Afrika Bambaataa’s Natal Chart – Does He Have What It Takes?

Afrika Bambaataa, one of the pioneers of hip hop is currently facing allegations of child molestation that allegedly occurred during his hey day back in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Ronald Savage among others, has alleged that Bambaataa sexually molested him when he was a young teen. As a result of this scandal that has plagued the hip hop community, but even more so Afrika Bambaataa’s Zulu Nation, I am going to analyze his natal chart to see if there are any indications or tendencies that would corroborate the accounts of his alleged victims.

Note: I do not know his time of birth and it has not been verified despite the claims by some that he is a Sagittarius rising. As a result, I will only discuss his planetary aspects and forgo discussing the house positions or Ascendant.

Afrika Bambaataa was born on April 17, 1957 which would make him an Aries with a strong organizational mindset since the number 17 breaks down to 8 and the number 8 deals with business and materialism in general. 8 is the number of Saturn and with it comes heavy karma. It’s interesting to note that Afrika Bambaataa is experiencing his 2nd Saturn Return. Saturn Returns occur approximately every 29 years and they usually herald very challenging circumstances. Saturn Returns in a spiritual sense can result in having to pay down some karmic debt. This is exactly what is happening with Bambaataa right now during his Saturn Return. When people are ill-prepared for their Saturn Return period, it is often a very humbling experience. Saturn also deals with reputation and when Saturn returns to its natal position, one’s reputation may be in jeopardy. Recently, Bambaataa issued this official statement in response to the allegations made against him:

I, Afrika Bambaataa, want to take this opportunity at the advice of my legal counsel to personally deny any and all allegations of any type of sexual molestation of anyone,” Bambaataa says in a statement to Rolling Stone. “These allegations are baseless and are a cowardly attempt to tarnish my reputation and legacy in hip-hop at this time. This negligent attack on my character will not stop me from continuing my battle and standing up against the violence in our communities, the violence in the nation and the violence worldwide.

The number 17 is softer than the single number 8, but the energy of Saturn is still present. With 17, one may be very artistic, fond of music, dance, filmmaking, pageantry, etc and create a livelihood out of it. However 17, mainly because of the number 7 can also deal with having a secret life or deceptive tendencies. It is easy to put up a charade. Usually, 17 is never totally upfront about his true intentions. There may be a hidden agenda or ulterior motives at work.

Now, looking into Afrika Bambaataa’s chart there are some indicators that point to the tendency for sexual predation. Some of the main indicators are challenging aspects between his Sun, Moon, Venus, Saturn, and Neptune. With the Sun being joined to Venus in Aries, Bambaataa has a natural affinity for music and entertainment, but also males since Aries is the most virile and masculine of the signs. Aries also deals with youth, thus he has a natural affinity or even attraction for young men. There have been rumors circulating within the hip hop community for years regarding Bambaataa’s homosexuality.  Sun in conjunction to Venus also deals with his flamboyant identity (think about his Soul Sonic Force days where he wore elaborate costumes and tights) and his penchant for unity. The whole “Peace, Unity, Love, and Having Fun” song was a testament to this. However, Venus in Aries is more about self-love than true love for others. With this Venus-Sun combo, Bambaataa was able to gain a lot of praise, adoration, and devotees throughout his rise to fame.

Now, this Venus/Sun conjunction is in pretty bad shape. This coupling is plagued by a hard aspect from the planet Neptune. Neptune is in opposition to his Sun and Venus which points to a very secretive or even deceptive nature. It is akin to living a lie. There’s much about Bambaataa’s life that he tries to keep hidden; Neptune being the planet of lies, deception and that which is kept under wraps. Neptune is in Scorpio, the sign of taboo activity and sexual bonds. Basically, this aspect enabled Afrika Bambaataa to lure boys into his circle by his message of Love, Peace, Unity, etc. With Neptune, he basically provided asylum for these youths, but at the same time it was a trap and they became easy prey.

The Sun and Venus are also in challenging aspect to his Moon and Saturn in Sagittarius. There’s a sesquisquare between these two cosmic couples and this can point to Bambaataa’s godfather or mentor/role model position and his ability to funnel boys into his organization for his own personal benefit. Saturn in conjunction to the Moon can make one very opportunistic as a result of a fear-based mindset. On a benign level Saturn joined with the Moon can point to one who lacked a childhood, proper nurturing, and possibly a mother’s love during the formative years. It can also point to strife within the home and having to take on the role of a parent as a child. As a result of Bambaataa’s difficult upbringing, he tries to create his own ideal family circle and legacy, hence the Zulu Nation, but with the challenge from the Sun and Venus in Aries, this family/legacy is dysfunctional and it echoes the kind of family dynamic that could be prone to incest. Often with Sun conjunct Venus, the native does not see others as distinct individuals–they are mere extensions of himself. When a person lacks the ability to respect others as individuals, it is very easy to impede upon their rights.

