Afrika Bambaataa, the legendary DJ, producer, and widely recognized "Godfather" of hip-hop culture, passed away on April 9, 2026, at the age of 68. Born Lance Taylor in the South Bronx in 1957, Bambaataa was a visionary who helped transform NYC gang culture into a global movement of "peace, love, unity, and having fun" in the 1970s and 80s. He was a co-founder of the Universal Zulu Nation and pioneered early hip-hop by blending innovative mixing techniques with funk and electronic music. His 1982 masterpiece "Planet Rock" was a landmark recording that heavily influenced electro-funk and hip-hop globally. As important…