Oral history interview with Ibrahim Kanja Bah

Ibrahim Kanja Bah stated he was part of the Fulbe community in Sierra Leone, and the official language of his community is Pulaar. He explained the meaning of Kanja, how a child is named in his African community, and where the Fulbe community is located in West Africa. Bah explained what he knew about the United States, how he visualized the United States, and his understanding of African Americans prior to living in the United States; why he migrated to the United States in 1973; his arrival and first experiences in Brooklyn, New York and Washington, DC; his first impression of the United States; and how he was received in the United States. He spoke about the social functions, and African culture and traditions that bring Africans together in Washington, DC. Bah spoke about his past and current work in the music industry, including managing an African music store, producing music and concerts, bringing African bands to the United States, organizing music tours, DJing, hosting an African radio program, and teaching the history of African music at the Foreign Service Institute. Bah explained the increase in the popularity of African music; how African music and culture influenced popular American music, including go-go music, rap, and break dance; how night clubs, specifically the Kilimanjaro, exposed a lot of people to African music; who helped make African music acceptable to Africans and introduce African music to non-Africans in the United States; the influence of Africans on the English language in the United States; and the disconnection between the Africans in the United States and the Africans in Africa. Bah explained the ethnic and cultural diversity throughout Africa; how African diversity is "a unifying force"; Ghanaian music's role in the development of African music, including bass band music and highlife music; how the system cultivated Africans to be something other than who they really are; Africans are not capitalizing and marketing their music to the world themselves; and the popularity of Latin music in Africa. Bah also spoke about how a native Ghanaian rhythm became a part of Paul Simon's album. Ibrahim Kanja Bah was interviewed by Hector Corporan. Interview is in English. Digital audio files include white noise and static. Volume of interviewee's voice fluctuates a little; interviewee's voice is intelligible for the most part.