Planet Rock: The Album

Innovation. Creativity. Dope tracks for the time.

extremely dated, overextended, and basic by today's standards. it's very difficult to enjoy the album due to some of these old trends being so heavily used, such as the robot voice and all these random sound effects.

Pretty enjoyable slice of 80s hip-hop which sounds like it could have appeared on every late 80s movie soundtrack. Not something I’d reach for again, but I enjoyed this while it was on.

I suppose it's not usually a great sign when an album makes me better understand a different album, but this one makes me appreciate Rick Rubin's production on Run-D.M.C.'s *Raising Hell* a lot more. That album has the confidence to just let its beats and rhymes exist, as opposed to the noisy, kitchen-sink approach that's too often in evidence here. The progression from disco is obvious, and welcome; this is clearly party music, and rightfully so. And yet, in trying to differentiate himself from disco, Bambaataa as an MC seems to have learned some of the wrong lessons, at least on some of these tracks. Rather than iterative, the production is frequently just over-crowded. I feel like that connotes insecurity, like Bambaataa is afraid of not being considered a Real Musician and/or not doing enough to differentiate himself from what came before. That said, he's usually at least fine as a lyricist, albeit somewhat basic in a manner appropriate for the period. I just wish he'd get out of his own way a little more often.

getting assigned this album was how I learned Afrika Bambaataa died. It is also, unfortunately, how I learned the other notable thing on his wikipedia page.

groundbreaking and very inspring!!!

me encanta, muy ochentoso. En mi opinión todas las canciones se sintieron muy similares, fue como escuchar una sols canción larga de 45'. No creo que sea un album para escucharlo completo, solo canciones sueltas

N é meu tipo de rap

:/ i was one song in when i got on his wikipedia page and read about the child sexual abuse, and honestly that killed any interest i might've had in the album.

I appreciate it, I just don't particularly like it.

Lol, such a bizarre album cover. But I don't even have to listen to the track, I know how it starts by heart. One of my favorite old school hip hop tracks. But the rest maybe not so familiar. It's just such a FUN album, can't help but smile :D

Not bad 3/5

Great album!

cool drum machine work. microphones sound very strange. Maybe a little too old school for me to really love.

Dated sure, but lots of fun. Makes you wanna dance. Renegades of Funk is a banging tune

Early 80s hip hop just ain't for me unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, the synths were cool and the drum machines slapped, but it was the overall style of the rapping that I couldn't get behind. It all feels just a little too safe, with hardly any edge or bite to it, not really saying too much of anything. A difficult listen

Nah.

Lite daterat men kul och bra energi

Skön vibe och otrolig aura på omslaget.

Cool stil på musiken. Extremcool stil på omslaget.

We really have come far tbf. But it’s hard to penalise this album for that

I liked this album.

Nope

Dafuq was this

Not my thing at all, plus it's super cringe

A classic.

Didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would when I woke up to Planet Rock: Thé Album by Afrika Bambaataa, but still enjoyable.

Old school cool. Better than many of the rock albums from the same era.

The production is terrible but the basics are enjoyable. Planet Rock is iconic, the rest is a decent support. Good beats and music takes priority of the rapping.

A good start, but quickly freaked out

Enjoyable for what it is but a little goes a long way. I especially liked the first couple of songs but the rest is just a variation on those. Influential and foundational to rap/hip hop, but I feel like you had to be there. Also, Afrikka Baambatta, it turns out, was a pretty heinous dude.

I get this is on the list for its significance in the early stages of the genre, but goddamn, it is tedious at best and super annoying at worst. Theres a reason MCs pretty quickly stopped making seven minute long tracks. I'll take Slick Rick or Run DMC for old school hip hop fix any day

I’m not a huge fan of electronic music. I’m not a big Kraftwerk fan and they sampled Kraftwerk a few times. Thought the vocals were quite dated as well. So it wasn’t doing particularly well, but it was fine to have on in the background and then I was reading the reviews and saw that Afrika Bambaataa had been accused of multiple counts of child sexual abuse. He died about 4 months ago so the pennies from me streaming the album won’t go to him, which makes me feel a bit more like I can separate the album from that, but it definitely isn’t one I’ll go back to. Fav song: Go Go Pop Least fav: Looking for the Perfect Beat

Kraftwerk by any other name would sound as shit. Just not a fan of this album or this guy. Favourite song: Go Go Pop Least: Planet Rock

A hugely important record that is borderline unlistenable.

me when I'm funky as hell

One dimensional. Pretty boring. The bars on "who you funkin with" might have been the highlight. Renegades of funk is real cool because of Rage Against the Machine, this version is kinda a let down. Planet Rock even stinks, I hate when its played at weddings and dance clubs. I have to ask sometimes why influential music is bad compared to what came after.

Classic

Music like this definitely has its place in history, but I'm not going to pretend to enjoy it just because it's historically important. Hip hop is one of those genres that spent a good decade trying to find its feet before anything worth remembering was made. By the late 80s that's when hip hop started being made that is actually still worth listening to almost 40 years later, and then obviously in the 90s it really started to take off. But this album represents a really weird limbo period the genre was in at the time. Hugely important for the genre's development and without this album and others like it we wouldn't have the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, The Creator, and many more. And as much as I appreciate it for that, I won't sugarcoat how poorly this album has aged when it comes down to it. It's just straight up cringey and annoying, and uses just about every hip hop cliche under the sun. It's not even musically that impressive, just repetitive as hell and never takes any risks. I would give this one star for enjoyment factor, but purely for still being historically significant I'll be a tiny bit more lenient with my rating.

It is cool to hear this as a founding inspiration for hip hop, but it didn't catch me. I found out that one of Bambaataa's primary inspirations was Yellow Magic Orchestra. YMO is solid electronic music; highly recommend for any of the electronic enjoyers. They also have cool album art and no one in YMO is a pedophile.

