as luggage for the rest of our lives, and we don’t dare question them!  We don’t question these beliefs because we were equally scare into believing that questioning belief’s means questioning GOD, and questioning GOD meant being placed in a fiery pit "forever and ever Amen".  This is what most of us have been taught, and if not this it was something similar in theory.

The legal definition for Belief isn’t far from the above, but the only definition that I could find that was unbias (meaning non religious) was in Blacks Law Dictionary.  This is because most dictionaries are usually made by some one with a religious background, while Black’s Law Dictionary is a dictionary bounded by law.  According to this dictionary, belief means..

 
1.  A conviction of the truth of a proposition, existing subjectively in the mind, and induced by argument, persuasion, or proof addressed to the judgment.
2.  A conclusion arrived at from external sources after weighing probability.
3.  A conviction of the mind, arising not from actual perception or knowledge, but by way of inference, or from evidence received or information devired from others.
4.  ..an assurance gained by evidence from other persons.
5.  ..necessarily based on at least assumed facts.

According to definition number one, belief is something of the mind (or imagination), meaning a propossion, that is normally placed there by an argument or persuasion that is addressed as proof.  But this argument is not an actual fact!  By way of definition number two you can see that belief is also a conclusion that you come to by weighing probability, but probability still isn’t fact.  Saying that something "probably will be" isn’t to say that it "will be", because the word "probably and probability" shows that you aren’t sure!  Definitions three and four are on in the same in that they show you belief also comes from heresy or word of mouth, and not from actual evidence of a things and situations actually existing.  And finally , definition number four shows you that belief is basically an assumption, and from the definitions above you can see why.  Now all of this brings to mind that saying.. "When you assume (ass-u-me) you make an ass out of you and not me!"

Now because belief is not based on fact, but persuasion of heresy (words) and arguments, it is safe to say that BELIEF IS IGNORANCE.  While the basis of ignorance is to ignore [the facts], the basis of belief is sometimes equally so.  I say this because most people who live by the school of belief tend to not care about any evidence you bring them, if it isn’t found in their Bible, Qur’an, Torah and so on they will just ignore actual proof.
TRUTH..
The word "truth" does not always mean reality, and can sometimes be mixed up with the word "fact".  For example, the world being flat was once thought to be true, but it is now a fact that the world is an "imperfect sphere".  Black’s Law Dictionary has this to say about "truth"..

 
1. An agreement of thought and reality
2. an eventual verification
3. a consistency of thought with itself

Definition number one tell you that truth can be something that is unanimously agreed upon, even it that thing isn’t a fact it can be a agreed to be true.  The second definition shows that truth can be based on hopes, dreams, or eventual verification, and this sounds a lot like belief to me!  Now definition number three seem s to be the one that most us humans fall victim to, because it deals with us keeping ignorance alive by teaching it over and over again.  Thus keeping ignorant thoughts alive by repeating them, but never looking to do research and prove them.
FACT..
Facts, on the other hand, must be proven with evidence to substantiate a things existence, and this is the opposite of belief and religious convictions.  Black’s Law Dictionary say..

 

1. A thing done; an action performed or an incident transpiring; an event or circumstance; an actual occurrence; and actual happening in time or space or an event mental or physical; that which has been taken place.

2. A fact is either a state of things, that is, an existence, or a motion, that is, and event.

3. The quality of being actual; actual existence or occurrence.

Here, by all three definitions, you can see that before a thing or situation can be said factual there must be some evidence that this thing or happening ever existed, and hearsay or one sided references don’t count in this case. So stories that can only be found in one cultures book don’t count as evidence, and that is the case of the Torah-Bible and in-part the Koranic Stories.  What is meant by this is the stories of Moshe (Moses), Abrawham (Abraham), Yashu’a (Jesus) and so forth can only be found in the Bible as proof.  No other neighboring cultures have records of these stories except them, with the exceptions of the partial stories they themselves plagiarized from other cultures.

