|
|
Afrika Bambaataa - Interview
Throughout the 1970’s, hip-hop culture was just beginning to change the world. Afrika Bambaataa, who out of respect has been acknowledged as the "grandfather", "godfather" and "father" of the electro-funk sound, has played his part in what became a world-wide movement. Coming out of the streets,
searching for something positive in his life to share with the world, Bambaataa reached out to the people through music and by founding a community organization known as the Universal Zulu Nation. His music has influenced everyone from Kraftwerk to Rage Against the Machine.
La Famiglia-You have influenced countless numbers of musicians from all walks of life from around the world. What were some things or people that influenced your work and life?
Bambaataa-There’s many people that have played a great influence. I gotta give it up to James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic, John Lennon, Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, all the great stories of the profit of the bible. And many other people in the streets from around the world that I have met and the knowledge and wisdom they have given me…from town to town, city to city, state to state, country to country.
La Famiglia-What made you decide to go into music?
Bambaataa-Basically, I was always in to music. I was raised up into music. Seeing all the Motown and Stacks sound. The scene of James, Sly, Bootsy, and everybody..seeing all that at a young age and then when the Jackson 5 and all those types of groups came out I said, one day I want to be somewhere like that. When the time came around to do, I went straight for it. I always wanted to give up the funk.
La Famiglia-Was there anyone that had been a mentor to you over the years?
Bambaataa-A mentor of music or in general?
La Famiglia-In life.
Bambaataa-I think that I would have to give it up to the honorable Minister Farrakhan, because of his strong stands of speaking to all the people of the world. For getting into so called black people’s cases as much as white people’s cases and making them see each other and not backing down because someone didn’t like what he said or how he said it. So, that took a strong influence on me, seeing someone just stand up and speak the truth of what they know and don’t fall back on what they say.
La Famiglia-What trials and tribulations have you had to endure over the years?
Bambaataa-It’s hard to say, basically your trying to break down a lot of people’s thoughts and patterns on racism. Showing respect to just being humans, of the human race. And respecting our universe and our planet. That’s a big job in it’s self.
La Famiglia- What has been the greatest pay off emotionally from your work?
Bambaataa-Being able to help so many different people whether it be for United Artists Against Apartheid or Hip Hop Artists Against Apartheid, helping what happened in South Africa. Or helping people that had aids and doing benefits for when 9-11 happened, trying to bring New Yorkers back together by getting them to come back out to the shows with myself, the Beastie Boys, Bono from U2, N.E.R.D. Doing a lot of these benefits around the world for different causes, just helping people get over certain things to better their life on this planet.
La Famiglia-What are your fondest and most vivid memories of the early days of hip-hop in South Bronx?
Bambaataa-The excitement…the beginnings…the happenings…the vibrations of the people
La Famiglia-Things have changed since then, hip-hop has expanded and changed. What are you thoughts of the evolution of hip-hop culture?
Bambaataa-Well, many people still do not have a true understanding of what hip-hop the word is. When they say hip-hop, they automatically go to rap or rap songs. Instead of when you talk about hip-hop, talking about the b-boys and b-girls, graffiti writers, the DJ’s, the emcees, and that fifth element that holds it all together, the knowledge and all the lessons that comes after it. Basically most people that claim or talk hip-hop still don’t understand the meaning of the word. The meaning of movement and culture.
And there are many that are playing around with the word hip-hop. Like these so-called radio stations that claim hip-hop, R&B, and then some. When they know that they are not playing all the muses of hip-hop.
La Famiglia-What was the focus of the Zulu Nation back in the day and what is the focus of it today?
Bambaataa-Well the same thing they were doing back then and even more. Bringing people together, organizing the community, and having events. Back then it was more about having peace, unity, and having fun. And now it’s about having peace, unity, having fun, plus doing things social, awareness, and political sometimes through out the world
La Famiglia-How did the Universal Zulu Nation come about?
Bambaataa-Well, it formed from myself. From getting the idea from a movie back in the day, called Zulu which featured Michael Caine, going against these great people telling them what to do on their land when they have been there since the beginning of time. Seeing that, and seeing them fight for what was theirs, I started this organization in the Bronx. It started first in so called black community and are Latino brothers and sisters. Then seeing it stretch to become an international community including all our human being brothers and sisters from country to country, town to town, city to city, state to state,’
La Famiglia-Obviously times have changed since the 70’s. Not just the music but society as well, it seems that the people have become scared to stand up for what they believe in…
Bambaataa-Yeah.
La Famiglia-How important is it for change, for people to stand up for what they believe in, and what are your thoughts?
Bambaataa-Well you have people that are scared at first, because you have evil people that look to control the masses and try to take to many freedoms away from the people. Take for instance the war. People were scared to death to say anything about the war. Then after a while, when people getting tired of seeing things, then you start to see people taking it back to the streets. It depends on the time and situation before people decide to say that they have had enough of this crap. So, when they said the wall has to come down in Germany, I’ve had enough of this crap. That’s when they started making the movement to take that wall down and make Germany one. When they’ve seen to much brutality in the streets, when people decide to get tired, the law of nature pulls in. When they won’t be scare and it’s either freedom or death.
La Famiglia-What are your current feelings about the music industry and the effect that music has on society?
Bambaataa-The current state of the industry is that the industry has really fucked up hip-hop music.
A program director, saying that “they don’t want to hear knowledge in hip-hop, this is not what they want.” No, this is what you want and this is no what you are playing for the people. So if you are playing the same old ten records over and over again you’re brainwashing the people. So, if you are not playing some songs that are talking about peace-love-and having fun along with the so called, you want to be gangster-pimp-player-hoe, or using the “N” word, or teaching people to just hate or bend down and get freaky..then that is what you are programming and bringing to the mentality to the people in the streets. So, who are these program directors programming the minds of the masses of the people? So we say, universal nation of the many that stand with the cause, we want to bring the balance back to our airwaves. Not just hip-hop. We’re talking about soul, funk, jazz, rock, metal, house, techno, electro, country, and all music. Play the old with the new and the new with the old. This way many generations can know where their music came from. Just keeping the old with the new playing 24 hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. All these people would be able to recognize music for what it is.
La Famiglia-What advice would you give to an aspiring artist?
Bambaataa-Study the industry. Study what you are getting into. Ask questions and seek your answers. And try not to get robbed.
La Famiglia-Any last words?
Bambaataa-My last words are what I tell everybody. They better respect mother earth and respect our universe. If you don’t respect planet earth, she will show you what it is to be the supreme force, and will send more earthquakes, tornadoes, typhoons, and anything else headed your way. We have disrespected the planet and now the planet is washing her self clean.
Links:
Official Universal Zulu Nation Website
Check out the News you might of missed!!!
More News,Even More, & More
Home | Newsletter | Graffiti Gallery #1 | #2 | #3 | Art Gallery #1 | #2 | #3 | Submissions
This site is ran by La Famiglia Magazine. Independently founded, based out of Detroit. Support independent companies. Support independent artists. Support what you love.
Stand up for what you believe in.
|
|
|
|
|