Inspired, fun

i want it on record that this low score is not just because this dude is apparently a sex pest but also because i think that it sucks tremendously

I can see the appeal. Lots of building blocks that would go on to be part of much better albums. As far as foundational hip-hop albums go, I’d much rather listen to Grandmaster Flash. 2.5-3

The album is a lot, it’s all over the place. But the sounds are really incredible, especially for the time period, and you can hear all the different influences this vibe had on hip-hop as a result. Bambaata was close to every hip-hop pioneer (DJ Kool Herc who is considered the founder of hip-hop, Cowboy of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five who coined the word “hip-hop”) and was so important to the culture spreading overseas. The Universal Zulu Nation that he started turned New York into the hip hop hub that it still is today. It’s a shame he was a monster behind it all. Glad he’s dead.

Just because an album is great does not mean an album is good… Cause this is a super super like unfathomably important and influential record Just not a very enjoyable one for me

A wacky experiment that could have made “synth hop” a genre, but the hip hop gods had better plans. We got NWA three years later, Run DMC the next year, and Beastie Boys a few months later. The original triumvirate of hip hop was Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool Herc, and Afrika Bambaataa. Today’s supposed “big three” is Kendrick, J Cole, and Drake. I guess every triumvirate has one guy with songs in ~a minorrrrrr~

I actually think I went a little insane listening to this album, it's like a terrible fever dream... like it is aggressively unlistenable. And yes this album is a must listen before you die, so you can really appreciate just how far the genre has come from these truly humble beginnings Fav Track: 5 - Who You Funkin' With?

Not sure how I feel about this one. I liked hearing the original renegades of funk, and hearing origin of a lot of samples used elsewhere. The album as a whole just sounded like a bunch of random beats that kind of drowned out the vocals. Maybe I just don't get funk

Kerrassaan mielenkiintoista tavaraa. pink floyd veti huumeita ja teki oikeasti musiikkia samaan aikaan ku tämä mies teki tällaista paskaa. Kuitenkin pakko antaa propsit siitä että on kuuneltavaa musiikkia, ei yhtään sen enemäpää. Taustamusiikiksi jäi töissä, ei mitään mieleenpainuvaa. Tämä mies ei kertakaikkiaan osaa laulaa, toki tää on jotai og hip-hoppia enkä välttis vaa osaa nii arvostaa. Tulipahan kuunteltua mutta ei tarvitse toiste.

Way better than I expected. Absolutely dated, but dated in the way that I want to hear 80s rap. Funny, because Raising Hell by Run DMC the other day didn't grab me like this.

Bad

An okay album, I liked They Made A Mistake the most.

I really did not enjoy this album. I imagine it was rellllly significant when it was released, but it feels mediocre now. The songs went on for a little too long. A few of them started strong and I was excited to hear the rest, but the beat would change and go somewhere weird. Favorite Track: Frantic Situation

Rock To The Planet Rock 1001 Albums Generator 325 (8/11/2026) I wrote a whole review of why I don't like this but it didn't save. Basically it's outdated and doesn't hold up. 1.5/5, rounded down to 1. Fav: Looking For The Perfect Beat Least Fav: The rest of it.

Generic sounding as hell. Not their fault they got copied but I don't even think it sounds that great anyway

It's fine, but it belongs to the '80s completely.

Kid fiddlin is pretty wack.

que dios lo tenga a fuego lento diría mi abuelo

2.93 / 5 stars for Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock. Overall, this is a hugely influential album for all hip hop records and you can hear SO many samples that other hip hop groups have used. Major props for this group. Not an album I'd listen to very often, but a few songs could definitely hop on my mix playlist.

Decent listen.

Oh... Je ne connaissais son historique personnel. Afrika Bambaataa et Michael Jackson = same same.

Alors apparemment, c'est là que tout aurait commencé... dommage. Bon d'habitude je fais la distinction entre l'individu et l'artiste mais comme j'ai pas du tout aimé ça et qu'après EN PLUS, j'ai été lire sur ce M. Afrika, j'ai été horrifié par sa feuille de route.

Quite good. I recognised the Renegades of Funk, and have to say I prefer the RATM cover.

Too funky for work listening

As someone who truly loves hip-hop and has researched the history of how it came to be, I wish I enjoyed these sorts of early rap LPs more than I do. There's no denying the historical importance of a song like "Planet Rock," but I find that this is one of those albums where the Wikipedia article is more interesting than the music itself. I can't even say I respect Afrika Bambaataa, considering the awfulness that's come out about him over the years. The fusion of disco, funk, and early electronica is certainly novel in bursts—not to mention ingenious for the time—but calling this poorly-aged would be an understatement. Still, if I found this vinyl for a good price, I'd probably pick it up just for posterity's sake. Fav Songs: Planet Rock, Go Go Pop Least Fav: Who You Funkin' with? Score: 3.5

Solid No to pedos (allegedly). Tracks away too long, so I didn't finish them all

Every single track I heard felt too long by at least half. And then I read about the child sex abuse, so 1 star and I'm out. I guess I need to start searching reviews for "pedo" before I even start listening to a new artist. Seriously, why are there so many?

Can you like an album and be vehemently against paedophilia? I hope so.

Found myself nodding along at times, the funky stuff in particular is really well produced and fun to listen to. The rest, is ok. Let's leave it at that.

