Soulsonic Force (also referred to as Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force) is an American electro-funk and hip hop ensemble led by
Afrika Bambaataa
Lance Taylor (born April 17, 1957), also known as Afrika Bambaataa (), is a retired American DJ, rapper, and record producer. He is notable for releasing a series of genre-defining electro tracks in the 1980s that influenced the development of ...
who helped establish hip-hop in the early 1980s with songs such as "
Planet Rock." They were also influential in the birth of the electro movement in America and helped pave the way for modern dance music styles such as
electro-funk
Electro (also known as electro-funk, and sometimes referred to as electro-pop)
Gl ...
as well as the entire
Miami bass scene.
History
In 1982, Soulsonic Force and Afrika Bambaataa released a single "Planet Rock." The song borrowed musical motifs from German electro-pop, British rock and African-American disco rap. All the different elements and musical styles were blended together; and in doing so, offered hip hop as a new vision for global harmony. The song became an immediate hit and stormed the music charts worldwide.
Their other well-known songs include "
Looking for the Perfect Beat" and "
Renegades of Funk" (which is one of the earliest political-conscious rap songs, alongside
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five's "
The Message").
Soulsonic Force features on the title track of the
Freestylers' debut album, ''
We Rock Hard''.
Pow Wow died from
emphysema
Emphysema is any air-filled enlargement in the body's tissues. Most commonly emphysema refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs, and is also known as pulmonary emphysema.
Emphysema is a lower respiratory tract di ...
and complications of
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. GOLD defines COPD as a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory s ...
on April 4, 2025, at the age of 63.
Lineup
*
Afrika Bambaataa
Lance Taylor (born April 17, 1957), also known as Afrika Bambaataa (), is a retired American DJ, rapper, and record producer. He is notable for releasing a series of genre-defining electro tracks in the 1980s that influenced the development of ...
* Mr. Biggs (real name: Ellis Williams)
* Pow Wow (real name: Robert Darrell Allen; died 2025)
* The G.L.O.B.E (real name: John Miller)
*
DJ Jazzy Jay (real name: John Byas)
Discography
Albums
* ''
Planet Rock: The Album'' (1986)
* "
Planet Rock" (Swordfish Mix) on the ''
Swordfish
The swordfish (''Xiphias gladius''), also known as the broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are the sole member of the Family (biology), family Xiphiidae. They ...
'' soundtrack (see
Swordfish
The swordfish (''Xiphias gladius''), also known as the broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are the sole member of the Family (biology), family Xiphiidae. They ...
).
Singles
References
External links
*
American hip-hop groups
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