African Bambaataa A French rapper has accused the hip-hop pioneer of sexually assaulting him when he was a teenager.
Solo is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion and a founding member of the influential French rap group Assassin, which emerged from the country’s underground music scene in the 1980s and 1990s.
He opened up about the alleged abuse in an interview with French outlet CliqueTV. This conversation was translated by the martial arts publication BJJ Eastern Europe and published on Thursday (November 28).
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“It’s very difficult to face a predator, especially someone you admire because you admire that person,” he said. “The realization that they had flaws that led to inappropriate behavior was shocking.”
Soro claimed he witnessed Afrika Bambaataa attack another “little boy” before becoming a victim himself. He said Bambaataa attacked him while watching an adult movie.
“This is something you’re not prepared for,” Zoro explained. “When I found myself standing in front of p###, I was so shocked that I couldn’t move.”
Solo revealed that it took him decades to come to terms with what happened, and for “more than 40 years” he did not consider himself a victim or talk about what happened.
“I needed personal development and support and even recognition that I was a victim,” he explains. “That’s the hardest part.”
When asked if he blamed himself for the alleged attack, Solo responded: “There’s a feeling that you don’t react in the right way at the right time. Over time, I learned that some of the mechanisms were triggered. , leading to an inability to respond appropriately.
Afrika Bambaataa accused of abusing multiple minors
Multiple men claim African Bambaataa sexually abused them when they were minors. Bambaataa denied the accusations in 2016.
Solo said he hasn’t spoken to many people in the hip-hop community about the attack, but said, “What happened to me is not unusual and a lot of people can relate to it.”