Afrika Bambaataa’s Sun and Venus are in square to Uranus and this can point to an alternative lifestyle, being eccentric or being ultra-progressive. On the negative end it can result in tendencies toward perversion and deviant behavior. This aspect points to his activist bent and the forming of the Zulu Nation, but since it’s a square, his intentions are not totally pure.

Bambaataa’s Moon/Saturn combo is in challenging aspect to Neptune. As I stated previously, Neptune is about lies and deception, but it is also about victimization. Bambaataa’s opportunistic personality and his status as a father-figure/mentor could result in the victimization of others through sex (Neptune in Scorpio). His Moon and Saturn are in Sagittarius and Sag deals with his international acclaim, his philosophy, belief system and god-like status. Saturn with the Moon can also cause him to lack the ability to relate to others on a personal level. He may actually believe he is a god in the flesh and this would give him justification to commit the grievous acts against those who put their trust and faith in him if these allegations are true. He is viewed as some sort of savior, but with this aspect he’s more of a cult leader.

The Zulu Nation founder has a hard aspect between Moon/Saturn and Mars. It’s an opposition in fact so this deals with an external struggle that is inherent within his life. This external struggle can point to him taking advantage of his mentorship/godfather position in the form of preying upon young men. Mars is in Gemini and Gemini deals with youth. Mars deals with males. Gemini can deal with being two-faced or having a second agenda. Due to issues regarding his father (as evident with challenging aspects to the Sun and Saturn, plus Saturn retrograde), Bambaataa has a need to feed on male energy to overcompensate for his lack of a male role model. Perhaps, Bambaataa’s own father had homosexual tendencies and struggled with his manhood. With Mars opposition Saturn alone, most likely his father was not around or was incapable of teaching him how to be a man. This combination between the Moon, Saturn and Mars can also cause him to not be able to respond to women sexually. This aspect can possibly point to Bambaataa being sexually abused or molested by a woman or mother figure in his early life. This could have turned him off from women and caused him to become very untrusting of them. Afrika definitely has serious issues with women and as a result he seeks love from men.

A few more indicators are present in Bambaataa’s chart–namely a semisquare between Mars and Uranus. This challenging aspect can deal with deviant sexual tendencies and perverse desires. It also deals with craving absolute power over those who join his organization. Now, the semisquare is very patient in meting out karma so it could take many years before one’s transgressions are exposed when done under this aspect.

He has a square between Mercury in Taurus and Chiron in Aquarius. This is a tight square that can deal with having a reprobate mind. A person with this aspect doesn’t feel that the rules should apply to them. They want to be the exception to the rule. With Chiron being in Aquarius, it gives him cult-leader tendencies as well as the tendency for perverse thoughts when in challenging aspect to Mercury. Mercury in Taurus makes him very much interested in music, but also beauty and sensuality. Taurus is also about values. When in square to Chiron, he may not be upholding the same values that he espouses.

Bambaataa has Mars square Jupiter which could make him very hypocritical, shady, and calculating. This aspect also causes one to be prone to excess, to not look before they leap, and to be sort of like a pied-piper–preying upon youth. Mars square Jupiter can also deal with rumors and gossip being spread about him, legal charges brought up against him, bribery, and even blackmail.

In terms of key asteroids, he has a contra-parallel between Hebe and Venus. This can point to an inappropriate relationship with young males since Hebe deals with youth. Negative aspects between Hebe and Venus or Mars for that matter, can indicate the propensity for pedophilia and child molestation.

Finally, I looked into Afrika Bambaataa’s spiritual evolution profile which can be gleaned from the examination of the Moon’s Nodes. Bambaataa’s South Node is in Taurus which puts his North Node in Scorpio. As a result, Bambaataa is an extremely sensual person who is prone to hyper-indulgence since the Nodes are at 21 degrees. In past lives, Bambaataa may have been indulgent, but he toed the line, he lived according to the values of society and he upheld the status quo. In this current incarnation, Afrika Bambaataa is called to live a more dynamic, transformative, and deeply meaningful existence through the North Node in Scorpio. He is to collaborate with others, create synergy and live life more on the edge. In the course of trying to evolve spiritually, Bambaataa has gone to the extreme left. He does embody a lot of the positive traits of the Scorpio Node, however, he has also adopted some of the most negative traits of Scorpio which is engaging in taboo/criminal behavior, being manipulative, cunning, obsessive/compulsive, and hyper-sexual. His Mars in Gemini forms a challenging aspect (quincunx) to his North Node–his sexual drives prevent him from evolving in the appropriate manner.

In conclusion, Afrika Bambaataa certainly has what it takes with respect to the allegations of child molestation. The thing is, Bambaataa has been given some protection via the planet Pluto (Venus/Sun trine Pluto, Neptune sextile Pluto) and this has enabled him to operate under the radar for many years. However, with this Saturn Return that he is experiencing, the indomitable power of Pluto can’t even shield him from the shit storm that has darkened his doorstep. After analyzing his natal, I believe these allegations are true.