From the Vault #30 (January 9, 2026) Das rite. Two hip-hop album reviews in a day because I like to party hard on a Friday night. Once again, I've never heard of this artist, though this is quite the interesting album cover. It isn't at all synonymous with what I view as the hip-hop aesthetic. Since I'm listening to these hip-hop albums chronologically, I suspect I'm in for some rap rock similar to that of "Raising Hell" by Run DMC, which I've just listened to. Anyways, on with the music. Nope, dead wrong. I shoulda played it safe with the old school hip-hop prediction, but I just can't help myself. This was unremarkable and amateurish. The electronic instrumentals are weirdly muffled and lack any depth. The vocals are oafish and directionless. The songs are indistinguishable and generally dragged on for longer than they needed to. Truth be told, I can kind of appreciate the 80s campiness with Bambaataa's goofy get-up, though that aspect of the album isn't as emphasised as it should have been. On a positive, the total runtime is very respectable. I cannot overemphasise just how much I value conciseness when it comes to music. Book time. "...one of the true originals [of hip-hop]". Deviated from the prominent funk influence in hip-hop for a more electronic sound. Was influential in the creation of house music. Wow, I was pretty underwhelmed by this album, so colour me surprised to discover that it actually has a respectable level of influence. I guess I can let this one through. I cosign this inclusion.

This was pretty good for early hip hop. Still, the best thing about this album is the name and the cover art.

Черные рэпы

Music for termites

excellent funk and rhymin

Not the biggest fan, but can see what influences it had in hip-hop/rap

This album simply does not hold up even though it was vitally important and basically birthed electro and a bunch of techno / hip hop things. So there's that. But listening to it is not fun.

One of the earliest albums in the hip-hop genre and you can immediately hear it's influence. An album that has been sampled countless times and has that old-school charm. Though I found beside it's stand out tracks, it fell a little flat for the rest. Fav Songs Planet Rock Go Go Pop Who You Funkin' With? Is it Top 1001 Worthy (is it essential)? Yes-ish. Very influential, yet compared to contemporaries at the time, it shows it's age. Better to just listen to the first track, gives you the same idea in a fraction of the time. Also, the artist (now dead) has a nasty legacy.

Like a predecessor of beastie boys, with lots of 80s elements. This is def an album on here because it's important for a genre, and not because it stands the test of time on its own. Not bad, not great, 2*

This was less interesting to me than 70s funk.

Awesome funky techno

As ever with albums like this, though they may have been groundbreaking at the time, they no longer manage to capture the attention of the listener in the same way. It's not bad, sometimes bordering on good, but it just sounds too dated to be worth regular listening.

So recognisable in every song. Futuristic while being old AF. Such a moment.

Solid stuff but a bit samey

It's kind of a silly album, but in a fun way. The music is a bit absurd. 3/5 Might listen again

Important in the history of hip hop but not really an album per se. 3 for importance if not execution.

A bit of a pickle, here. This stuff is formative for hip-hop. Some of the sampling here was done by literally re-recording music together (interpolation!) -- a by-hand version of something that is everywhere today. Some of the electronic sounds also have the feel of a Casio keyboard bought from a thrift store. None of that undermines the vision and creativity of Afrika Bambaataa but one does get the sense that he'd have made a more polished song if he'd had access to better tools. Should you listen? Absolutely. It's like the hip-hop production version of reading some Shakespeare (to better understand English literature). To some extent, everything is referencing this work. On the other hand, I don't actually think it holds up all that way in a bunch of subtle ways that are cumulatively a bit irritating. I also don't like many of the flows on this record. I'm not sure if that's sacrilegious but I'll be honest about it. Again, though, if you let the algo just roll into some more old-school hip-hop, you'll hear more great stuff. Landmark. Essential. A little rough around the edges and though that's entirely unfair to the producer, it's something I couldn't shake. Paying my respects, 4/5.

Hip house?

This is a little too dated in style for me. The actual music didn't really grab me at all, but it was interesting to hear the original "Renegades of Funk" and a lot of this felt familiar in some ways, probably because of how often it's been sampled.

Definitely an interesting listen. Musically it is pretty primitive compared to where hip-hop would go in the future, but despite this not really being up my alley it kept me engaged the whole time. I wouldn't say I loved this, but I'm glad to have heard it.

Planet Rock is a classic slice of 80's hip hop. Its great. Unfortunately the formula wears a little thin over the rest of the album which lacks the bite of the opener.

Planet Rock: The song is a massive dance anthem. The rest is pioneering hip hop that has not aged well.

I couldn't do it. the morning that this album popped up in my project, there was this unknown clicking noise happening in my work-from-home office. I think there's construction going on at the neighbor's house. plus it was Monday. then trying to layer this on top of all of that. not happening

So much fun

funky!

Wasn't a bad album, just kind of one sound; however, a very unique sound at that. I could see this influencing later hip hop and rap artists. Not my cup of tea entirely, but a fun listen.

fonkaayyyy 80s electronic, beats, catchy, dance. planet rock is so iconic but my favorite song is looking for the perfect beat. ^.^

1.5 stars I don’t have anything new to add about this. Not very enjoyable. Appreciate that it was influential.

Funky old school djing

Not anything remotely close to what I would normally listen to. Really highlights that ‘rap’ as a genre is as broad as guitar music is. The instrumentals behind the rapping were really funky. I liked them! Was cool to hear the original renegades of funk….the rage cover is so different but uniquely there’s as well.

This record starts out pretty strong and then quickly diminishes in quality. Favourite Track(s): Planet Rock, Looking for the Perfect Beat Least Favourite Track(s): They Made A Mistake

Pretty fun 80s hip hop with a couple songs you'll recognize. But one listen is enough for me, so that's a 3/5.

Used to love the minimalist rap but this was hard to listen to now. Some good stuff tho

While I get that some of these are boundary-pushing tracks, listening with a modern ear they now sound horribly dated and crude. It's not bad, and I'll happily listen to an edit of Planet Rock if I'm on an 80s trip, but I won't be returning to this album. Not for the first time, I wish there were half marks because this doesn't really deserve a 2 but doesn't warrant a 3 either.

Dated music made by a child sex abuser. Not a good combo. The album cover is fire though.

Couldn't even tell recall 1 song after listening to it. Very, very forgettable.

Planet Rock the track is amazing and obviously very pioneering, bringing Kraftwerk and early electronic music into the then fledgling genre of hip hop. However, most of the other tracks here haven't really aged too well.

