#36: Bambaataa's Open Archive

Aug 22, 2013, 09:42 PM

A teenager grew up in the Bronx in the 70's when violence, drugs, and poverty were rampant. He was swept up in the gang lifestyle until he went on life-changing trip to Africa for winning an essay contest. He adopted a new name, Afrika Bambaataa, and devoted himself to encouraging peace and positivity through hip hop music and culture. Nearly forty years later, his enormous record collection was briefly on public display in an "Open Archive" before landing in the Cornell University Hip Hop collection. Learn more about Bambaataa's influence on hip hop culture and the open archiving process in this week's show.