Multiple Men Claim Hip Hop Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa Sexually Molested Them As Minors. Zulu Nation Leader Denies Accusations (Video)

Video After The Jump

Hip Hop Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, 58, who rose to fame with his 1982 hit record "Planet Rock," is facing a growing number of allegations that he sexually molested minors.

Ronald Savage a.k.a. Bee Stinger, a former member of Bambaataa's Universal Zulu Nation, was the first to come forward. His claims are detailed in his book titled Impulse Urges and Fantasies and in a YouTube interview with Star a.k.a. Troi Torain.

Savage, 50, a Judicial Delegate in the 12th Judicial District in the Bronx, N.Y, and a Former NYS Democratic Committeeman, says the sexual misconduct began in the 70's when he was 15-years old.

Ronald Savage describes his experience as a teenager in the Bronx, where he says he was molested by hip-hop legend Afrika Bambaataa. (Photo credit: Andrew Savulich/New York Daily News)

"It took me this long to actually get this out and to be able to talk about it," Savage told Star, in response to a question about why he is just now coming forward. "Back when I was younger I was a kid when this happened. I wanted to be down with the in-crowd. Not really understanding that what Bambaataa was doing to me was actually molesting me. I didn't understand that. I knew it was wrong. I just had these feelings that was just like, yuck. Over the years as I was getting older, I wanted to report this and I wanted to come forward. But out of fear of the Zulu Nation, fear for my family, fear for me, what could possibly happen. I was shamed, embarrassed," he added. "Things like this usually happen to women ... to girls. And guys don't really talk about it."

Chuck Freeze of the Jazzy Five, who recorded and performed with Bambaataa was around the Zulu Nation during the time of these alleged incidents. He knows Savage and told the New York Daily News that he was an honest person.

“Ronald was the kind of guy you could trust,” says Freeze, real name Charles Foushee. “You could leave money on the table and know it would be there when you got back. A really good dude. Easy to talk to. Very intelligent. We had no idea about this — and we would not have tolerated it if we did. Do I believe it? Yes, I do.”

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Bambaataa, real name Kevin Donovan, addresses Savage's allegations and dismisses them as "a cowardly attempt to tarnish my reputation and legacy in hip-hop at this time."

"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. "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."

Bambaataa's lawyer, Vivian Kimi Tozaki, also issued a statement via the New York Daily News.

“Defamatory statements were published seeking to harm my client’s reputation so as to lower him in the estimation of the community while deterring others from associating or dealing with him,” she said, referring to Savage’s book. “The statements show a reckless disregard for the truth, were published with knowledge of their falsity, and are being made by a lesser-known person seeking publicity.”

Since Savages interview three more men have come forward with similar accusations. You can watch those interviews with Star below.