Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force Drop ‘Planet Rock: The Album’ – Today in Hip-Hop
On this day, Dec. 1, in hip-hop history...
1986: As one third of the "Holy Trinity" of hip-hop, old school legend Afrika Bambaataa was vitally instrumental in spreading the message of hip-hop to larger audiences across the world. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Bambaataa became internationally known for combining funk, R&B, disco and early electro that propelled him to becoming one of hip-hop's most important DJs. Bambaataa soon went on to record Planet Rock: The Album, a significant LP in the history of hip-hop.
After becoming an iconic musician after the release of several successful hit singles, Bambaataa and his cohorts in the Soulsonic Force would release Planet Rock: The Album in December 1986. While in many ways the album is simply a collection of his biggest hits from the early 1980s, the album serves to capture Bambaataa's innovation and spirit that built hip-hop culture.
Songs such as "Renegades Of Funk," "Looking For the Perfect Beat" and his breakout 1982 single "Planet Rock" are amongst some of the first hip-hop songs to employ sounds from the iconic Roland TR-808 drum machine that would become a vital building block for rap production over the years. The album would prove to be an early inspiration for growing hip-hop sub-genres including electro, Miami bass and Detroit techno that would arise over the years, too.
Even 32 years later, Planet Rock: The Album remains one of hip-hop's early pillars and a landmark in the growing influence and culture of the music. Among rap fans and critics, the album is ranked as one of the best hip-hop albums of all time.
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