Afrika Bambaataa denies sex abuse claims
Afrika Bambaataa denies sex abuse claims, says accusers are trying to smear his name
Hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa publicly addressed the sexual abuse allegations leveled against him by four men for the first time Thursday, claiming he is the victim of a conspiracy aimed at smearing his name.
Bambaataa, 59, strongly denied the abuse allegations during an interview on “The Ed Lover Show,” and said he has consulted with his attorney about filing a defamation lawsuit against his accusers.
"I completely deny all type of accusations that are being put forth against your brother Afrika Bambaataa," he said on the syndicated radio show hosted by Lover and Monie Love. "You really need to ask the question, 'Why now? What is the hidden agenda?'"
Bambaataa claimed he never even met former music industry executive and Bronx Democratic Party activist Ronald Savage, the first of four men to tell the Daily News he had been sexually abused by him when he was a teenager.
He said Savage is trying to generate publicity for his recently released self-published memoir.
Savage, 50, said he suffered in silence for decades from depression and intimacy issues, but he has gone public in recent weeks because he wants to reform New York's statute of limitations for child sexual abuse, which bars victims from pursuing civil litigation or criminal charges after their 23rd birthday.
"If Bambaataa says he doesn't know me, tell him to take a lie detector test," Savage fired back. "Ask him if he knew me or if abused me and other underage boys. I'll take one, too, and we'll see who is telling truth."
Savage's attorney Luis Sepulveda said he welcomed a lawsuit.
"We welcome the opportunity to have (Bambaataa) speak under oath at a deposition," Sepulveda said. "We welcome the opportunity to present evidence to him. My client's allegations are true."
The interview with Lover and Love is the first time the Bambaataa, whose 1982 hit "Planet Rock" is one of hip-hop history's most influential songs, has publicly addressed the sex abuse allegations. His attorney Vivian Kimi Tozaki issued a denial earlier this month and Bambaataa also sent a statement refuting the accusations to Rolling Stone.
Zulu Nation issued a bizarre statement earlier this month that claimed the federal government, New York police and the Daily News are part of a coordinated effort to damage Bambaataa and the organization.
Sepulveda said it is "highly likely" he will file a defamation lawsuit against Zulu Nation for the statement, which called Savage "mentally challenged."
Bambaataa suggested during the interview that the allegations were part of a shakedown for money.
"There is something big behind all this," Bambaataa said. "I just can't put the finger on it and this is not the first time something happened like this to great people down the line."
at the idea of PE, Slick Rick, NWA, Geto Boys....Africa Bambaataa.