Saturn in Sagittarius has a way of dethroning kings because it cares not about false pretenses; Saturn in Sagittarius is about truth reigning supreme–especially with respect to organizations and systems. Afrika Bambaataa’s god-like status is no more. That’s the power of Saturn in Sag. Transiting Saturn will land on his natal Saturn again on May 24th so he’s still in the thick of it. More details or allegations may come out around that time.

~ Rahbinah

Source:

http://www.vibe.com/2016/04/afrika-bambaataa-responds-to-sexual-assault-allegations/

 

 

 

Florence Ballard At a Glance: Tragic Songbird

Florence Ballard, founding member of the R&B group The Supremes was born on June 30, 1943. She died on February 22, 1976 at 10:05 am. I’m not sure of her time of birth, but I have it at around 2:10 pm which seems pretty accurate considering her life circumstances. This would place her Ascendant in the sign of Libra–one of the hardest Ascendants to have. With the birth time set to 2:10 in the afternoon, this places the transiting Ascendant at the time of her demise right on the 8th cusp–the 8th being the house of death. At the time of her death, the transiting Ascendant was also making a quincunx to her natal Ascendant if my assumption is correct. The quincunx aspect (150 degrees) often deals with health conditions and the Ascendant deals with the physical body. 

Now regarding her natal chart profile, Florence Ballard’s Sun and Moon were both afflicted by Pluto, the planet of death. Pluto also wielded great influence over her Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn. Pluto can lead one to prominence, but when there are challenging aspects between Pluto and other planets and points of the natal, there is often an aversion to the trappings that come with fame and popularity. Pluto’s negative influence can cause someone to be very suspicious and wary of others–unless they are close family and friends. With Florence Ballard’s Sun in Cancer and birth number being 30, she was not built for a high profile career in the limelight. She craved the safe and familiar over the glamour and prestige of a singing career. People who are born on the 30th, need to spend ample time alone in introspection. Regular meditation helps to keep them centered. People given the stamp of 30 also need to develop their spirituality in their current incarnation as they will often find the material world to be severely lacking in terms of personal fulfillment. What’s interesting is that all of Ballard’s planets are in personal signs–from Aries to Virgo which would also make it difficult to successfully navigate the world at large. As some Astrologers would say, she had some unfinished business stemming from her early home life. At the age of 16 Florence was raped at knife point by an acquaintance which I’m sure left some deep emotional and psychological scars. Chiron, the wounded healer is right next to her Venus. 

Pluto interacting with sensitive points in the chart also leaves one open to manipulation and underhanded tactics. It is widely known that Florence Ballard who was the founder of The Supremes was floored when Diana Ross became the undisputed leader (Diana Ross is an Aries) and the trio’s name was changed from The Supremes to Diana Ross and the Supremes. The final straw for Ballard occurred when Diana Ross usurped her solo performance of the song “People”. 

On the day Ballard was ousted from The Supremes (July 1, 1967) as a result of performing on stage drunk and belligerent, she had some very challenging transits going down including Mars opposition Mars, Chiron opposition Neptune, Saturn square Sun, and Uranus/Pluto squaring her Moon. Her Solar and Venus Returns occurring simultaneously. It was all down hill from there for the most part. 

Ballard’s South Node was in Aquarius which can bring karmic-induced medical conditions involving the circulatory system. Florence Ballard died from a coronary thrombosis or blood clot in one of the major arteries. At the time of her death, the transiting North Node in Scorpio was making a square to her South Node in Aquarius. With natal Venus, Chiron and Pluto in Leo, she may have not just died from cardiac arrest, but also a broken heart. 

Florence Ballard also had Saturn conjunct Mercury and the Moon in her natal chart which creates a lot of opportunities to live out one’s karma. Saturn’s influence also made her more of a loner than a gregarious personality. Saturn also brings with it depression, despair, poverty, and limitation. 

Did Ballard really have a chance at overcoming her challenges? In my opinion, no. She was one of those souls whose script was basically written by the hand of fate before her birth. She simply had to show up and play her assigned role. There was little she could do to escape her circumstances with Pluto and Saturn bearing down heavily upon her natal Sun, Moon and Mercury; Chiron pressing on Venus. This says a lot about the concept of Free Will. 

Florence Ballard was certainly destined for fame as evidenced by Venus, Chiron, Pluto and the North Node being colored with Leo. However, the fame was short-lived and not even desired by Ballard. She just wanted to sing. It was the nice trine she had between Mars and Venus which gave her the motivation to take her strong vocal talent to the stage, but when her Venus (represented by her partners–namely Diana “The Boss” Ross, and peacekeeper Mary Wilson) was irreparably marred by a string of unfortunate circumstances she lost her will to thrive and succumbed to addiction, domestic violence, poverty, and disease. Such as sad, short life for a beautiful songbird. 

Addendum: I pulled a Tarot card to represent a message Florence Ballard has for the world:

The Sun: She wants us to know that she is happy that her name continues to shine on despite her leaving this earthly realm in a tragic way. She wants focus to be on the positive aspects of her life. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. 

~ Rahbinah

source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Ballard; Unsung documentary: The Story of Florence Ballard