The allegations of sexual abuse leveled against hip-hop legend Afrika Bambaataa, 59, are now afecting his legacy. Bambaataa was accused by multiple men of a pattern of sexual assaults over the past few decades and it’s causing quite a stir. Former music executive and alleged victim Ronald Savage first revealed his trauma at the hands of Bambaataa when he alleged that Bambaataa forced him to have oral sex in 1980 when he was just 15. Savage’s claims were soon followed by other men, now adults, who claimed that Bambaataa assaulted them also when they were teenagers.
New York has a statute of limitations that child sexual abuse victims can’t pursue criminal charges or civil penalties after they turn 23. Back in March 2016, Cornell University in New York announced that it would be archiving a collection of more than 20,000 vinyl albums that belonged to Bambaataa for research by scholars and students. But the alleged victims are crying foul over the school’s announcement. “If Cornell accepts anything from Bambaataa, that’s like it is telling the world it supports child molesters,” Savage said to the media.
In addition, New York radio DJ Troi (Star) Torain has started a Change.org petition that states in part:
“Addressing these claims (as reported by the NY Daily News) is even more important when considering the fact that the alleged sexual abuse claims involved underage children. Cornell University is a gateway for young minds and is a crucial component in the formation of the character of young leaders as they enter society. It is incumbent upon the university to immediately address these allegations and sever its ties with Afrika Bambaataa until these claims have been definitively and without equivocation resolved.”
Bambaataa seems to be getting similar treatment that hit embattled comedian Bill Cosby over allegations of sexual abuse. Despite no criminal convictions, Cosby has been tried in the court of public opinion and that has resulted in multiple colleges stripping him of honorary degrees and shunning his legacy.
Under the agreement with Cornell University, Bambaataa is supposed to lecture at the school’s Ithaca, New York, campus several times a year regarding his impact on the rap culture in America and worldwide. Cornell University has not issued a statement on the allegations or their continued relationship with Bambaataa.