2.8

2.5

Fun but hasnt aged very well

Pioneering. Influential. Rubbish.

Super!!!!! Yeah! Very interesting!!!!!😄

It got repetitive, but definitely has a groove in the beginning. Rating: 3/10 Favorite Song: Planet Rock

For its time I’m sure it was revolutionary, but hasn’t aged all too gracefully. Obligatory fuck Bambaataa

First song is alright, the rest of it just isn't really good. 3/5.

Interesting

Too many funky noises. Headache for me

🙂

It’s cool, but it does not feel like an album.

Planet Rock is undeniably one of the most influential tracks of all time, but it was never meant to be an album.

Separating the art from the artist - what an influential album. This definitely revolutionized the scene at an early stage in the genre. I found the album enjoyable from that context. Though Akrika was a real POS from the sounds of it, so I've got to cap this at a 2.

Day911 - the real old school hip hop. just don’t google afrika bambaataa.

They sure do like that high pitched 'tetetete' electro sound. I, too, like the high pitched 'tetetete' electro sound. Well played, Afrika Bambaataa.

Ordinary

"Can you play stuff like Kraftwerk?" asked Bam (Afrika Bambaata), who played their records at DJ gigs. (Producer, Arthur Baker) worried about stealing the melody from "Trans-Europe Express," but (John) Robie said, "I'll tear that shit up." Source: Rolling Stone- 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004) This is technically a compilation. It was industry standard for electronic based artists to record 12" singles for DJs instead of albums. It was cheaper and quick to release. If the single was successful, then the label would consider a compilation instead of a studio album. I get that it's foundational for hip hop and possibly the development of American house music. But it's a compilation. Most of this I've heard before on previous albums on the list (RUN DMC, et al) Overall: 2/10

It gets VERY samey after a while, despite being sonically interesting. But fuck Bambaataa, man. The paedo fuck!

A fun time. 2.5 rounded down to 2.

Oh lord was this one FUNNY. Just a bunch of dudes messing around with rhymes and sound effects and thinking they sounded AWESOME. like who hasn't been there

Real talk: music has moved on in virtually all the ways that define this music. It’s kinda corny. But there’s something charmingly earnest about it and it won me over a bit. That was gonna push me to a 4 but then Spotify played Grandmaster Flash after this album finished and I was reminded of what a true seminal genius of the genre is capable of. That knocked it down a peg.

This . . . this was intolerable.

Love the production. Simple but effective.

3.0 - Ok

Funky!

I can imagine how this might have been super important or influential in its time, but man, does it just not hold up over time.

My morals are too high to even bother listening to this nonce's music.

Very fun album that sonically helps connect the dots between P-Funk of the 70s and the G-Funk that would follow in the 90s. Enjoyed all the endearingly cheesy synths used throughout. The title track is neat, but the real personal standouts are tracks like "Looking For the Perfect Beat" or "Go Go Pop" 8/10.

8/10 I had a lot of fun with this but I have to admit it feels a bit dated at times

I’d say this is perfection since it inspired the soundtrack for Donkey Kong Island

While fun, this album felt dated. The beats were exciting and the synths were innovative and experimental. However, the lyrics were relatively bland and were sung or chanted in that 80s hip-hop style that’ll make you feel older than that bottle of Tylenol in your grandma’s pantry. If you feel nostalgic and can still bust a move to this album, more power to ya. Also, thought I heard “Renegades of Funk” sounded familiar and found Rage Against the Machine’s cover. Needless to say, if you want to jam to this song while sounding remotely “cool” go for the RATM version.

I’m certain that I am ignorant of the influence that this album has on hip-hop. But, this is bad, and, outside of its historical roots, meaningless. For a project titled, “Planet Rock”, the songs themselves don’t really go anywhere.

Shocked at how much this has in common with Playboi Carti. I never realized before today that funk is the granddaddy of the modern ear worm (duh?). Not enough variation here to warrant repeat listens, but those low bass punches on the title track are still off the chain. I hope this fuckhead is burning in the lake of sulfur! https://www.vice.com/en/article/afrika-bambaataa-sexual-abuse-zulu-nation-ron-savage-hassan-campbell/

hn hn hn hnhnhnhnhn

This was way more fun than I anticipated!

легенды

This isn't even the charming kind of dated. It's like video game music with shitty rapping over top.

Favourite Songs: Who You Funkin' With?

one of these kinda reminded me of a highschool rap project

the cover!

You definitely had to be there. I just can't get past the image of a dude on a tiny, battery-operated Casio keyboard. I'm glad this stuff was coming out 40 years ago and paving the way for hip-hop to hit its golden age in the 90s, but I just cannot imagine listening to this again.

Great vibes very fun piece of music history

Pretty good old school stuff. Sorry to hear about Africa Bambaataa 😑

I vaguely remember this… Wow. I can’t actually listen to this. I mean, I DID, but, it was a horrible experience. Historically important? Yeah. But honestly I think I’d rather throw Einstürzende Neubauten on. Seriously 😳 Respect for Kraftwerk. Yet, I think they made things worse, not better. Yeah. Giving it a 2. That’s the best I can do. I want to do better for what this IS. But… yeah, no. 2 is f*ing generous. 2 Boolean: um…. True?

#166/1001 🇺🇸 There are some massive tracks on here at its undeniably a blueprint sound for the genre. It has been imitated, sampled and recycled so many times since. Best tracks: Who You Funkin' At, Lookin For The Perfect Beat, Planet Rock.

I used to have this al I’m many years ago, I had forgotten all about it…. Bloody excellent- great listen yesterday

This stuff is so funny to go back and listen to. It’s cringey and dorky as hell from our modern perspective. So F U T U R I S T I C it’s like a proto-Black Eyed Peas lol. If the guy wasn’t a child molester I would feel weirder trash talking something so obviously influential but fuck it. It’s just goofy.

