Hip-Hop Legend Afrika Bambaataa Begins Lecturing at Cornell

Bambaataa joins a list of other Hip-hop pioneers who have recently become visiting scholars at Ivy League institutions.

By Jorge Rivas Nov 27, 2012

Hip-hop founding father, electro-funk pioneer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee DJ Afrika Bambaataa has been appointed to a three-year term as a visiting scholar at Cornell.

The pioneering South Bronx DJ will visit the Ivy League school’s campus in Ithaca, New York, several times per year to speak in classes, meet with students and community groups and perform. Bambaataa will lecture at the university for the first time this week.

The appointment was made by Cornell University Library’s Hip Hop Collection in conjunction with Cornell’s Department of Music. According to the Cornell University Library website, they have largest national archive on hip-hop culture, documenting its birth and growth by preserving thousands of recordings, flyers, photographs and other artifacts.

Bambaataa joins a list of other Hip-hop pioneers who have recently become visiting scholars at Ivy League institutions.

In 2010, NYU appointed Swizz Beatz as the new Producer in Residence in the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at the Tisch School of the Arts. Last month NYU also announced The Roots’ drummer Ahmir ‘?uestlove’ Thompson will join faculty to teach a "classic albums" course next Spring.

Hip-hop producer 9th Wonder also taught an African-American Studies course at Duke University alongside Professor Mark Anthony Neal. 9th Wonder taught "Sampling Soul," a course that focuses on music from the Civil Rights and Black Power movements.

Duke University worked with producer Ninth Wonder. Also, there’s GZA working with Columbia professor David Emdin to teach NY middle schoolers science.

Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA is currently collaborating with Columbia University professor Christopher Emdin to help teach science through hip hop in New York City schools.