Friday May 6, the Supreme and World Councils, which oversee the daily operations of hip-hop’s first family, the Universal Zulu Nation, announced that the Bronx-born and bred organization was officially displacing its founder, Afrika Bambaataa, from its ranks amid a slew of pedophilia accusations over the past month and change.
“We are publicly announcing the official removal of Afrika Bambaataa from the UZN,” reads their statement. “Based on the numerous allegations of child molestation, we as an organization cannot allow these allegations to tarnish the name and/or legacy of the UZN.”
The statement continues, “We take these allegations very seriously because we are a youth-driven organization with the mission of saving young lives through the advent of hip-hop culture all around the world. Until these allegations are addressed by Afrika Bambaataa, we cannot allow him to be a part of our worldwide movement.”
Another man named Lord Shariyf, who said he was formerly Bambaataa’s bodyguard for more than a decade, had stepped forward with some damaging revelations two days earlier, May 4.
“I am the first one from the inner circle, back in 2007, that told the council to bring Afrika Bambaataa up on charges before a council of his peers, because we are Muslims and Moors,” Shariyf said. “This is old news in the Bronx. The ramifications and details to how deep it is, as far as a pedophile, is just hitting the surface.”
Lord Shariyf said he became affiliated with UZN as a youth in 1974-75.
“Back then there were rumors about this,” he stated. “It’s time that the record be told straight. It’s a well-known fact in the Zulu Nation. There’s been many instances where I saw young boys in and out of his room in his Parkchester apartment in particular. I’ve walked in on stuff where I said ‘What the [expletive] is going on?’ Since the 70s there’s been hundreds [of victims].”
This information is new to a few longtime Zulu members, who expressed shock at the accusations and spoke anonymously.
“Being gay is one thing, that’s your business, but molesting children?” expressed one member. “I’ve never seen it, but he deserves whatever comes to him.”
Shariyf added, “His inner circle, or this [expletive] council, needs to tell the truth ‘cause they’re taking Zulu Nation through the mud. The truth is out there, there’s no coming back from this. He needs to be banished from Zulu Nation.”
It happened two days later as UZN announced their plans to make major changes.
“As part of this restructure all accused parties and those accused of covering up the current allegations of child molestation have been removed and have stepped down from their current positions,” read their statement.
The tension caused by the strife was apparent.
“As an organization, we are in a very difficult position because we are being asked to condemn one of our founders based on testimony through social media alone,” the statement said. “We cannot do this. We also cannot dismiss the comments of parties asserting they have been harmed.”
Friday, Bambaataa’s lawyer, Charles Tucker Jr., told the media, “Bambaataa has not been part of the leadership for years. At the end of day, we still have unsubstantiated claims from alleged victims who all have seemed to be more focused on self-promotion, sensationalism, revenge and some form of payment. There can’t be a coverup from acts that never occurred.”
He added, “Zulu Nation will continue to do the great work that they do, and Bambaataa will continue to work tirelessly combatting all forms of violence and giving a voice to those real victims of violence in communities across the nation of who many in the media seems to have forgotten about.”
Initially, the UZN claimed the accusations were a “government-sponsored media attack.” However, their statement suggests that it is significantly restructuring its leadership.
“The UZN wishes to announce that it is currently under new leadership by the International and Regional U.S. Zulu Leaders.”
UZN stated that Afrika Bambaataa has not been the leader since 1994, after they started a global realignment “in order to better serve our global communities. It was during this realignment phase that Afrika Bambaataa handed the reigns of UZN over to the Supreme and World Councils.”