I first saw Baaba Maal in 1987 when he came to perform in my hometown, Galoya, in northern Senegal. I was 10 years old. Back then, there was no electricity in the region and concerts were held outdoors, in the early evening, and wrapped up by the time it got dark. Baaba and his band spent the night and performed again the following day. You may have heard his soaring vocals in the film, Black Panther, but even today, you are also very likely to run into his performances in the Fouta’s remote towns—on a soccer field or in someone’s living room. Since he started touring the villages along the river Senegal with his friend Mansour Seck in the 1970s, Baaba Maal has remained true to his origins. As he is preparing to return to New York City on May 4th for a performance with the Town Hall Ensemble, we caught up with him over the phone. We also asked him about the current political protests that are sweeping across the African continent. This conversation has been slightly edited for clarity.