Historical artefact that has its place, led to etc etc. History, from what can see is already it seems in the process of erasure. Though addressing would probably be healthier but that doesn’t seem it the what happens. As music it’s not aged for a non fan, very repetitive electronic, whereas the original electronic music it samples flows, this with the vocals just seems to loop in on its self and just very dull, where repetitive can be fine, here it just is well, monotonous . Vocals are very of the time and just a little pedestrian. Musically, historic from what I read just dull 2 Star. Non- musically, wtf is up with people, stop hiding the problems and deal with, 1 Star

Whilst hip hop from the 80s always seems to sound more outdated than any other genre does, there is a beauty to the simplicity and the fun of these pioneers. And that's why this album is vital: a key pioneer in the hip hop movement that affected so much of the music scene. Also, gives off GTA Vice City vibes that I can't help but love.

This album is a compilation of singles that were released from 1981-1986, with that being the case, the album was already dated in 1986. Other landmark rap albums released in 1986 included two foundational albums in American music history: Raising Hell by Run DMC and Licensed to Ill by the Beastie Boys. It also does not help that this album suffers from the stain of the allegations against Africa Bambaataa.

2 out of 5. Though dated more fun than I expected.

Solid 2.5. not something I would probably listen to again, but it was kind of fun.

I get the importance of this album, but if feels pretty boring compared to what it inspired.

i didn't listen but not trying to give a sex offender more than a 1

Fun soulful moving

similar to yesterday - fun and def of it's time. it definitely made me marvel at how far and sophisticated hiphop has come in terms of beats and melodies

I would like to first say that Afrika Bambaataa is a nasty disgusting human being and I hope he’s paying for his crimes in death. Now judging the music, this was one of the foundations of hip hop, a genre that would go on to change, shape and highly impact the world. So i respect the contributions this album made to a genre that deeply influenced my life and journey through music. But the actual project is just ok, you can hear the infancy of the genre and how they were just catching a vibe with the beat. Nothing really of substance just a new type of music to party to at the time. There are classic records that live on through the many times that they’ve been sampled or redone. So overall this album is probably 2.9 but I bumped it up to a 4 for its impact on music alone.

Old school! Appreciate this pioneer.

The album to put on when you need to travel to 1986 to put a banana in a tailpipe. This will get you there.

Definitely outdated album. If the beats weren't so repetitive it would be better.

Didn't stop bouncing my feet/legs the entire album. Hit the right balance to me of beat, variance, lyrical work, catchiness. Felt like this album captured a lot of the things I really like about hip hop, along with the funk/electronica themes.

Understand this album is on the list because it's the beginning of hip hop and I can appreciate that but for me it was just OK.

This was sensational, horrid, bombastic, fluid, funky, spunky, rhythmic, retro, Voltron, laser, hip-hop, drop dat beat but don't drop the boom box. 3

Pretty unique early hip-hop here. Very inventive beats. Glad I listened to it, but I didn't really enjoy it all that much. I'm just not much of a fan of the style/flow of early rap.

5.5/10

41/100 I can absolutely see why Planet Rock is considered important, but enjoyment-wise, this one did almost nothing for me. Outside of the title track, listening to the album felt more like homework than something I’d choose to put on. I’m glad I heard it once, but I can confidently say I’ll never be listening to that shit again.

decent record, dragged a little bit though

not a fan ngl

Absolute classic

This is weird. Cause on one hand its insanely produced on at best a computer that could maybe open a text document. On the other hand its so old school thats im not that into it. I could see this being insane in its time but now im having a hard time with the raps. Its the classic Mary had a little lamb type stuff. That kinda hurts me a bit. But if I strip that all away and just have the beats they are crazy. And probably done by hand on tapes or some shit. Its nuts what they got out of that type of setup. No fruity loops in the mid 80s. Its simultaneously one of the best things ive ever heard and not that great at the same time. I can see this being crazy for the guys who came up after though. DE LA or nas whoever. But in the year of our lord 2026 it feels to antiquated for me. Still love the beats though. Also I never knew where rage against the machine got renegades from but now I know. I knew that was a cover album but never knew it was bambaata. The more you know

Planet Rock and Renegades of Funk are the obvious classics but this is seminal and foundational hip hop. The beats are strong and the songs are catchy (if not a bit long at times). All in all it's just fun.

Just did not age well. This is likely historically important and there had to be obvious technical limitations… although this is 86 so not really… but I have had students with no musical experience create something stronger than some of this in 2 hours on BandLab. It’s just so sparse, basic, and boring at times. Gets the historical pass but this was hard to take seriously. The rage cover of renegades really goes to beat in not only how good rage is but what these songs could be in the hands of competent musicians.

Always interesting listening to early hip-hop from this period. I had never heard the original Renegades of Funk, and recognized a few other tracks too. Made me want to breakdance!

Yeah… I get it. It’s pioneering and groundbreaking. But listening today might not really do it justice. It sounds very outdated. I like the Kraftwerk inclusion and Who You Funkin’ With which is more like Run DMC

As much as this is a historical hip hop album, it just doesn’t groove to me

I'm just going to echo what most are saying about this one. Maybe it was an important record when it came out 40 years ago, but it doesn't hold up anymore. I genuinely fine this album to be pretty awful

I like it 👍🏼🔥

A boring mid-school hip hop. Starting with the positives, I think what stands the most is the rapping, specially the flows. While I don't find them incredible or outstanding, I do believe they are the best part of the album by a long shot, as they sound like they are having fun and trying to hype things up. What I don't like about this album are the beats and how long the songs are. Coming from mid-school, the beats here are incredibly basic and dry, almost being only drums if it wasn't for the occasional synths textures they throw from time to time and that basically don't add anything of value, except for maybe some songs, like in "Looking for the Perfect Beat" and the intro of "Go Go Pop". However, even in those songs, the instrumentation isn't that remarkable or interesting. So, the mix of boring beats with lengthy songs (two of them last for more than seven minutes and another three of them last about six), this project makes for an unsatisfying experience that not even the rappers can save.

