Hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa is facing additional abuse allegations after French rapper and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Solo alleged that the musician sexually assaulted him at the age of 16.
Solo, a co-founder of the influential French rap group Assassin, alleged the attack in an interview with French outlet CliqueTV.
Martial arts publication BJJ Eastern Europe translated and published the interview on Thursday.
In confronting a "predator" that he once looked up to, the rapper opened up about this painful experience and emotional mess.
"Being confronted by a predator, especially someone you admire, is very difficult because you admire this person," Solo said as quoted by AllHipHop.
"Realizing they have flaws that lead to inappropriate behavior is a shock," he added.
Solo claimed that he previously saw Bambaataa attack another young child before he became a target himself.
He recalled the graphic moment where Bambaataa attacked him while watching porn.
"That, too, is something you're not prepared for," he explained. "When I found myself in front of the p###, I was so shocked that I didn't move."
The rapper explained he'd spent decades not seeing himself as a victim and hadn't talked about the incident for more than 40 years.
Solo continued, "I needed personal development and support to even recognize that I was a victim."
Solo, however, then offered his take on the psychological effects of such an experience when asked if he ever blamed himself for the alleged assault.
"There's this feeling that you didn't have the right reaction at the right time. Over time, I understood that mechanisms are triggered that make it impossible to respond appropriately," he said.
These aren't the only allegations against Bambaataa. Several men have alleged sexual abuse in their teens.
The hip-hop icon has previously denied the claims, such as in a 2016 response.
While Solo said he has seldom spoken about the alleged assault to people in the hip-hop community, he added, "What happened to me isn't exceptional, and many can relate to it."
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