Afrika Bambaataa quotes

Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ and music producer, renowned as one of the originators of hip hop culture. His innovative approach helped shape early hip hop sounds and the birth of breakbeat DJing. He has inspired generations with his work and the creation of the Universal Zulu Nation. Here are 33 of his quotes:

November is Hip-Hop History Month, where we give celebration to what hip hop has done to bring together people of the world, people of all nationalities, young people, all the political systems and politicians on the planet.

Afrika Bambaataa

I am one of the founders of Hip-Hop along with my brothers Kool DJ Herc and Grandmaster Flash.

Afrika Bambaataa

You want to buy cars and houses and castles, all of that's on you and how America has systematized your mind to be into materialism. Hip-hop ain't got nothing to do with that. I'm glad that anybody making money has picked themselves up - I just want them to give some of it back to the community.

Afrika Bambaataa

Now he took the music of like Mandrill, like "Fencewalk", certain disco records that had funky percussion breaks like The Incredible Bongo Band when they came out with "Apache" and he just kept that beat going. It might be that certain part of the record that everybody waits for--they just let their inner self go and get wild. The next thing you know the singer comes back in and you'd be mad.

Afrika Bambaataa

How you act, walk, look and talk is all part of Hip Hop culture. And the music is colorless. Hip Hop music is made from Black, brown, yellow, red and white.

Afrika Bambaataa

You treat people with greatness and greatness will come back to you.

Afrika Bambaataa

I'm as old as the moon and the stars, and as young as the trees and the lakes. My style comes from looking at what came before me, and from visiting a lot of places.

Afrika Bambaataa

It ain't no joke when you lose your vinyl.

Afrika Bambaataa

We want you to sit down and leave your egos at home and let's get an understanding as to where all this is foolishness coming from. There are others who are putting things out there or throwing a stick and hiding their hand and keeping things built up in the media.

Afrika Bambaataa

When you talk about rap you have to understand that rap is part of the Hip-Hop culture.

Afrika Bambaataa

The only thing I want is to awaken all humans on the planet that we are living on Mother Earth.

Afrika Bambaataa

I knew that as a DJ from 1970 on up that I would eventually come with this sound. I brought out all these other break beats that you hear so much on a lot of these records.

Afrika Bambaataa

There's a lot of people over time who have brought out all these funky records that everybody has started jumping on like a catch phrase... When Planet Rock came out, then you had all of the electro funk records.

Afrika Bambaataa

Since the pharmaceuticals don't make any money and they control the doctors. If the doctors don't make any money then all hell breaks loose. In communities like LA and New York they are using a lot of the youth for a test sight.

Afrika Bambaataa

I like Akon, I like some of Lil Wayne when he uses that funky voice. Anything progressive.

Afrika Bambaataa

Hip-hop went through different stages, from the beginning in the streets of the Bronx, to the whole Tri-State area and then to the rest of the United States and the rest of the world.

Afrika Bambaataa

I don't care if it's rap, metal, whatever. You still should play Beatles records mixed with Limp Bizkit mixed with Foghat mixed with Creedence Clearwater Revival, stuff like that.

Afrika Bambaataa

People get caught up in worshipping certain rappers, or they try to demonise hip hop by looking at what certain rappers are doin' in their lives.

Afrika Bambaataa

Actually freestyle really comes from 'Planet Rock'. If you listen to all the freestyle records you'll hear that they are based on 'Planet Rock'. All the Miami Bass records are based upon Planet Rock.

Afrika Bambaataa

They allow us to disrespect our Black woman. A lot of these things would be considered criminal if it were to be carried out in the streets. That's like when they tell you after you buy your VHS and you rent movies they tell you not to copy the movies.

Afrika Bambaataa

A lot of times, when people say hip-hop, they don't know what they're talking about. They just think of the rappers. When you talk about hip-hop, you're talking about the whole culture and movement. You have to take the whole culture for what it is.

Afrika Bambaataa

I'd like to see people pay attention to the science of hip hop. The knowledge part, the political side of what hip hop could do, or where hip hop is gonna go. I always say it's gonna become universal as we become a galactic union.

Afrika Bambaataa