As far as truth, belief and fact goes, these definitions do not only suite religious beliefs, but also life as a whole.  In these days and times we are in need a "school of thought" that recognizes and respects these definitions for what they are, and one that people will be able to apply to their lives. 
Nuwaubu is an attempt to do so by definition, for Nuwaubu is the science of sound right reasoning.  Nuwaubu teaches that truth can only be tested by experience, evidence and reason, and only then can a thing be weighed and then trusted.  Truth Is Truth Once It Has Been Weighed By Facts, Thus Before A Thing Can Be True It Has Be Tested.  Things must stand the test of scrutiny before becoming a part of the teachings of Nuwaubu, and that’s why we are taught to question and learn as much as GODLY possible.  I say to truely strive for perfection, one must not only gather facts, but also apply and teach them to the youth.  In this way humanity as a whole will heal itself of its weakness, and then the true GODDESS/GOD in us all will come back to save us and bring salvation!  SELF-SAVIOR (as our brother Clarence 13X said)!

 

da wikipedia (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrika_Bambaataa) :

Afrika Bambaataa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa a Tokio nel 2004 con DJ Yutaka (a destra).
Background information
Born	April 17, 1957 (1957-04-17) (age 50)
Origin	New York City, New York, U.S.
Genre(s)	Hip Hop, Electro (music), Dance
Occupation(s)	DJ, Producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals, DJ
Years active	1977 – Present
Label(s)	Tommy Boy Records EMI
Associated acts	Soulsonic Force Arthur Baker John Lydon

Afrika Bambaataa is a DJ and community leader from the South Bronx, who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1970s. Like the majority of the early pioneers in Hip-Hop, he is of West Indian descent. On September 27, 2007, he was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Discography 3 Music sample 4 External links 5 References

History

During a time in New York City where gang life was 5 times as
populated as the city’s police department, Hip Hop culture was emerging
in an attempt to stop the violence. Bambaataa was a founding member of
the Bronx River Projects-area street gang, The Savage Seven. Due to the explosive growth of the gang, it later became known as the Black Spades, and he rose to the position of Division Leader. After a life-changing visit to Africa, he changed his name to Afrika Bambaataa Aasim. Bambaataa was influenced by the courage and strategic brilliance of Shaka Zulu seen in the movie and TV series "Shaka Zulu".

Bambaataa decided to use his leadership to turn those involved in
the gang life into something more positive to the community. This began
the development of which soon later became known as the Universal Zulu Nation, a group of socially & politically aware rappers, B-boys, graffiti artists and other people involved in hip hop culture. By 1977, inspired by DJ Kool Herc and after getting his first equipment loaned to him from Disco King Mario, Bambaataa had begun organizing block parties all around the South Bronx. He even faced his mentor, Disco King Mario in a DJ battle.

Bam began Performing at Stevenson High School and forming a group
calling it the Bronx River organization, then Later the Organization.
Bam had deejayed with his own sound system at the Bronx River Community
Center, with Mr. Biggs, Queen Kenya, and Cowboy, who accompanied him in
performances in the community. Because of his prior status in the Black
Spades, Bam already had an established party crowd drawn from former
members of the gang. He became known as one of the best in the Bronx.

About a year later he reformed a group, calling it the Zulu Nation
(inspired by his wide studies on African history at the time). Five
b-boys (break dancers) joined him who he called the Shaka ZULU Kings,
a.k.a. ZULU Kings; there were also the Shaka Zulu Queens. As Bam
continued deejaying, more DJs, rappers, break dancers, graffiti
writers, and artists followed his parties, and he took them under his
wing and made them members of his Zulu Nation.

Bam formed the SoulSonic Force, which in its original makeup,
consisted of approximately twenty Zulu Nation members. Mr. Biggs, Queen
Kenya, DJ Cowboy SoulSonic Force (#2)-Mr. Biggs, Pow Wow, G.L.0.B.E.
(creator of the "MC popping" rap style), DJ Jazzy Jay Cosmic
Force-Queen Lisa Lee, Prince Ikey C, Ice Ice (#1), Chubby Chub; Jazzy
Five-DJ Jazzy Jay, Mr. Freeze, Master D.E.E., Kool DJ Red Alert,
Sundance, Ice Ice (#2), CharlieChew, Master Bee; Busy Bee Starski,
Akbar (Lil, Starski), Raheim. The personnel for the Soul Sonic Force
were groups within groups that Bam would perform and make records with.

