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Kevin Donovan (born April 19, 1957) 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, adopting the name of the Zulu chief Bhambatha, who led an armed rebellion against unfair economic practices in early 20th century South Africa that can be seen as a precursor to the anti-Apartheid movement.
After he returned from his life changing trip to Africa, 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 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, Bambaataa began organizing block parties all around the South Bronx. Bambaataa 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, he already had an established Army party crowd drawn from former members of the gang. He became known as one of the best DJs in the Bronx.
About a year later he reformed the group, calling it the Zulu Nation. Five b-boys (break dancers) joined him, whom he called the ZULU Kings, and later formed the Zulu Queens, and the Shaka ZULU Kings and Queens. As he continued deejaying, more DJs, rappers, break dancers, graffiti writers, and artists followed him, and he took them under his wing and made them all members of his Zulu Nation. He was also the founder of the SoulSonic Force, which originally consisted of approximately twenty Zulu Nation members. The personnel for the Soul Sonic Force were groups within groups with whom Bambaataa would perform and make records.
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. Attendance for Bam's parties downtown became so large that he had to move to larger venues. Then the breakthrough came with Planet Rock, it 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. It influenced many styles of electronic and dance music, e.g. freestyle music, house music and techno music.
Afrika 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 Celluloid Records, where he developed and placed two groups on the label: "Time Zone" and "Shango". He recorded "Wildstyle" with Time Zone, and he recorded a collaboration with punk-rocker John Lydon and Time Zone in 1984, "World Destruction". Shango's album Shango Funk Theology was also released by Celluloid in 1984. That same year, Bam 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."
Around October 1985, Bambaataa and other music stars worked on the anti-apartheid album Sun City with Little Steven Van Zandt, Run-D.M.C., Lou Reed, and numerous others. During 1988, he recorded another landmark piece as "Afrika Bambaataa and Family" on Capitol Records, titled The Light[6], featuring Nona Hendryx, UB40, Boy George, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and Yellowman. In 1990, Bambaataa made Life magazine's "Most Important Americans of the 20th Century" issue. He was also involved in the anti-apartheid 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).
Bambaataa recorded erratically during the '90s, reviving the Time Zone moniker with several singles and 2 album releases, Thy Will B Funk (92) and Warlocks And Witches, Computer Chips, Microchips And You (96). He returned to the mainstream in 1997 with Zulu Groove. In 2000, Afrika Bambaataa collaborated with Leftfield on the song "Afrika Shox", the first single from Leftfield's Rhythm and Stealth. "Afrika Shox" The new millennium brought the release of Hydraulic Funk on Strictly Hype, and Electro Funk Breakdown followed in early 2001. Bambaataa's last album, Dark Matter Moving At The Speed Of Light came in 2004 another electro/breakbeat classic. On September 27, 2007, Afrika Bambaataa was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock (86 ^ 99mb)
Afrika Bambaataa, was known as a talented DJ before his single "Planet Rock" came out in 1982 on Tommy Boy. The song, which sampled (actually re-recorded in the studio) elements of Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" and was the first R&B track to use an 808, helped define a new movement in music, electro, which then inspired Miami bass and Detroit techno, and pushed the Bambaataa's status toward near iconic. Planet Rock,The Album, is a collection of singles that came out four years later, and captures Bambaataa's energy and innovation whilst working with Soulsonic Force . The original 12" version of the title track is enough to make Planet Rock, The Album worthwhile, the equally interesting "Renegades of Funk" (in remix form) and "Searching for the Perfect Beat" make it a superb compilation.
