NEW YORK CITY, New York — Afrika Bambaataa, the influential DJ, producer and early architect of hip-hop, has died at 68. His death was confirmed by his attorney, who said he died in Pennsylvania after battling prostate cancer.
Born Lance Taylor in the Bronx, Bambaataa emerged as one of the foundational figures in hip-hop’s earliest days, helping turn block parties and DJ culture into a movement. He became widely known for blending funk, electronic music and breakbeats into a new sound.
He was best known for the landmark 1982 track “Planet Rock,” a single that fused rap with electronic music and helped lay the groundwork for electro-funk and modern electronic dance music…