Protest Against Universal Hip Hop Museum for Zulu Nation Promotion
Group Demands Eric Adams and Chuck Schumer Stop Taxpayer Dollars From Funding Museum, Protest March 27th at City Hall
New York –A collective of victim advocates, sexual abuse survivors, professionals, activists, and parents are demanding an end to taxpayer money funding the Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) in the Bronx. In an extensive report sent to the museum’s attorney and Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, Hip Hop Stands With Survivors details numerous conflicts of interest, undue influence, and continued affiliation accused pedophile Afrika Bambaataa and his Universal Zulu Nation have with the museum and its executive director Rocky Bucano.
UHHM co-founder, Lance Taylor aka Afrika Bambaataa, and the Universal Zulu Nation are defendants in a child sex trafficking lawsuit filed on August 4, 2021, by an anonymous man alleging they abused and trafficked him beginning at 12 years old. Neither has responded to the 17-month-long case awaiting a final verdict.
Understanding the heinous civil charges and allegations against Bambaataa and the UZN is what makes Bucano’s continued relations with them unacceptable. The museum’s voting board members do not include women, any of the Bambaataa survivors, or any child advocates to protect children after several men accused the UHHM’s co-founder of sexual abuse and child sex trafficking.
In an interview, the founder and chief executive officer at CHILD USA, an interdisciplinary think tank to prevent child abuse and neglect, Prof. Marci Hamilton said that serial child abusers thrive in a secret universe where they and fellow abusers can operate under the radar. They must be held to account by law enforcement and the institutions in their universe. Children will not be protected from sexual abuse until our society stops giving abusers a pass, and that includes the famous and those who break new ground. Talent and fame do not immunize anyone from the law or public accountability. Organizations that capitalize on those who sexually abused children owe society and especially children full transparency and integrity.
Afrika Bambaataa named his personal army the Universal Zulu Nation, became God and named his gospel Universal Hip Hop Culture, and co-founded the Universal Hip Hop Museum.
“We believe the Universal Hip Hop Museum is signaling pedophiles by its name, language, and the promotion and hiring of the Universal Zulu Nation. We also believe that pedophiles will understand this signaling to mean they will find safety in corporate silence and a new hunting ground for child victims,” said journalist Leila Wills who has been covering the Bambaataa story for several years. “If one child is harmed at the museum, it will be because the UHHM board and the City of New York failed to act after receiving our report.”
The museum has not issued a social responsibility statement or severed ties with Bambaataa and the UZN. It has also ramped up its promotion of the UZN under the leadership of executive director Rocky Bucano and just hosted another party for them this past Saturday. “The museum is misleading the public by denying any affiliation and we believe children are in danger,” said Wills.
Mayor Adams’ administration nor the museum has responded to the report and Senator Chuck Schumer’s office refused to provide an email address for the report. Hip Hop Stands With Survivors is demanding Rocky Bucano’s resignation and an end to taxpayer dollars going to the museum. The group will host a protest on Monday, March 27, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. at New York’s City Hall, 260 Broadway in Manhattan.
The grievances Hip Hop Stands With Survivors have against the Universal Hip Hop Museum indicate a larger problem in Hip Hop. We stand with all survivors to rid our beloved Hip Hop community of sexual abuse in all forms. Stand with us on March 27th. Hip Hop Stands With Survivors urge media professionals to read the report and cover this issue in the interest of an unsuspecting public.
Media availability on March 27th will be at 10:00 a.m.
A list of authorized and confirmed speakers will be posted soon.