7/10

I enjoyed this album. It has that 80s hip hop sound I don’t really care for but the lyrics were about social issues. These guys had something to say and it wasn’t all about money and partying.

Haven't heard of them but I know Renegades of Funk. Heard orchestra hit and a Kraftwerk sample in the first 2 minutes and I was sold. Interesting to hear old school hip hop and compare it to modern music from the genere. Kendrick I need you to sample Kraftwerk on your next album 3/5

First notes and I was seeing myself watching Ali G. The rest of it is funky/hip-hop that get annoying after some time and was happy to be done with. 2.5

Interesting with some funky moments but a bit raw

At first I thought I would hate this, but it was pretty interesting! Cool stuff.

Gets a point for influence, but there’s not that much reason to listen to this over more modern hip-hop albums. Still a fun, interesting piece of music history.

It's okay.

This sound took me back. Rapping with a funky electronic backing. Would have been a three and a half. But... you know.

funky funky funky

Listening to the foundations of Hip-Hop. Wonderful stuff. Kraftwerk sample on Planet Rock stood out for me, recognised immediately.

it was fun but repetitive

Is that "Trans-Europe Express" I detect? This album is a lot of fun, although most of that is concentrated in the first track. It is certainly a really cool sound, and I can see the influence it had on later music. Favorite track: "Planet Rock"

Dated

Party people, Party people, can y'all get funky? <Robot Voice> Rock, Rock, Planet Rock ... Don't stop! Gotta rock it, don't stop it, gotta rock it ... don't stop!

People are hard on these early rap albums. This was some real skill

Endearing enough I spose.

Rare case of a singer impairing a good band for me

3.5 80s rap

More influential than quality

Look, this is a great album, and I understand separating art from artist, but Lance (Afrika Bambaataa's real name) was a really, really awful human. Awful enough that there's debate about keeping him in any historical documentation about the rise of hip hop in NYC in the 80s.

Boring

Futurism has never sounded more retro

The '80s, man. Funny how stuff from the '80s feels so much more dated than stuff from the '60s or '70s. For instance, my wife and I recently re-watched the original Ghostbusters, and were left wondering how that movie became so popular. This record feels lie it belongs in the '80s.

This was early days, hip hop was developing and pioneers like Africa Bambaataa were setting the scene and taking it directions that would start a movement. This is history, appreciate it.

This album is like a transitional form, a land animal with gills or something. I see how this was preceded by great works like Space is the Place and much 70s funk and lead to great works of hip hop but it feels and reads stilted and unfinished to me! Felt like I was just waiting for this one to end. Maybe better for a party vibe.

Cool for the time, still fun enough Will I listen to again: 17%

Of all the genres that compose electronic music, it must be said - sadly - that electro has aged rather poorly. The Rowland just doesn't sound as cool as it did in the 80s. That being said, Planet Rock still does. It's not greatest record you'll hear but it's suitable amounts of fun. Does the job.

Running laps in physical education to this

It’s really a 2.5 but I’m rounding up

Som rád, že je tu predstavený aj základ hop hopu, rapu... Je to celkom fajn, občas si niečo takéto vypočuť.

no

I like Rage Against the Machine better than I did before after listening to this album because now I have someone else to blame Renegades of Funk on. If I were a better person I would probably be able to appreciate this album for it's place in the evolution of hip-hop music. In this world, though, I just found it a bit cheesy and very longwinded.

It is so interesting to see the collaborations in these early hip-hop records - I mean kraftwerk - wow so cool. As in life, we create these narrow genres but really the beauty and creativity lies in collaboration. That being said - not my fav akb but I respect trail blazers.

Definitely of its time. Too bad about this dude.

Not my thing

Influential, but sup-par compared to other 80's hip-hop acts.

Ok album

This was fun. Early hip hop before the gangster stuff took over

ikke helt min type musikk det her

Corny dated rap. Some of the instrumentals were nice, but it was mostly standard beats.

Super old and super shit.

This is a unique album. I really liked it and will probably return to it. I can see how it was hugely influential and probably sampled to death. Mad respect

what IS this 😭😭🙏 like sci-fi + 80's rap? two genres im not a huge fan of the random ass synth solos reaaallllyyy do it for me /s

bizarrely racist top reviews for this one

I feel like if I heard these songs in a club I would have a great time. The vibe really carried the entire album. Not a bad album and not bad songs, but just kinda fall flat as an album.

Bambaataa is a reprehensible person outside of music. The music is good. Do with that what you will.

Incredible album! Truly essential and genre-defining electro and hip-hop here. Bummer I've got to separate the art from the artist though, considering the absolute piece of shit Afrika turned out to be.

The backing music reminds me of Herbie Hancock's Rockit, which was 1983 (this album 1986) so that checks. Seems like this music would be fun on stage or in the club, but it's not something I'd listen to on my own.

I was actually enjoying this in a fun, retro/nostalgia way before I read up on all Bambaataa's reoccuring tendency to sexually assault young boys. So, knocking this a star for "garbage human" tax.

But for the first two songs, and maaaybe 'Frantic Situation,' this is *painfully* dated. My husband thought one of the songs on the back half of the album was Milli Vanilli. Feels like an after-the-fact cash-in on the popularity of 'Planet Rock,' which isn't wrong but definitely doesn't make this a strong album. Add in Bambaataa's predatory history, and can't rate this any higher.

It's fine for what it is - an intro to the origins of hip hop, but I just can't believe this is the best example of this timeframe. I enjoyed the Queen Latifah album much more and feel like something from Grandmaster Flash may work better here. Plus just found out the Bambaataa was a notorious kiddie diddler, so let's move on from his historical significance and highlight other people from that era of hip hop.