1- Planet Rock (7:31)
2- Looking For The Perfect Beat (7:02)
3 - Renegades of Funk (6:46)
4 - Frantic Situation (Frantic Mix) (3:49)
5 - Who You Funkin' With (Feat.Grandmaster Melle Mel) (6:23)
6 - Go Go Pop (Feat.Trouble Funk) (6:00)
7 - They Made A Mistake (5:31)
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Afrika Bambaataa & Family - The Light (88 ^ 159mb)
Diverse personalities and styles are the hook for this 1988 album, which isn't particularly an Afrika Bambaataa project, but a Family effort . The Family list ranges from Sly & Robbie, Laswell and Material , George Clinton and Bootsy, and further vocals by - Lizzie Tear - Tim Hutton - Jaki Graham - Boy George , Nona Hendryx - Double Cross , Kid Dust - Yellowman - Bernard Fowler , Gary Mudbone Cooper .." Very varied, it could have done with more focus to ensure cohesion . That said as a compilation album there's plenty to enjoy.
01 - The Light (3:13)
02 - Reckless (5:23)
03 - Radical Music: Revolutionary Dance (4:26)
04 - All I Want (4:55)
05 - Something He Can Feel (5:52)
06 - Shout It Out (6:22)
07 - Clean Up Your Act (6:15)
08 - Zouk Your Body (6:37)
09 - World Racial War (6:27)
10 - Sho Nuff Funky (10:46)
diet version
Afrika Bambaataa & Family - The Light (* 99mb)
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Time Zone - Warlocks And Witches, Computer Chips, Microchips And You (96, 78min ^ 159mb)
Time Zone is headed by Afrika Bambaataa., he worked with different musicians for each Time Zone project. The first Time Zone single was the 1983 electro song "The Wildstyle" which featured music from a German project called Wunderwerke. The song became very popular among breakdancers at the time. In 1984, Time Zone released their most well-known single, "World Destruction". A collaboration between Bambaataa, ex-Sex Pistol/Public Image Ltd. leader John Lydon, and producer/bassist Bill Laswell, this single is the first real rapcore song, predating Run-DMC and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way". Although the song was critically acclaimed, Bambaataa put the Time Zone project on hold while he worked on other projects. In 1992, Bambaataa revived the project with the single "Zulu War Chant" which was well-received among fans of old school hip hop. Time Zone released a handful of singles in the early-1990s which were compiled in the 1992 album Thy Will B Funk. In 1995, the band released another album titled Warlocks and Witches, Computer Chips, Microchips and You. The album featured contributions from George Clinton and his P-Funk Horns. In 2005, Bambaataa again revived the Time Zone moniker for an album of breakbeats titled Everyday People: The Breakbeat Party Album.
01 - Zulu Interlude #1 (0:15)
02 - This Is Time Zone (1:33)
03 - Funky Beeper (2:26)
04 - Unity Part 7 (The Rapmania Live Mix) (5:00)
05 - Mazuma (2:04)
06 - Throw Ya Fuckin' Hands Up (4:35)
07 - One Time 4 Ya Mind (2:56)
08 - Godfather (Take You Higher) (4:42)
09 - Zulu Interlude #2 (0:12)
10 - Fugitive (4:53)
11 - Keepin' It Real (4:46)
12 - Funkadelic Shack (4:37)
13 - Turn This Mutha Out - Part 1 (4:25)
14 - Zulu Interlude #3 (0:10)
15 - (It's Alright Now) Think I'll Make It Anyhow (3:46)
16 - Ugly Gals (2:53)
17 - D.C. Nation (3:47)
18 - One Love (Work That Sucker) (9:38)
19 - Lyin' People (4:43)
20 - Zulu Interlude #4 (0:21)
21 - Warlocks And Witches, Computer Chips, Microchips And You (5:09)
22 - Zulu War Chant (5:07)
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Afrika Bambaataa & - Videos (AVI , 79mb)
A collection of videos you could find at youtube or pick up here. Have to say World Destruction is 24 years later still a remarkbly powerful statement, and should be rereleased, unfortunately i lost my 12" long ago or i would have added it here.
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Renegade
Afrika Bambaataa - Looking For the Perfect Beat
Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock Kraftwerk Original Video
Afrika Bambaataa Timezone - The Alien
James Brown & Afrika Bambaataa - Peace Unity Love
Leftfield & Afrika Bambaataa- Afrika Shox
Timezone & John Lydon - World Destruction
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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !
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