PROOF: Chuck Schumer, NY Legislators Funding Universal Hip Hop Museum Asleep at the Wheel
Rocky Bucano Gives False Assurances to Mayor Eric Adams
New York (March 30, 2023)–Hip Hop Stands With Survivors maintains, as detailed in theextensive report on Rocky Bucano and the Universal Hip Hop Museum, that Afrika Bambaataa and the Universal Zulu Nation exert undue influence on Bucano. The statement released by Bucano is another attempt to cover up Bambaataa and the UZN’s involvement in the museum.
Senator Chuck Schumer and other New York legislators who are charged with safeguarding the public’s money appear to be asleep at the wheel and have not addressed this issue nor read our extensive report. Schumer’s office would not even give Hip Hop Stands With Survivors an email address to send the report.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
Hip Hop Stands With Survivors held a public protest on Monday, March 27th demanding Bucano’s resignation OR an end to public funding.
In a statement Mayor Adams released to the Bronx Times, a spokesperson said, “Any form of sexual abuse is reprehensible and we condemn any individual or organization involved with these acts. After allegations surfaced, the Universal Hip Hop Museum assured the administration that they cut ties with the Universal Zulu Nation and that Afrika Bambaataa has not had a role at the Universal Hip Hop Museum since 2016. Our administration stands with survivors of sexual abuse.”
Hip Hop Stands With Survivors finds this response to be noncommittal double-speak. "We want to speak to Mayor Adams, Chuck Schumer, and the rest of the legislators giving our money to this museum," said journalist Leila Wills who has been investigating the Bambaataa, the museum, and the Zulu Nation for seven years. "Mayor Adams cannot issue a statement and that is the end of it. We want to talk to him and we want the money to stop until this is resolved."
Bucano’s statement repeats that Bambaataa and the UZN have had no role at the museum since 2016. However, Bucano continued to advertise and promote Bambaataa and the UZN as the attached 2018 and 2020 tweets show.
On November 14, 2022, Bucano even shouted out the Zulu Nation in the mayor’s presence.
Bucano also recently snuck Bambaataa into the museum unbeknownst to the public.
Bucano held the Zulu Nation’s anniversary at the museum in November.
He has also hired Zulu member and Bambaataa’s alleged enabler Muhammad Islam, real name Stanley Bell, and his company the Zulu Warriors to do security for the museum.
Mickey Bentsen, a longtime Zulu member, Bambaataa’s attack dog and alleged enabler, has been a part of weekend events at the museum. All while Bambaataa and the UZN are defendants in a child sex trafficking lawsuit to which they have not responded.
As far as governance, longtime UZN member Shawn Thomas aka Cutman LG was a lifetime board member until Hip Hop Stands With Survivors began its inquiry. Thomas is also the Director of Music Programming and two large Zulu Nation banners are on full display in the museum near the DJ booth.
Hip Hop Stands With Survivors believes the museum is signaling pedophiles in its advertisements and children are not safe there.
Rocky Bucano must resign or public dollars funding the institution must stop.
Bucano’s irreversible and unbroken bonds of friendship and continued business relations with Bambaataa and the UZN are explicit conflicts of interest.
IRS regulations forbid conflicts of interest and Hip Hop Stands With Survivors will demand the agency revokes the museum’s nonprofit status if Bucano does not resign.
The IRS states, “Apart from any appearance of impropriety, organizations will lose their tax-exempt status unless they operate in a manner consistent with their charitable purposes. Serving private interests more than insubstantially is inconsistent with accomplishing charitable purposes.”
We urge the FBI, the IRS, and journalists to read the special report on Bucano and the museum and to conduct their own investigations.
Mayor Adams, Senator Schumer, Jamaal Bowman, and other legislators must stop public funding until Bucano resigns and a new board is in place.
Microsoft is a publicly traded company and its general counsel, Bruce Jackson, sits on the museum’s board along with Ruben Diaz, Jr. who helped secure $4.2 million of public funds while in office.
Voting members of the museum’s board include Bucano, Jackson, Diaz, Adam Silverstein, and Peter Bittenbender. Outside of Bucano, the rest of the board has been silent. via Metropolis Newspaper
VIDEO: Rocky Bucano Shouts Out Universal Zulu Nation at Mayor Eric Adams Press Conference
Minute: 3:04
MEDIA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PROTEST AGAINST UNIVERSAL HIP HOP MUSEUM
Group Demands Eric Adams and Chuck Schumer Stop Taxpayer Dollars From Funding Museum, Protest March 27th at City Hall
New York (March 14, 2023)–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.
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About Hip Hop Stands With Survivors
Hip Hop Stands With Survivors (HHSWS) is a collective of individuals, groups, and organizations born of people that love hip-hop and refuse to accept corporate, political, and institutional silence for sexual abuse. These entities and individuals have not only made predators safe with their silence, they even promote those accused of heinous crimes. This destroys the morale of survivors and all who have loved and worked in hip-hop.
Our collective comprises male and female survivors, the survivors of Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation, musicians, artists, parents, empathizers, supporters, child advocates, victim advocates, lawyers, therapists, hip-hop organizations, professionals, and activists. The website is here: HipHopStandsWithSurvivors.com.