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Showing posts from March, 2014

First World Music: Akenataa Hammagaadji

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Akenataa Hammagaadji, the person behind the online African music radio program, First World Music, was born in Monrovia, Liberia. His mother had immigrated to the U.S. Virgin Islands, and sent for her children when Akenataa was 12 years old. Later they moved to the continental United States. After attending college, he hosted an African music program for 12 years on Columbia University's WKCR station. Nine years ago he started working on his current  show  on WVKR, showcasing musicians from the entire African continent, known and unknown. What keeps him going? There is much negative news out of Africa, and much of it is nor untrue; but his goal is to highlight the positive & beautiful: "Something from our heritage. Melodies, lyrics & instruments that are our own intellectual property." As per his website, among the goals of the radio program is: "to promote African artists to that they can be rewarded for the music (...). We hope that by airing mus