In 1980, Bam and his groups made their first recording with Paul Winley Record titled, "Death Mix". Winley also recorded Soul Sonic Force‘s landmark single, "Zulu Nation Throwdown", produced by disco king mario. Disappointed with the results of the single Bam left the company.

In 1982, Hip-Hop artist Fab 5 Freddy was putting together music
packages in the largely white downtown Manhattan New-Wave clubs, and
invited Bam to perform at one of them, called the Mudd Club. It was the
first time Bam had performed before a predominantly white crowd, making
it the first time Hip Hop fused with White culture. Attendance for
Bam’s parties downtown became so large that he had to move to larger
venues, first to the Ritz, with Malcolm McLaren’s group, Bow Wow Wow
(and where the Rock Steady Crew b-boys became part of the Zulu Nation),
then to the Peppermint Lounge, The Jefferson, Negril, Danceteria, and
the Roxy. "Planet Rock", a popular single, came out that June under the name Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force. The song melded electronic hip hop beats with the main melody from Kraftwerk‘s "Trans-Europe Express", as well as portions from records by Ennio Morricone and Captain Sky – thus creating a new style of music altogether, electro funk. It influenced many styles of electronic and dance music, e.g. freestyle music, house music and techno music.

Bambaataa organized the very first European hip hop tour. Along with himself were rapper and graffiti artist Rammellzee, Zulu Nation DJ Grand Mixer DXT (formerly Grand Mixer D.St), B-boy and B-girl crews the Rock Steady Crew, and the Double Dutch Girls, as well as legendary graffiti artists Fab 5 Freddy, Phase 2, Futura 2000, and Dondi.
Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three main originators of break-beat
deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and
"Godfather" of Hip Hop Culture as well as The Father of The Electro
Funk Sound.

Bam’s second release around 1983 was "Looking for the Perfect Beat,"
then later, "Renegades of Funk," both with the same SoulSonic Force.
Bam 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". He did "Wildstyle" with Time Zone, and
in 1984 he did a duet with punk-rocker John Lydon and Time Zone, titled
"World Destruction" which was the first time ever that Hip Hop was mix
with Rock predating RunDmc’s duet with Areosmith "Walk This Way".
Shango’s album Shango Funk Theology was also released by the label in
1984. That same year Bam and other Hip Hop celebrities appeared in the
movie Beat Street. Bam also made a landmark recording with James Brown,
titled "Unity." It was admirably billed in music industry circles as
"the Godfather of Soul meets the Godfather of Hip Hop."

Around October 1985 Bam and other music stars worked on the
antiapartheid album Sun City with Little Steven Van Zandt, Run-D.M.C.,
and Lou Reed and numerous others. During 1988 Bam recorded another
landmark piece as Afrika Bambaatea and Family. The work featured Nona
Hendryx, UB40, Boy George, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and
yellowman, and it was titled The Light. Bam had recorded a few other
works with Family three years earlier, one titled "Funk you" in 85, and
the other titled Beware (The Funk Is Everywhere) in 1986.

In 1990 Bam made Life magazine’s "Most Important Americans of the
20th Century" issue. He was also involved in the antiapartheid work
"Hip Hop Artists Against Apartheid" for Warlock Records. He teamed with
the Jungle Brothers to record the album Return to Planet Rock (The
Second Coming).

Greenstreet Records, John Baker, and Bam organized a concert at
Wembley Stadium in London for the A.N.C. (African National Congress),
in honor of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. The concert brought
together performances by British and American rappers, and also
introduced both Nelson and Winnie Mandela and the A.N.C. to Hip-Hop
audiences. In relation to the event, the recording Ndodemnyama (Free
South Africa) helped raise approximately $30,000 for the A.N.C. Bam
also helped to raise funds for the organization in Italy.

In 1993 he left Tommy Boy and signed with Capitol Records, released The Light (as Afrika Bambaataa & the Family), which included aid from George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Boy George and UB40.

