Lance Taylor, born April 17, 1957, and better known as Afrika Bambaataa, is a retired American DJ, rapper, and record producer. As a pioneer of breakbeat DJing, he helped shape the early sound of hip hop with influential electro tracks in the 1980s. Bambaataa also played a key role in spreading hip hop culture globally by transforming the Black Spades gang into the Universal Zulu Nation. In 2016, he stepped down as head of the organization following multiple allegations of past sexual abuse.