Afrika Bambaataa is one of hip-hop's pioneers, but also a figure with a very dark and complicated legacy. He received multiple accusations of sexual misconduct with young men over the years. Some of them disappeared, and others remain. But it can't be denied that these waves of allegations really affected the Bronx native and have justifiably tainted his legacy as a cultural leader. Now, he faces more accusations of sexual abuse from French rapper and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Solo, who alleged to French outlet CliqueTV (in a conversation translated by BJJ Eastern Europe published Thursday [November 28]) that Bambaataa sexually assaulted him while watching adult entertainment when he was 16 years old.
"Being confronted by a predator, especially someone you admire, is very difficult because you admire this person," Solo alleged concerning Afrika Bambaataa. "Realizing they have flaws that lead to inappropriate behavior is a shock. [...] That too is something you’re not prepared for. When I found myself in front of the p*rn, I was so shocked that I didn’t move. [...] I needed personal development and support to even recognize that I was a victim. That was the hardest part. [...] There’s this feeling that you didn’t have the right reaction at the right time. Over time, I understood that mechanisms are triggered that make it impossible to respond appropriately. [...] What happened to me isn’t exceptional, and many can relate to it."
Solo Accuses Afrika Bambaataa Of Sexually Assaulting Him When He Was Underage
Furthermore, Solo claims that Afrika Bambaataa assaulted another "young boy" before assaulting him. He says he didn't reckon with what happened for decades, not considering himself as a victim or thinking about addressing it for "over 40 years." "I don’t know if anything truly helped me," the rapper posited. "To be honest, I got through it because I’m a fighter. At some point, I couldn’t let myself dwell on it, nor could I give power to someone else."
Meanwhile, one of Afrika Bambaataa's accusers actually linked up with him recently after retracting his claims against him. As such, this situation turned quite complicated, but one story does not automatically invalidate the other. The "Planet Rock" icon has not responded to these recent allegations from Solo at press time.