Around the early 90’s, Hollywood began making a stream of violent
movies glorifying California gang life, fueling hype about "bloods" and
"crips". The bloods and crips, 2 major black street gangs that feud in
west coast ghettos, had now been adopted by New York and other east
coast hoodlums who admired the image seen on screen. A rash of
initiation assaults, raids and gang violence resurrected after being
denounced in the beginning stage of Hip Hop. Suddenly a trend of blood
and crip association and attire was seen in rap music. Gangs began to
target innocent people and fight with each other. Bambaataa, having
seen it before lead to increased negativity, began holding peace
conferences. Bam called on all gang leaders from the Latin kings street
gang, crips, and bloods and formed a peace treaty in the streets.
Bambaataa is credited for preventing huge gang wars and an outbreak of
crime while outsiders and politicians credited Rudy Guilianni, the
Mayor of NYC at the time.

From the mid-1990s, Bam returned to his electro roots, collaborating with Westbam (who was named after him) and culminating in 2004’s album Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light which featured Gary Numan and many others. In 2000, Rage Against the Machine covered Afrika’s song "Renegades of Funk" for their album Renegades. Also in 2000, Afrika Bambaataa collaborated with Leftfield on the song "Afrika Shox", the first single from Leftfield‘s Rhythm and Stealth. Afrika Shox is also popularly known from the soundtrack to Vanilla Sky. In 2006, he featured on the British singer Jamelia‘s album Walk With Me on a song called Do Me Right, and on Mekon‎‘s album Some Thing Came Up, on the track D-Funktional.

Bambaataa has also performed a variety of both hilarious and serious
voice over character roles in the international television series known
around the world as Kung Faux [1] from Dubtitled Entertainment and Tommy Boy Films [2].

On September 27, 2007, it was announced that Afrika Bambaataa was
one of the nine nominees for the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Inductions.[3]

 

Discography

Year	Title	Label
1982	"Planet Rock"	Tommy Boy Records (12")
1982	"Looking For The Perfect Beat"	Tommy Boy Records (12")
1983	"Renegades of Funk"	Tommy Boy Records (12")
1983	"Wildstyle"	Celluloid Records (12")
1984	Frantic Situation (with Shango from the motion picture soundtrack "Beat Street")	Tommy Boy Records
1985	Sun City (Artists United Against Apartheid)	EMI
1986	Planet Rock: The Album	Tommy Boy Records (12")
1986	Beware (The Funk Is Everywhere)	Tommy Boy Records
1987	Death Mix Throwdown	Blatant
1988	The Day	EMI America
1991	The Decade of Darkness 1990-2000	EMI Records USA
1992	Don’t Stop… Planet Rock (The Remix EP)	Tommy Boy (EP)
1993	"Zulu War Chant"	Profile (12")
1993	"What’s the Name of this Nation?… Zulu"	Profile (12")
1993	"Feeling Irie"	DFC (12")
1994	"Pupunanny"	DFC (12")
1994	"Feel the Vibe"	DFC (12") (with Khayan)
1996	"Jazzin’" by Khayan	ZYX
1996	Lost Generation	Hottie
1996	Warlocks and Witches, Computer Chips, Microchips and You	Profile
1997	Zulu Groove	Hudson Vandam (Compilation)
1998	"Agharta – The City of Shamballa"	Low Spirit (12") (with Westbam)
1999	Electro Funk Breakdown	DMC
1999	Return to Planet Rock	Berger Music
2000	Hydraulic Funk	Strictly Hype
2000	Theme Of The United Nations w/ DJ Yutaka	Avex Trax (Japan Only)
2001	Electro Funk Breakdown	DMX (Compilation)
2001	Looking for the Perfect Beat: 1980-1985	Tommy Boy Records (Compilation)
2001	Lovage: Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By	Nathaniel Merriweather (Dan The Automator)
2004	Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light	Tommy Boy Records
2005	Metal	Tommy Boy Records
2005	Metal Remixes	Tommy Boy Records

Music sample

 

External links

• Afrika Bambaataa at MusicBrainz
• Afrika Bambaataa at the Internet Movie Database
• Afrika Bambaataa interview from 2005 in Los Angeles by Street Gangs Media
• Afrika Bambaataa at Rolling Stone

References

http://www.zulunation.com/

xxx