Afrika Bambaataa Accused of Sexually Abusing Three More Men
Afrika Bambaataa is facing more accusations of sexual abuse. Earlier this month, Ronald Savage, a Bronx activist and politician and former music industry executive, said the hip-hop pioneer molested him several times in 1980, when Savage was 15 years old. Bambaataa’s lawyer issued a statement calling the claims “defamatory” and “false.” Bambaataa followed with his own statement denying “any and all allegations of any type of sexual molestation of anyone,” and describing the allegations as “baseless” and “cowardly.” Now, three more men have said Bambaataa abused them in their youth, the New York Daily News reports.
Hassan Campbell, now 39 years old, told the Daily News he was 12 and 13 when Bambaataa sexually abused him multiple times. A 50-year-old man, requesting anonymity, told the Daily News he knew Savage’s claims were true because Bambaataa “did it to me.” A 51-year-old man named Troy, who requested his last name not be used, told the Daily News he, too, was sexually abused by Bambaataa.
Pitchfork has reached out to a Bambaataa spokesperson for comment. Zulu Nation, the hip-hop organization founded by Bambaataa, has denied the allegations to the Daily News. Zulu Nation reportedly called Campbell “both a liar and a government paid police informant.” Bambaataa’s attorney didn’t return the Daily News‘ requests for comment on the the new claims.
Bambaataa, in his statement to Rolling Stone after Savage’s allegations, said, “This negligent attack on my character will not stop me from continuing my battle and standing up against the violence in our communities, the violence in the nation, and the violence worldwide.”
Savage has said he spoke out because he wanted to change New York’s statute of limitations for child sex abuse, which currently blocks criminal or civil charges after the victim turns 23 years old. He told the Daily News he supports the proposed state bill the Child Victim Act that would end the statute of limitations in sexual abuse cases and grant older victims a one-year window to file claims. He said he also backed legislation that would do away with a current 90-day deadline for filing what’s known as a “notice of claim” in a lawsuit against a public or government entity.
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