First World Music is a three hour safari in Global African Music which airs every Monday on WVKR, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York. Hosted by preeminent African music expert; Akenataa Hammagaadji, the programme features his insightful philosophy on African music and current cultural trends which is reflected in the quality and range of the music he plays. Disconcertingly opinionated and intellectually independent, he is the essential African music broadcaster for the times. The show is the most inclusive of any African music programme on radio today. His playlists feature music from countries that are ignored or unknown by other deejays.

On First World Music, rare music from Western Sahara, Rwanda and even Eritrea can often be heard. Genres such as bashraf, maskandi and fuji segue smoothly one into the other. The exposure of foreign, faddish genres, even if produced by Africans, is eschewed in favour of African based music produced in the Americas. Music from Peru, Haiti, and Belize can routinely be heard mixing quite naturally with continental sounds. North Africa, usually not acknowledged by many African music deejays, is always well represented on the programme. With such a mix of musics and interviews, contests, concert and event information, First World Music is the best of its kind in America today.

The selfless and unpaid work that Akenataa is doing on First World Music, is in the hope that, by exposing the variety, complexity, beauty and creative genius of African culture through its music, the prevailing negative news and views about his continent and his people will be counteracted however slightly, and will induce the audience to seek more of Africa's true heart and spirit themselves.