Afrika Bambaataa. Arguably a founder of hiphop, definitively the founder of the Universal Zulu Nation (which I will not allow myself to digress into), he is of West Indian descent and his age is a mystery though he is believed to have been born sometime between 1955 and 1962.
He's got a whole bunch of history tied in with his musical roots, most notably the ferocious gang culture of the Bronx during the late 70s early 80s. This is where real hiphop was born.
Though Bambaataa is credited with being a founder of the hippity, his sounds are very very different from what we think of as hiphop today. Think: funk influences with lots of turntable work, inspired lyrics with ample breaks for his b-boys and girls. You probably actually know his song Renegades of Funk, though not his version but the Rage Against the Machine cover (which is actually pretty good, along with the video, which is basically images of hiphop leaders, black power figures, and anyone else they deemed relevent).
His sound is also most definitely 80's inspired. Synthesizers galore.
Check out:
Planet Rock, one of his many collabos with the Soulsonic Force.
I'm keeping him - he's a great example of the roots from which modern h-h artists pull inspiration. Plus, he wears some awesome outfits.
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