Afrika Bambaataa

Few artists have been more influential on the current electronic music scene than the legendary Afrika Bambaataa, whose groundbreaking blending of Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" with hip-hop beats for Soulsonic Force's breakthrough hit, "Planet Rock," set the stage for countless genre-blending fusionists that followed. Now one of the nation's most in demand DJs, it seems appropriate that Bambaataa should mix the last United DJs of America disc of the 20th century. And what a mix it is, flowing seamlessly from Shiraz' maddeningly addictive "Cinder Blocks" into S*H*A*C*K's ultra-funky "Dish Cuts 2" and his own "Bambaataa's Theme" (which sounds like New Order covering Midnite Starr, or vice-versa) without missing a beat. Strange selections like DJ Boo's "Rock & Roll Part 2 (Raise the Roof)" and 12 Gauge's Dirty South romp "Dawg Call (Who Let the Dogs Out)" seem like head-scratchers at first, but make sense in the greater context of Bambaataa's eclectic mix. ~ Bret Love, All Music Guide