Cool to hear where certain samples came from but not an album I wanted to listen to the whole thing

just fun and goofy 80's hip hop. I love how robotic it is and how much experimentation went on here. its just not really my jam at the end of the day and its tough to enjoy considering his past.

Well I’m Afrika Bambaataa and I’m here to say, To enjoy Planet Rock do not look into my alleged sex crimes against young boys until after you’ve already rated and reviewed it so then you don’t have to enable editing and go back and rewrite your review but still give the album a 5 because this era of hip hop was very silly and fun and it was fun to listen to the album without knowing about the sex crimes

Not my thing. Funk soul with synthesizers.

Very fun album. Unique by today's Hip-Hop standards, but maybe that's because this isn't really Hip-Hop, although it certainly has a lot of rapping. The sci-fi imagery goes well with the electronic dance sounds, even if they are incredibly corny (in a fun and charming way). By 1986, Disco has completely vanished after the over-the-top backlash it received earlier in the decade. Officially, it is said it has mutated into what became House and Techno, but this type of Synth Funk can also be classified as a Disco descendent. Great use of a Kraftwerk sample in the title track. Key tracks: Planet Rock Looking for the Perfect Beat

For some reason I have the unexplainable urge to dress in my acid wash jeans and neon t-shirt, lace up my roller skates, stuff my pockets with quarters for the arcade, and head for a fun day at the roller rink. Fun nostalgic 80s music, yes, but a top 1000 album? Um, no.

Heard Before? Just the title track. Notes: - one of the oddest categories in this list is "albums famous for only one song". - I feel like our pal Dimery took a "Hip-Hop for Beginners" course and just barely passed. - this is where electro-rap started. as fun as it is, I'm glad it didn't stay here. Verdict: i love drum machines. i love synths. i love samplers. i love rapping. my tolerance for cheese is high. but this might be a bridge too far. Listen Again? Interesting, but not worth it.

groovy but all the songs sound the same tbh

This was a little bit of a meh album. The songs were okay for just playing in the background, but it wasn't anything exciting. As this came out in 1986, I assume there was a market for it back then, but it's just very meh nowadays.

I lost count of how many samples I recognized from artists influenced by this album. So yeah, you can really hear the influence this album had on music. That said, it also shows its age, hip hop has progressed exponentially since this came out. It’s still a fun album, but not one I’ll probably listen to again.

This one hurts as I dig this track and this album but AB is a problem

very cheesy, very 80's but not in a bad way. Kind of annoying but kind of cool

Clearly been sampled loads but it sounds dated now. Also the blokes a nonce

a fun look back at what rap was in the 80s. not a critically acclaimed rap album by any means but an enjoyable listen. Solid 3 for this list.

Very old-school hip-hop. This sounds like a transition from disco to electronic and rap. Looking at the notes, I am pleased to see I was right in hearing this, although I didn't hear the Kraftwerk collaboration. I would agree with the reviewers who rate this low, saying it's not aged well, and those who rate it high for its historical significance, I see both points of view. And I am just glad that I only ever rate based on my personal enjoyment. Also it is personally nice foor me to be able to place the reference in Deltron 3030's lyric "Rap your tear clap your ear with Soulsonic Mantronik phonics / Turn your brain to an omelette" from Positive Contact.

Lowkey prototypal.

Something different and original.

This is a pretty awful album.

Does this exist?

pivotal game changer - he was necessary as a catalyst, but that's it - after track 2 this record is just mediocre

Sounds super dated and doesn’t age well. I get that this was a door opener and super influential to future rap artists but as a standalone time capsule, it’s a little silly.

This album is like eating a handful of Pop Rocks. First, it's sweet, and the flavor hits every last taste bud, putting them all on notice. As your brain catches up, the mini-explosions begin. Pops blast through your mouth, and your mind explodes trying to keep up with all the action.

Live by the sword die by the sword. One generation's cutting edge is the next generation's pet rock. Similar to some 90s dance, this just doesn't age well. I know it's the dawn of the 808 and they walked so others could run - but I'm looking for morning running - even a jog. These songs drag on endlessly. And I get it - they're for the dancefloor. Or hanging. Or perambulating down the street - who doesn't want a good back beat. But I need a little bit more song. And not just more Kraftwerk songs. Actual songs. My take aways: In pop culture - it's better to be second. Transitional moments age better than being firmly at the beginning or end of an era. Technology is a b*tch.

Not bad, but it didn’t stand out to me much. It probably hit harder when it first came out though. Why are there so many pedos?! Edited down from 3 to 1.

He's a nonce, apparently.

Not quite my thing

Afrika Bambaadassita.

It's old school rap. I like it, but not as much as I like the artists influenced by Afrika Bambaataa

Could really use some renegades about now. RIP afrika. Though not too much peace given the sins and all. Cool and innovative music.

Banger

Absolute banger. Love hearing genres being invented in real time!

OH SHIT! BIG DAWG *JUST DIED!!* And left behind a very complicated legacy of sexually assaulting several individuals (I won't get into that though because I don't feel obligated to, and I don't particularly want to either), in between all that "z-z-z"-ing. But anyway this jawn's pretty dope. Very high energy, earlier-era hip-hop that I like a lot, and obviously INCREDIBLY influential. Like, you can hear callbacks to Bambaataa in a lotta places, such as the outro on one of the songs on Things Fall Apart by The Roots, or the intro to one of the songs on Labor Days by Aesop Rock, both making use of the iconic "z-z-z-z-z" ad-lib on Planet Rock. And even with the quality of some of the songs, that is the real draw here. All these songs have a hand in creating the foundation of so many parts of hip-hop. You can hear Beastie Boys in here, you can hear NWA in here, you can hear OutKast in here, pretty much any high-energy hip hop song can be traced back in some way to this album. And the songs are solid too. Obviously "Planet Rock" is a classic, but "Searching For The Perfect Beat" ain't too bad and "Frantic Situation" is a banger too. Overall it's not anything special without context, but I added an extra 0.5 for how much history and influence it has (I almost added one whole point! But that would be excessive). Pretty cool album. 8.3/10

This one is okay, the beats are pretty fun. I'd give this a 3 star, but I guess the guy who made it is a creep? so i removed 1 star. I don't hate it enough to rate it 1 star tho

I initially was not into this album at all, as the first few tracks just were not very good. There were a couple of tracks towards the end that I enjoyed more, notably Who You Funkin' With, sounded less like a drum machine with synth compared to the others on the album, and the rap flow on this track is catchy. I also feel like I keep getting albums of artists who very recently passed away. He died only 5 days ago. I'm giving this one a low score, partly because I didn't really like it, with some exceptions toward the end of the album, and also because he was not a good person and abused children.

