The Hip hop world was shook when sexual abuse allegations came out against Hip hop legend Afrika Bambaataa, well he is now clapping back at his accuser, former Zulu Nation member, Ronald Savage, saying that his claims”are baseless and are a cowardly attempt to tarnish my reputation and legacy in hip-hop at this time.”
In a statement to the Rolling Stone, Africa Bambaataa maintains that the allegations against him are false:
“I, Afrika Bambaataa, want to take this opportunity at the advice of my legal counsel to personally deny any and all allegations of any type of sexual molestation of anyone,” Bambaataa says in a statement to Rolling Stone. “These allegations are baseless and are a cowardly attempt to tarnish my reputation and legacy in hip-hop at this time. 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.”
Baambaataa continued his statement saying,
“In the name of the Supreme Force, who is called by many names, whom All Praise is due. Good Spiritual Human, I pray for all of you and ask in returns your prayers, and let us all do what we must to help change our ways on how we treat each other in evilness, to respect and love for each other as Humans Beings. May Peace and Blessings be upon each and everyone of you. Who would stand up to save us and our planet with so much chaos going on? Peace, Love, Honor and Respect to all.”
Bambaataa’s lawyer,Vivian Kimi Tozaki, also clapped back in a statement to the NY Daily News saying, “Defamatory statements were published seeking to harm my client’s reputation so as to lower him in the estimation of the community while deterring others from associating or dealing with him,” she said. “The statements show a reckless disregard for the truth, were published with knowledge of their falsity and are being made by a lesser-known person seeking publicity.”
Word came out about the sexual abuse when Savage revealed that he would be dropping a self-published memoir entitled ‘Impulse Urges and Fantasies.’ He says the first assault took place when he was 15 and Bambaataa was 23. He recalls cutting school one day to hang out at the Hip hop pioneer’s home and says on that day he was fondled. He also recounts a separate instance when he was allegedly forced to give another Zulu Nation member oral sex.
“I hated myself,” Savage said. “I don’t even know why I did that. I don’t even know how he got me to do that. It was like I was hypnotized.”
Savage also claims that he has audiotapes of two Zulu Nation members trying bribing him with $50,000 to keep his mouth shut about the allegations in which Tozaki, who says she did not know about the tapes, responded saying, “Neither of the two men were given authority to speak on Bam’s behalf,”
Still maintaining that he seeks no financial grievance over the assaults, Savage says he hopes that this situation will bring change to statute of limitations laws on sexual abuse.
Lets chat below!
TSR STAFF: Debra Oh! @The_Ebony_Issue on IG!
Source: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/afrika-bambaataa-calls-sexual-abuse-claims-baseless-and-cowardly-20160412#ixzz45pKCJEyE
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
