Embattled hip-hop veteran Afrika Bambaataa has been embroiled in allegations within the past few weeks about being a child molester. In light of these claims, the Universal Zulu Nation announced over the weekend that the “Planet Rock” pioneer has been removed as its leader.

In an effort to maintain his innocence, Bambaataa sat with Fox 5 News’ Lisa Evers to clear his name. “I never abused nobody,” he declared after being asked directly about the sexual abuse allegations. The said allegations began piling up in March, after former New York State Democratic Committee Member Ronald Savage claimed in an interview with Daily News that Bambaataa sexually abused him when he was 15-years-old. A month later, three more men came up and reported similar accusations, telling the publication: “He is a pervert… he likes little boys.” Earlier this month, Shamsideen Shariyf Ali Bey, who allegedly spent time as Bambaataa’s bodyguard, planted more seeds to the story by stating in a radio interview that there were “hundreds” of boys that fell victim to the listed allegations.

Expressing his thoughts on the matter, Bambaataa, 59, questioned the timing of these stories, stating, “I was saying like, ‘Wow, why now?’”

“It was definitely hurting and definitely crazy to hear this now when I was doing so many other works in the community at the time,” he said. “Many of the people never want to speak to my other members who were of that era. They just going along with he say, she say….what they call gossip.”

At this moment, police are not investigating these reported incidents. The reason behind this is due to the fact that they took place beyond New York’s statute of limitations for sex abuse cases, which bars child victims from pursing charges after their 23rd birthday.