Interesting historical recordings here, although not exactly my thing. Warning if you decide you're an Afrika Bambaataa fan now, you may want to avoid reading his wikipedia page.

I wasn't able to separate the man from the music.

I didn't have to strain separating the art from the artist here. As is often the case with landmark albums, I appreciate Planet Rock for what it did more than I actually want to listen to it. I totally respect that it had a seismic impact in the nascent hip-hop world, and it was clearly on a whole other level at the time. Forty years later, it's more a history lesson than something I'll come back to. And, you know, Bambaataa was credibly accused of some pretty awful shit, so there's that.

Ahead of it's time. Can hear in it so much that influenced what came after.

There is something in the old school hip hop that has been lost. Which isn’t to say modern hip hop is worse, just that it’s evolved and something had to get left behind.

127. nice

LOVE ME SOME OLDIE HIP-HOP!! so funky. Love the album cover art

it sounds like that episode of the super mario bros super show where every line is spoken like they're trying to rap and its awful and sucks

No standouts

This album is like a time machine back to the 80’s - skating around the rollerink wearing all neon! I can appreciate the historical significance and also the beats, but I got bored of it after a while because the songs started to sound the same. Who You Funkin With was good! (3)

oh buddy im fucking ready to listen to whatever the fuck this shit is hilariously dated. it's kind of garbage but i find it really charming, and it has its moments here and there.

Liked it more and more each track, first track almost lost me but Renegades of Funk and Frantic Situation are dope

Overall: 2/10 I understand that this was influential to the evolution of hip hop and a lot of classics of the genre wouldn't be the same without it, but I genuinely really hated this. It's primitive and repetitive and the rappers aren't very good. It doesn't help that Bambaataa is a kid diddler either. Fav Song: Renegades of Funk

Classic

historic

Dated, uninteresting, and made by a pedophile? What a classic

The beats go hard on this one.

I really enjoyed the energy of this album. The flow and the samples just worked well together and created something lively and engaging. I can’t say I was able to focus that much on the lyrics, but I still found it delightful overall. I’d consider giving this another listen somewhere down the road.

Found this surprisingly enjoyable

This album cover is promising a lot. XD And, you know what? It kinda' delivers. It's so 80s it's nearly painful and I love it for that. Synth heavy, beat heavy, fun focused, a bit cheesy. Yep, them's the 80s. I don't know much about the evolution of hip hop, but apparently this stuff is very important. I'm glad I had the chance to hear it. I've also never listened to 'electro' but if this is what it sounds like, I dig it. Points for historical significance & creativity. I do agree with some of the other reviewers in that these songs are not strong enough for a 6-7 minute run times. From my understanding, all of these songs were made as singles so I get it. I think if they had sat down to create a full cohesive album they could do better but this is a pretty good start.

Not for me. Sat dozing throughout.. No best track.

not my favorite

Ok old school hip hop/rap felt a bit dated

Bof

Album #111 Afrika Bambaataa and The Soulsonic Force: Planet Rock: The Album I really did expect to hate this album. I already am not huge on hip-hop, and so I figured if I don’t like the final product, why would I enjoy it in its infancy? But this album actually felt a lot more in line with Funk and Electronic music than hip-hop. Of course, there are still hip-hop verses, but the instrumentals are quite reminiscent of P-funk, mixed in with the heavily sampled electronic music of Kraftwerk. The first track is clearly the stand-out here; it was actually originally a single released earlier in the 80s that went on to sell incredibly well and make the electro movement mainstream. So naturally, after a few years of not being able to replicate the success of Planet Rock, Afrika Bambaataa figured fuck it, we’ll milk it for a whole album. There are some other good tracks on here, but nothing to the level of the title track. Near the back-end, I started to get pretty fatigued by the whole sound, which isn’t a great sign for a relatively short album. I feel like the instrumentals were great for the most part, reminded me a bit of Pet Shop Boys' Introspective, another dance-fusion element, which let each song run its course. However, unlike with the Pet Shop Boys, these songs would have been better off being a bit shorter. Overall, a pretty interesting album, with some great moments, but not enough going for it to be an engaging album; however, I do prefer this sound to most early hip-hop. Ok, just found out this guy was a crazed pedophile, the music wasn't even that good I think I just liked the Kraftwerk sample so I'm dropping this from a 5 to a 2. Best Songs: Planet Rock, Go Go Pop, Looking for the Perfect Beat Worst Song: Who You Funkin’ With? Score out of 10: 2

I have to admit that the labels “hip hop” and “electro” really put me off these days—there’s so much trash listed under those categories... Fortunately, there are exceptions, and Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force are somewhat among them. The singles compiled on Planet Rock are still too monotonous for my taste, but the beats are OK, the synth tracks show a certain musicality and are even good in parts, and the rappers have a lively yet laid-back vibe (and don’t just try to cram as many words as possible into the shortest amount of time) . Of course, that’s far too little for a must-hear album, but it’s enough to land it in the “nice-to-know” category.

tf is this shit

like many other reviewers noted, this must have been a defining and revolutionary record in it's time, but the genre has progressed so far since it's release, it's difficult to rate today.

The title track is great but the rest of the album is not as strong