Looking for the Perfect Beat
Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force
No annual list year
Date not established. No original release year is inferred from a screenshot filename.
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More by this artistEditorial all-time selection from cited sources / existing catalog
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About Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force
Song-specific inspiration or recording background is not established for this entry. This sourced artist profile provides career context.
Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force helped connect early hip-hop with electronic dance music through their Tommy Boy recordings. Bambaataa had developed his work as a DJ and organizer of Bronx block parties during the 1970s. 'Planet Rock' brought that background into a prominent electro recording in 1982, combining rap with electronic textures associated with Kraftwerk. Bambaataa also pursued collaborations with James Brown and John Lydon, extending his recording work across funk and other musical traditions.
Artist background sources
Tommy Boy Records - Afrika Bambaataa artist biography
Bronx DJ background, Planet Rock's electro context, Soulsonic Force release credit and later collaborations; honorary labels and unsupported group membership claims omitted. | Retrieved 2026-10-19
Tommy Boy Records - Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force catalog
Exact joint artist credit and Planet Rock album catalog identity. | Retrieved 2026-10-19
Profile reviewed: 2026-10-19. Artist background does not establish a song's creative origin or release date.
Retained annual-list context
Looking for the Perfect Beat by Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force is included in the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap track list. This establishes retrospective selection, not a documented personal inspiration or first-release date.
Source-backed retrospective catalog association; no song-specific recording history or inspiration established.
Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap: track list
Title/performer and retrospective anthology membership only; 2021 is the anthology release, not the original track year.
Other appearances and versions
Exact recording version not independently established
An annual chart year and an original release date are different. Similar titles may be covers or different masters; no audio fingerprint has been performed.
Sources and scope
Source-scoped curated selection; not an official all-time ranking or complete recording review.
Editorial listening-collection classification; not independently established for each recording.
Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap: track list
Title/performer and retrospective anthology membership only; 2021 is the anthology release, not the original track year.
Browse by year
1960-2025. Each year contains 150 selections.